Do you often feel sluggish or have a hard time sleeping at night? Have you recently gained or lost weight for unexplainable reasons? Although these are ambiguous symptoms that could be related to a number of things, it may be due to an underactive thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is the mother of many bodily functions, including energy, weight, libido, brain development, fertility and more. It releases hormones into the body that send signals to various parts of the body.
This week, Terry Talks Nutrition addressed the function and consequences of a dysfunctional thyroid and how nutrition can play a role. Although there are tests to check the function of the thyroid, Terry argues these tests are often insufficient and can be misread depending on the individual.
There are several pharmaceuticals for hypo- (low) thyroid or hyper- (high) thyroid. And, there is also a natural drug on the market, Armour®, that many holistic doctors prefer, as it’s derived from dehydrated porcine (pork) thyroid. Terry advocates the use of iodine. He compares iodine relationship with the thyroid to calcium’s relationship to bone health. Iodine deficiency can cause swelling in the thyroid gland. Without iodine the thyroid is unable to create T4, a hormone secreted by the thyroid. There is controversy over the use of iodine therapy, but Terry believes iodine, as well as L-tyrosine, are essential for thyroid health.