[kristenb]

#1018673

I am new all to this, and I am sure this been told but I just have to share!

Factors That Cause an Inability to Convert T4 to T3

> Nutrient Deficiencies
– Chromium
– Copper
– Iodine
– Iron
– Selenium
– Zinc
– Vitamin A
– Vitamin B2
– Vitamin B6
– Vitamin B12

> Medications
– Beta Blockers
– Birth Control Pills
– Estrogen
– Iodinated Contrast Agents
– Lithium
– Phenytoin
– Steroids
– Theophylline

>Diet
– Cruciferous Vegetables
– Soy

> Other
– Aging
– Alcohol
– Lipoic Acid
– Diabetes
– Fluoride
– Lead
– Mercury
– Obesity
– Pesticides
– Radiation
– Stress
– Surgery

I find the birth control pills interesting. I havnt gotten rai yet or even know if I am, but my doctor said he would prescribe a synthetic hormone with just t4, and he knows I am on birth control.. hmm

[Kimberly]

#1066376

Just a quick note on the nutrient deficiencies…definitely check with a doctor or nutritionist before beginning a supplementation program. Some nutrients are most helpful when taken in proper combination with other nutrients. And some over-the-counter supplements *far* exceed the Recommended Daily Allowance of certain nutrients. And for those who are taking Anti-Thyroid Drugs, extra iodine can interfere with the meds. It’s best to have an expert on your team to make sure you are getting the most benefit from your supplements…without doing any unintended harm.

[Ski]

#1066377

I have never seen any list like this defining items that inhibit T4 to T3 conversion and, truthfully, I wonder about it. It stands to reason that if these substances inhibited T4 to T3 conversion, it would be so for 100% of the population (since we all do that, thyroid or not, Graves’ or not), and literally every person I know would be suffering from functional hypothyroidism as a result.

[kristenb]

#1066378

Ski- I don’t think it totally stops it, but it slows it down. After finding this info looked I researched medical journals and I found scholarly peer reviewed articles and found similar information. Maybe some of the overweight population are overweight partly because of this. Also- I imagine it has to do with large quantities.

[Bobbi]

#1066379

Let’s take "cruciferous vegetables" from the list as an example. Yes, there are compounds in certain vegetables that are known as "goitrogens". These compounds have been demonstrated, somehow, in a laboratory, to cause goiter formation, hypothyroidism, whatever. A lot of lay people have latched upon this information nugget to say "Aha! We can control hypo/hyper/goiter/whatever by not eating X." Actually, no, we cannot. The problem is that we would have to eat these veggies by the TRUCKLOAD in order to have a real problem from them. Demonstrating in laboratory conditions an "effect" does not necessarily translate to a real-life effect for human beings. Lab rats are given extreme quantities of a substance, for example, to see if there is any adverse effects.

So, we have to take lists/information like this with a very small grain of salt. Quantities DO matter. And, very often, the quantities used to demonstrate an effect in a lab have no reality in the normal human context.

[James]

#1066380

The topic of diet, supplements and health does come up from time to time and have to say from my personal experience that sometimes changes to lifestyle/diet can make a marked difference. My view isn’t so much that some of the things on a “Graves Diet” list are or are not effective, but in combination and used as an adjunct and not a replacement to existing therapy can make a difference, as long as the changes are safe. Like Bobbi says, there isn’t a specific food we can latch on to in order to say that we can absolutely control hypo/hyperthyroidism. However, by incorporating a few lifestyle/diet changes as an adjunct to existing therapy is probably what you are saying if I’m reading correctly between the lines Kristen?

Many people who I have spoken to over the years who wish to try ATD’s for the long haul if required, quite often try to latch on to a quick fix Graves’ diet. There isn’t one. As an example, your list includes a number of chemicals that have been debated in the medical community as interfering with proper immune function (never mind T4 to T3 conversion). Mercury in dental fillings is a controversial one. Is removing the mercury from your teeth going to cure ones autoimmune disorder? Definitely not. But if a patient by his or her own choosing decides to implement a number of changes that are medically safe, there is no harm in doing so. A few things that might help us on a micro scale can potentially add up to big difference in overall health long term. I applaud individuals such as yourself who take their health seriously enough to want to explore and discover by looking outside of the box. That is if looking outside of the box incorporates the use of medically acceptable treatments as well.

James

[Corinne]

#1066381

I do see that birth control pills are on this list. I was wondering if anyone else has heard of a link between The Pill and thyroid issues? Being in the science industry, I worry that many of the newer medications these days have not been given the time to do long term studies. I have been on The Pill for 10 years now! Thats a long time! Obviously not everyone who is on The Pill gets Thyroid issues, because then we’d have a lot more women with thyroid issues….but has anyone heard of any links at all? I had seen something about that online, a while ago, and considered other birth control options, so thought I would ask you guys!

[kristenb]

#1066382

Hi guys- I think there’s a confusion. I got the impression these are inhibitors … which are important to know post treatment. I do not by any means think they can cure graves.

For example if I go the RAI route.. I may try to avoid taking estrogen based birth control pills, since most replacements are just t4 and there have many numerous studies staying excess estrogen can inhibit (decrease, slow down) the t4/t3 conversion.

[Ski]

#1066383

The link I have heard of between estrogen and thyroid hormone is that, if our levels of estrogen are fluctuating (as they do in puberty, menopause, and during pregnancy), they can "bind" the thyroid hormone in odd ways and ultimately result in a need for adjustment of replacement hormone dose or ATD dose. If our thyroid were working correctly, it would adjust itself through the TSH/T4 feedback loop, but since we have issues, we need to manage it ourselves. I don’t think there’s anything specific within the pill that *causes* thyroid issues, but more likely that it *impacts* thyroid issues.

[Corinne]

#1066384

So, basically the Pill is definitely one of those medications I should take at a separate time as my ATDs, and once I am one them, my replacement hormones, right?

[Ski]

#1066385

I’m not sure you have to separate it from your ATD dose, but best to separate it from any thyroid hormone replacement. Also, the most important thing is to know that it may cause a fluctuation in your thyroid hormone levels (no matter when you take it), so if you’re just starting to take the pill, or going off it, that’s a signal to monitor your thyroid hormone levels for the next few months and adjust thyroid meds as necessary to keep your hormone levels stable.

[Author]

Posts