I am somewhat lost here, but was just talking (via phone) with Dianne, and there is a question about bone loss and hormone replacement. The answer is, YES, too much thyroid hormone, over time, can contribute to bone loss. This usually occurs when one has been on excessive doses for a long time (years) and has been left unchecked (for whatever reason). For instance, people can still obtain dessicated thyroid hormone (3 grs) in some weight-loss schemes, and they take it, thinking that if they increase their metabolism they will lose weight. What happens is that a) they do not lose weight, and b) the thyroid hormone leeches out calcium in their bones, and they end up with severe osteoporosis because they have continued to take the thyroid hormone and have no medical follow-up.
For those of us who take thyroid hormone: we should all be taking a reasonable calcium supplement (half the daily requirement), eating calcium rich foods (milk, dairy products, yogurt, cheeses, meat, fish, cereal products, beans, fruits,gren and yellow vegetables ( I KNOW that many of these are high in fat, and also known as goitregenic, but you have to eat TONS of them to do that). The second thing to do is WEIGHT BEARING exercise (WALK), and the third thing is that for women it is important to maintain estrogen level, so ERT is something to seriously consider. If any of you want Bulletin #19, send a SASE, and write “#19” on it, and I will mail it to you.
From the National Osteoporosis Fdn:
1. Do you have a small, thin frame, or are you Caucasian or Asian?
2. Do you have a family history of osteoporosis?
3. Are you a postmenopausal woman?
4. Have you had an early or sugically induced menopause?
5. Have you been taking excessive thyroid medication or high doses of cortisone-like drugs for asthma, arthritis, or cancer?
6. Is your diet low in dair products and other sources of calcium?
7. Are you physically inactive?
8. Do you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol in excess?
The more times you answer “yes,” the greater your risk for developing osteoporosis. See you physician, or contact NOF, 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 602, Washington, DC, 20037.
Anonymous
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