Latest Update: January 22, 2012 Top of Form

Bottom of Form Hypothyroidism and the Role of Armour Thyroid, Seaweed, Exercise, and More Cutting-Edge Interview with Joseph Mercola, D.O. by Mary Shomon Dr. Joseph Mercola is an osteopathic physician, board certified in family medicine, who runs the Optimal Wellness Center, located outside Chicago in Schaumburg, Illinois. He has been trained in and practices both conventional and natural medicine, and writes a monthly column for a natural alternative medical journal (The Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients) and has been interviewed on national and local news, including ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. Q. You have said that you feel that it's a "big myth" that that an elevated TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level is always required before a diagnosis of hypothyroidism can be made. First, can you explain why you feel this is a big myth? And second, why do you feel that conventional medicine seems to cling pretty firmly to this myth as the sole means of diagnosing hypothyroidism? A: I would say over 90% of the patients that I diagnose with underactive thyroids have a completely normal TSH level. Even with this relatively insensitive test, a study published earlier this year concluded that 13 million Americans have undiagnosed thyroid disease. I suspect it may be as high as five times that number. From my perspective, most traditionally based physicians have long abandoned their physical examination and diagnosis skills and appear unwilling to believe that patients who complain of all the classic hypothyroid symptoms are in fact truly hypothyroid if their TSH is normal. They would rather believe a lab test than the patient sitting in front of them. I suspect this may be related to the trust physicians place in the researchers who developed the original assay. I suspect that the same issues are involved in nearly all traditional physician's incredible reluctance to use natural thyroid hormones for replacement and their insistence on using synthetic hormones. This is remarkable in light of the New England Journal of Medicine article last year that quite clearly showed that natural hormones are far superior, especially with respect to brain function and mood. Q. You have said that if a TSH is above 1.5 there is a strong chance the thyroid gland is not working properly. Can you explain why you feel that is the case? A: I have carefully analyzed hundred's of patient's symptoms and had many of them take their basal body temperatures. There appears to be a strong correlation between this threshold value of a TSH above 1.5 and the diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Most patients who have TSH levels above 1.5 seem to respond quite well to natural therapies that either improve or replace thyroid function. Q. Why do you feel that Free T3 and Free T4 levels are the only accurate measures of the
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actual active thyroid hormone levels in the blood? Why do you feel these are more accurate than the TSH level, which is considered the standard by the majority of conventional physicians? A. The Free T3 and Free T4 levels represent the active hormones circulating in the blood. The typical thyroid tests: Total T4, T3 Uptake (and Free Thyroxine Index (FTI) are virtually worthless and should have been abandoned years ago. I believe that the Free T3 and Free T4 are not superior to TSH, but should be used in conjunction with TSH. My contention is that the reference range for TSH is inaccurate. TSH is quite a good screen and will in fact assess most cases of hypothyroidism if the new ranges are utilized. The value of Free T3 and Free T4 comes into play when one needs to diagnose secondary and tertiary hypothyroidism. These are cases of hypothyroidism due to pituitary or hypothalamic dysfunction. These are far less common than primary hypothyroidism, but nevertheless they do constitute a significant percentage of individuals. Q. You mention that for people who have low T3 levels, a combination of T4 and T3 can compensate for the inability to convert T4 to T3. You typically favor Armour thyroid, the desiccated natural thyroid product made from the glands of pigs. Is there a reason you prefer this, versus Thyrolar, the synthetic T4/T3 combination drug, or adding Cytomel (synthetic T3) or a time released compounded T3, to levothyroxine (Synthroid-synthetic T4)? A. Excellent question Mary, and it also demonstrates your deep understanding of this complicated subject. It is my experience the vast majority of individuals seem to empirically do better on natural hormones, rather than synthetic ones. I can't provide a definitive explanation for this observation. It may be related to the fact that the natural hormones also have T1 and T2. Little is said about these forms of thyroid hormones, but they may have some influence on optimizing thyroid function. There are clearly however, individuals who do not tolerate desiccated thyroid hormones at all. This is when I would use a combination synthetic product like Thyrolar or combine levothyroxine (synthetic T4) with Cytomel (synthetic T3). Q. You recommend splitting the Armour thyroid pill and taking it twice a day. Can you explain why you feel this is particularly important? A. Armour thyroid is a combination of T3 and T4. T3 products (like Cytomel) need to be taken twice a day to provide a steady concentration of thyroid hormone as it has a much shorter half-life than T4. Q. You describe something called secondary or tertiary hypothyroidism, where TSH is below 1.5 and Free T3 (and possibly the Free T4 as well) is below normal. How does this differ from primary hypothyroidism? Are there different causes for these different types of hypothyroidism? A. These are forms of hypothyroidism that are not directly due to the thyroid gland failing. Traditional viewpoints would classify this as pituitary or hypothalamus dysfunction. However, there are far more common reasons for this that tend to be primarily related to the adrenal gland. My experience has been that the bulk of individuals who have thyroid impairment with the new TSH criteria above 1.5, are in fact related to adrenal insufficiency. Other causes of thyroid dysfunction would be related to an impairment of the body's ability to convert T4 to T3 (the active form of thyroid hormone). This is generally related to depressed DHEA levels. However, one must be very careful to not use DHEA without first measuring levels of other hormones, especially testosterone. DHEA given as supplement can clearly cause more harm than good if it is not needed. I find that the best way to analyze these imbalances is through salivary hormone testing and I find Dr.
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Timmins's lab Bio Health Diagnostics (1-800-570-2000) to be the lab that most accurately and cost effectively can asses these hormone rhythms through their testing panels. I have found the testing useful to diagnose myself with a mild case of secondary hypothyroidism. My TSH was below 1.5 but my main symptom was severe cold intolerance to Chicago winters, which has become progressively worse over the years. Once I went on sublingual DHEA and pregnenolone, my aversion to the winter was not due to the cold, but only the diminished sunlight. Q. Are there any particular supplements you think most people with hypothyroidism should probably be taking? A. I am not a huge fan of supplements and encourage most people to optimize their diet. I have an outline that I have all my patients follow and it is a good starting point. The nutritional changes help to optimize their insulin levels, which have an important element to normalizing the biochemistry that generally goes along with chronic illness. But for specific recommendations for hypothyroidism, I feel the best supplement that one could possibly take for proactive thyroid health on a regular basis would be some form of organic iodine. A simple way to determine if one requires this is to paint a patch of tincture of iodine on your skin the size of a half dollar. The iodine brown coloration should last at least 24 hours. The faster it is absorbed the greater the body's iodine deficiency. The best source of organically bound iodine that I know of is non-commercially harvested seaweeds. The dose is about 5 grams a day or about one ounce per week. So a pound would last about two months. Radioactive iodine is another factor that can damage the thyroid so one needs to flood the gland with healthy iodine from organic sources like seaweed. As you know this is particularly important for pregnant women as if they have untreated hypothyroidism their, a New England Journal of Medicine study showed that their children may have lower IQ scores. The better seaweeds are hand picked and dried and not typically available in health food stores. They are the absolute best forms of minerals that I am aware of. Unfortunately the people who produce this usually run small operations, and do not make their products widely known. Kelp from the health food store may work, but it really depends on how it was harvested and there is no way to know that reliably, so I rely on seaweed harvesters who hand pick the seaweed and reliably dry them free from contaminants. If one already has a thyroid problem the issue is far more complicated. It is difficult to make general recommendations without identifying the underlying cause of the individual's hypothyroidism. One of the most common is psycho-emotional stress that impairs the adrenal glands from working properly. Once the adrenals are compromised the thyroid gland attempts to compensate for the exhausted adrenals and the thyroid frequently loses its ability to function normally. I have four psychotherapists in my center who work on this issue using very sophisticated autonomic nervous system rebalancing that incorporates multiple forms of muscle testing. Mercury is another common cause of hypothyroidism. Amalgams are 50% mercury and they are only inches away from the thyroid gland. If diagnostic testing determines mercury to be a problem then the amalgam fillings need to be removed by a biologically trained dentist and replaced with a non-metal (composite) filling. The mercury needs to be eliminated. I have written with Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt a comprehensive protocol for this that will be published shortly. A short summary of the protocol is on my web site.
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Q. What are your thoughts about "Wilson's Syndrome," which uses body temperature as the sole means of diagnosis, and uses primarily T3 only as a treatment? A. First of all traditional medicine already has established Wilson Disease (hepatolenticular degeneration). It was first described in 1912 as a problem resulting in copper accumulation in the liver and brain. Wilson Disease has to do with a reduction in the incorporation of copper into its transport protein, ceruloplasmin. This results in copper deposition in the cornea, brain and basal ganglia. Clearly this disease predates the Wilson syndrome, and although Wilson Syndrome and Wilson Disease are different names, I believe they are to similar and am surprised that someone would be so audacious to name a disease syndrome after himself that is so easily confused with a well defined existing medical entity. Some have commented that his book for the public is of the worst of vanity-press publishing, although his doctor's manual is surprisingly well written and espouses some clever arguments, albeit based on some false premises. A previously interviewed clinician on your site, Dr. John Lowe, does a great job pointing this out in his book. The Wilson protocol is so complicated and time-consuming to follow that it requires a truly unusual patient and more time than a physician can usually afford to have any chance of being executed properly. Unfortunately, until patients encounter something better, legions of desperate patients, incorrectly treated by the "endocrinologist-thyroidologist technocracy" have clung onto the hopes provided by Dr. Wilson's book. That is what you offer on your wonderful site, the chance to learn superior alternatives to the Wilson Syndrome complicated and generally non-effective approach. However, giving credit where credit is due, Dr. Wilson's thoughts about "compensation" effects (and the differences therein among different patients) are useful and based on good logic and probably some quite astute clinical observations. Indeed, these dynamics are pertinent to what happens before a patient taking T3 stabilizes, and an awareness of this process may be a useful nugget to salvage from the considerable time many of us have invested into studying Wilson's approach. Of course, that does not suggest in any way that Wilson's cycling protocol with enormous doses of T3 has any merit or should be used. Q. A major complaint many people with hypothyroidism have is difficulty losing weight, even after they've been diagnosed, and are on optimum amounts of thyroid hormone, including T3. Do you have any suggestions for those people who are finding it particularly difficult? A. Absolutely. This typically is easily resolved if the patient is compliant, as I have guided hundreds of patients through this process successfully. The central issue is compliance as my observation is that most people have an emotional issue that complicates optimal resolution of this problem. The first issue would be to abandon the traditional viewpoint that grains are healthy for most of us. Grains convert to sugar and cause profound disturbances in insulin balance that lead to weight gain. I have a diet plan that I have put together over the years that seems to help most people in this area. The second essential issue is that cardiovascular exercise is vital. Typically one hour per day, each and every day is required, until ideal weight is achieved. The one-hour can be split into two or three sessions and the exercise needs to be relatively intense. I explain to patients it should be just below the threshold where they lose the ability to talk comfortably to someone standing next to them. If they can talk easily they are not working out hard enough. Of course one needs to gradually build up to this level and have clearance from their physician if they have heart disease.
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Q. In researching my book, I talked to a number of scientists who felt that overconsumption of soy isoflavones can create some health problems, including an increased risk of hypothyroidism. Do you have any thoughts about the current soy craze, and the pros and cons of soy consumption, including soy foods, and soy protein powders, and isoflavone supplements? A. Once again Mary, you are right on target. There are very few professionals or media who understand this issue, and you are one of them. Dr. Enig is professor of biochemistry at the University of Maryland and is the researcher who brought trans fatty acid to the public's attention a few decades ago. I have a 15-page review by Dr. Enig, which is the best summary I have seen on the subject. I believe the soy issue is one of the biggest health misconceptions in the natural food movement today and I plan on doing some national TV interviews on this subject soon. 20/20 is the first media to begin to expose the problem and had a story with the soy infant formula on June 9 of this year. I believe soy formula is one of the worst foods on the planet for an infant and should be banned. It provided the hormone equivalent of five birth control pills a day and may be one of the reasons infertility and other female endocrine problems are so common today. Q. Some experts are concerned that the fluoridation of water may be contributing to an increase in thyroid problems, among other health concerns. What are your thoughts about this? A. This is a very controversial area. One of my friends, Dr. Ted Spence, did an excellent review on this fluoride controversy and I also have many links where one can explore this area in great detail. I believe fluoride, like mercury, is a chemical toxin and poison and should be avoided. There is likely to be a direct antagonism with iodine that is well documented. I suspect most other logical and open individuals would reach the same conclusion if they critically analyzed the evidence. Q. Do have any thoughts for patients who are having difficulties getting properly diagnosed or treated? People who cannot necessarily travel to see you, or who do not have access to doctors who are particularly savvy about thyroid treatment, and who are stuck with HMOs or who are limited to particular doctors with particular insurance plans? A. Another excellent question. Like you, I receive 1,000 emails a week and I have long ago passed my ability to personally respond to all of them. The simple solution would be to ask every employee of a health food store for a medical doctor that practices natural medicine. Nearly every community has one, although you might have to travel somewhat. I would ask the storeowner and all the employees, don't just ask one part-time employee, be persistent and contact all the health food stores in your area. They are tremendous local resources. If that option fails I would call the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM 714583-7666). I am a member of this group and most of these physicians are open to using natural hormones. I would just give them a copy of the information on my web site regarding thyroid hormone diagnosis and management. If the ACAM physician had any questions I would be glad to answer them and help guide them through the process. But most of them are already using Armour thyroid, they just may not be familiar with the revised use of the Free T3 and Free T4 levels. Q. Is there anything else you'd like to share about your thoughts on hypothyroidism? A. I would encourage readers to be persistent. It has been my experience that the vast majority of "thyroid experts" including some of the ones listed on your site, are not in agreement with the material I have reviewed here. Readers need to be convinced that there is a solution that addresses the cause for many of their chronic health care complaints, despite the traditional medical paradigm insistence that there is not.
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If one already has thyroid failure, then it is not possible to return the gland to normal and readers should seek a form of therapy that optimizes T3 levels. For the vast majority of patients levothyroxine (Synthroid) does not achieve this. I see many patients who have searched long and hard to find a physician who was willing to give them a thyroid replacement like Armour thyroid. It is my experience that once these individuals change their thyroid replacement to a natural thyroid product their quality of life soars. For the past 25 years, tens of millions of Americans in hundreds of cities and towns have been drinking tap water that is contaminated with low levels of insecticides, weed killers, and artificial fertilizer. They not only drink it, they also bathe and shower in it, thus inhaling small quantities of farm chemicals and absorbing them through the skin and through breathing in the vapors. Naturally, the problem is at its worst in agricultural areas of the country. Pesticides have been shown to interfere with thyroid function and cancer risk, so it is imperative to drink clean water. Q. How can people find out more about your work, or contact you? A. The best way is my web site at www.mercola.com. All contact information is there. I provide a free weekly newsletter that reviews 10-20 peer-reviewed articles that are published every week. My associate editor and I review 2-300 articles every week to only publish and review the best of the best as they relate to natural health care. It is a labor of love and I have been doing it for over three years. All back issues are on my web site and readily available for review by using the search engine on the site.

Is the FDA Poised to Ban a Century-Old Natural Remedy?

Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 19 2009 | 68,995 views

Major Pharmaceuticals has put out a press release saying that they've been forced to shut down production of all natural desiccated thyroid drugs, a treatment for hypothyroidism that has been in use for over a century. Major received notice from the FDA that their complete line of desiccated thyroid drugs can no longer be manufactured, and that the FDA is pulling the designation that allowed them to sell these drugs. Major is also saying that the FDA is requiring that all manufacturers that wish to continue manufacturing submit an NDA or ANDA (New Drug Application or Abbreviated New Drug Application) for approval. Desiccated thyroid drugs were in use in the early 1900s, and already on the market when the government
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regulatory groups to oversee medications were formed, so they never went through the new drug application process. Biotech, Time Cap Labs, and Major are no longer manufacturing natural desiccated thyroid drugs. RLC and Forest are now the last makers of natural desiccated thyroid drugs in the U.S., and their products are unavailable or in short supply in throughout the nation. Dr. Mercola's Comments: Mary Shomon is the about.com thyroid expert, and she is one of the leaders in the field. In this article, she raises the warning flag about a very important issue for many people the potential elimination of bioidentical hormones from the market. She is enormously popular and has about 70 percent of the traffic that comes to my site. If you have any thyroid condition her site is an absolute must. She is my go-to thyroid expert, and I frequently call her to get advice in this area. She has my absolute highest endorsement as one of the most knowledgeable people on thyroid issues out there. I am in the process of reviewing her new book, The Menopause Thyroid Solution: Overcome Menopause by Solving Your Hidden Thyroid Problems, and hope to have that up soon. I am sure it will receive my highest rating, as I have yet to review a book she wrote that wasnt the best in its field. So far, there are more questions than answers, but one thing is for sure: the FDAs withdrawal of the designation that allowed these drugs to be sold has patients worried across the U.S. As reported by Mary, the FDA has already shut down natural desiccated thyroid drug production and distribution by three firms: Biotech Major Time Cap Labs

Two other major manufacturers/distributors now have long-term backorders for their bioidentical hormone products, which include Armour, Nature-Throid, and Westroid. The uncertainty about the future of natural thyroid drug options has led patients and practitioners to form a new coalition designed to help protect your right to choose, under the banner "Save Natural Thyroid." Theyve also formed a Save Natural Thyroid Facebook Group to strategize and help keep thyroid patients informed. If you or anyone you love uses bioidentical hormones, you may want to join this group to keep up on the latest updates. Mary and I have had strategic discussions on the next step to preserve this important resource, but it is very unclear how we can direct the efforts. I actually called the FDA on September 9th and talked to a senior health advisory officer. She told me she could not be quoted, but that she was personally unaware of any FDA meetings that were scheduled on this. Then she put me on hold for 15 minutes. When she came back she identified me as Dr. Mercola, even though I never said I was a physician. So she clearly looked me up. Then she told me that I would have to call the FDA Press area for an official position, and that there actually could be a meeting being planned, but it wasnt currently on the FDA website. They are obviously highly secretive about this and not willing to let the public know what is happening, but I assure you that Mary and I are working on this together, and will bring you a plan as soon as we figure one out. Thyroid Disease Affects Many Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in your throat area that contains thyroglobulin protein, which binds to iodine to form hormones, which in turn influence essentially every organ, tissue and cell in your body.
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Two key hormones produced by your thyroid are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones help oxygen get into cells, and make your thyroid the master gland of metabolism. If too much or too little thyroglobulin protein in your thyroid binds to iodine, too many or too few hormones will be produced. Hypothyroidism is the condition where your thyroid produces too few hormones and account for some 80 percent of all people with thyroid disease. Hyperthyroidism is the reverse problem, where your thyroid is overactive, producing too much thyroid hormone. Thyroid disease, if left untreated, can lead to heart disease, infertility, muscle weakness, osteoporosis and, in extreme cases, coma or death, yet its estimated that half of the cases in the United States, about 15 million people, remain undiagnosed. If you have certain symptoms, which I will review below, theres a good possibility -- especially if you are a woman that you might be one of these individuals. How do You Know if Your Thyroid is Not Working Properly? Fatigue is the most common sign of an underactive thyroid, followed by depression and muscle weakness. Other common signs of hypothyroidism include: Changes in your weight and appetite, especially unexplained Difficulty losing weight despite proper diet and exercise Forgetfulness Sensitivity to cold, especially in the winter, this is a big one Dry, rough or scaly skin, and dry, tangled hair, another important one Hair loss, particularly from the outer part of your eyebrows Brittle nails

The most common conventional way physicians diagnose hypothyroidism is with a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test. The range for acceptable thyroid function is between 0.3 and 3.04. In my experience, most adults with levels over 3 have hypothyroidism, and many with levels from 1.5 to 3.0 seem to benefit from thyroid support. Let me repeat this as it is easy to overlook: BE CAREFUL, as most physicians will dismiss your TSH results as normal because they will be using outdated reference ranges. If your TSH is above 1.5, then it is highly likely your thyroid is not working as it should. Treatment Options for Hypothyroidism What I have observed over the years is an interesting phenomenon. You can typically tell if a physician is a natural medical doctor, or at least oriented in that direction, by the type of thyroid hormone they prescribe. Natural medical physicians nearly exclusively prescribe natural hormones, and conventional physicians typically prescribe synthetic versions like Synthroid and Levothroid. Its important to realize that early intervention can successfully restore your thyroid function. If youve had your thyroid gland surgically removed, however, you have no choice but to keep taking thyroid hormones for the rest of your life. When it comes to thyroid hormones, you have two major options: synthetic or natural. One of the most commonly used is Synthroid, a synthetic hormone. Another common T4 hormone preparation is Levothroid. I rarely recommend using those, as most people cannot effectively convert the T4 in synthetic thyroid preparations to T3. About the only time I find it helpful is for people who are sensitive to Armour
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Thyroid or for those who have been on synthetic hormones for many years when the benefit for shifting appears to be minimal. I also do not recommend Cytomell, which is a T3 hormone preparation, although it can be used in conjunction with the others to help balance out your hormones. If youve been on synthetic hormones for an extended period of time, say 10 to 20 years, the likelihood of you being able to wean yourself off the hormones is limited and most people I have treated were unable to do it But if youre newly diagnosed, or have not been on synthetic hormones for very long, I strongly recommend Armour Thyroid a natural porcine thyroid extract, which provides not only T3 and T4, but also T1 and T2, which will help normalize your hormone response. The fact that the FDA may now severely limit, or eliminate this option is distressing, as it is clearly the best option for many people. Research Confirms the Superior Benefits of Natural Armour Thyroid An important study published in 1999 in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) showed the benefits of natural Armour thyroid compared to the synthetic Synthroid drug. They found that patients with hypothyroidism had greater improvements in mood and brain function when receiving Armour thyroid rather than Synthroid (thyroxiine). The researchers also detected biochemical evidence that thyroid hormone action was greater after treatment with Armour thyroid, because the patients who were on Armour thyroid had significantly higher serum concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin. Lifestyle Strategies for Normal Thyroid Function Prevention is always the best alternative, and there are simple strategies that can help you maintain good thyroid function. The following lifestyle changes address the root cause of an under-functioning thyroid:
1. Eat a healthy diet, following a nutrition plan that is right for your nutritional type, and avoid

processed and refined foods.

2. Avoid brominated foods (which includes most commercial bakery products and some flours),

and other sources of bromine. When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and iodine deficiency is a major cause of thyroid problems. Bromine is an insidious toxin that is used in a very wide variety of foods, beverages and other products you may be using on a regular basis. For more information, please read my report on this issue. 3. Make sure youre getting enough selenium and iodine, which provide the raw materials for your thyroid gland to work better.
4. Get plenty of omega-3 fats from high quality sources like krill oil. A variety of studies and

physiological principles suggest that omega-3 fat in doses of 3-5 grams per day would be helpful in restoring thyroid function.
5. Avoid unfermented soy, because soy isoflavones can wreak havoc on your thyroid.

Kaayla Daniel's groundbreaking book, The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food is a powerful expos that reveals its many health dangers, including its detrimental impact on thyroid function. Clearly, if you want to keep your thyroid healthy, youll definitely want to avoid unfermented soy products of all kinds, including soy milk.
6. Get a sound nights sleep, in complete darkness. 7. Address your emotional stress. The vast majority of people's thyroid glands become impaired as

a result of weak adrenal glands. The thyroid gland tries to compensate for this and eventually just
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gives up and stops working. Adrenal impairment is frequently due to emotional stress, and unless you have these previous emotional challenges resolved, there is little likelihood of recovering your thyroid function without hormonal replacement.

Avoid This if You Want to Keep Your Thyroid Healthy

Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 05 2009 | 397,628 views

Bromides are a common endocrine disruptor. Because bromide is also a halide, it competes for the same receptors that are used in the thyroid gland (among other places) to capture iodine. This will inhibit thyroid hormone production resulting in a low thyroid state. Iodine is essential for your body, and is detected in every organ and tissue. There is increasing evidence that low iodine is related to numerous diseases, including cancer. Various clinicians and researchers have found iodine effective with everything from goiter to constipation. Bromide can be found in several forms. Methyl Bromide is a pesticide used mainly on strawberries, found predominantly in the California areas. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is added to citrus drinks to help suspend the flavoring in the liquid. Potassium Bromate is a dough conditioner found in commercial bakery products and some flours. Dr. Mercola's Comments: If you are like most people, you probably havent spent much time thinking about how much bromine youre absorbing from your car upholstery or your Mountain Dew. But bromine toxicity is a definite danger from some surprising sources, and it can wreak havoc on your health. Bromines All Around You Bromines are common endocrine disruptors, and are part of the halide family, a group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine. What makes it so dangerous is that it competes for the same receptors that are used to capture iodine. If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not hold on to the iodine that it needs. And iodine affects every tissue in your body -- not just your thyroid. You are already exposed to far too much chlorine and bromine. Bromine can be found in a number of places in your everyday world, including:

Pesticides (specifically methyl bromide, used mainly on strawberries, predominantly in California) Plastics, like those used to make computers Bakery goods and some flours often contain a dough conditioner called potassium bromate Soft drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, Squirt, Fresca and other citrusflavored sodas), in the form of brominated vegetable oils (BVOs) Medications such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal Spray, Pro-Banthine (for ulcers), and anesthesia agents Fire retardants (common one is polybromo diphenyl ethers or PBDEs) used in fabrics, carpets, upholstery, and mattresses Bromine-based hot tub and swimming pool treatments

According to van Leeuwen, who has extensively studied the effects of sodium bromide on thyroid function:
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Although the bromide ion is widely distributed in nature, the main route of exposure in humans stems from bromide residues in food commodities as a result of the abundant use of bromide-containing pesticides, like methylbromide and ethylene dibromide, for soil fumigation in intensive horticulture and for postharvest treatment. One clinical consequence of overexposure to bromine is suppression of your thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism, which will be discussed shortly. Another is bromide toxicity. Bromine -- The Bully of the Halide Group When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is significant enough to have been given its own name -- the Bromide Dominance Theory. Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms. In fact, in an audio interview, physician Jorge Flechas reported that, between 1920 and 1960, at least 20 percent of all hospital admissions for acute paranoid schizophrenia were a result of ingesting bromine-containing products. In addition to psychiatric problems, bromine toxicity can manifest as the following: Skin rashes and severe acne Loss of appetite and abdominal pain Fatigue Metallic taste Cardiac arrhythmias

Baby Boomers might recall a popular product from the 1950s called Bromo-Seltzer. These effervescent granules, developed by the Emerson Drug Company of Baltimore, were used to treat heartburn, upset stomach, indigestion, headaches and hangovers. Bromo-Selzers original formula contained 3.2 mEq/teaspoon of sodium bromide -- hence the name. The sedative effect probably explained its popularity as a hangover remedy. Bromides were withdrawn from the American market in 1975 due to their toxicity. Bromo-Selzer is still on the market, but no longer contains bromide. Bromines in Your Bread Box: Potassium Bromate The ban on bromines have not prevented them from sneaking into your foods and personal care products. You probably are not aware of this, but nearly every time you eat bread in a restaurant or consume a hamburger or hotdog bun you are consuming bromide, as it is commonly used in flours. The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures. Bromated flour is enriched with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up to bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies manage to use only unbromated flour without any of these so-called structural problems. Potassium bromate is also found in some toothpastes and mouthwashes, where its added as an antiseptic and astringent. It has been found to cause bleeding and inflammation of gums in people using these products. Sodium Bromate and BMOs

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Mountain Dew, one of the worst beverages you can drink, uses brominated vegetable oil as an emulsifier. Not only that, it contains high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, more than 55 mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can, and Yellow Dye #5 (tartrazine, which has been banned in Norway, Austria and Germany.) A weapon of mass destruction -- in a can. Even drinking water can be a source of bromide. When drinking water containing bromide is exposed to ozone, bromate ions are formed, which are powerful oxidizing agents. Such was the case in 2004 when Coca Cola Company had to recall Dasani bottled water. Sodium bromate can also be found in personal care products such as permanent waves, hair dyes, and textile dyes. Benzalkonium is used as a preservative in some cosmetics. Finally, bromine and chlorine were the most common toxic elements reportedly found in automobiles, according to the blog of David Brownstein, MD (March 2007). They showed up in the seats, armrests, door trim, shift knobs and other areas of the car. Think about how much time you spend enclosed in your outgassing Chevy windows up with no air circulation. The United States is quite behind in putting an end to the egregious practice of allowing bromine chemicals in your foods. In 1990, the United Kingdom banned bromate in bread. In 1994, Canada did the same. Brazil recently outlawed bromide in flour products. Whats taking us so long? Another case of our government protecting big industry -- instead of protecting you. Iodine Levels and Cancer Risk Iodine levels have significantly dropped due to bromine exposure; declining consumption of iodized salt, eggs, fish, and sea vegetables; and soil depletion. In the U.S. population, there was a 50 percent reduction in urinary iodine excretion between 1970 and 1990. Whats this doing to our countrys health? The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. The RDA for iodine in the U.S. is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with the average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese. There is a large body of evidence suggesting that low cancer rates in Japan are a result of their substantially higher iodine levels. Iodine has documented antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties. A strong case can be made that your iodine RDA should be closer to what the Japanese consume daily, if breast cancer rates are any indication. Low iodine can lead to fibrocystic breast disease in women (density, lumps and bumps), hyperplasia, and atypical mammary tissue. Such fibrocystic changes in breast tissue have been shown to reverse in the presence of iodine supplementation after 3-4 months. If you are interested in being tested for iodine deficiency, the urine iodine challenge test is the best way to assess your iodine level. Bromine and Your Thyroid Adding to the negative health effects of bromine, the damage to your thyroid health deserves special mention. As stated in the first part of this article, bromine exposure depletes your bodys iodine by competing with iodine receptors. Iodine is crucial for thyroid function. Without iodine, your thyroid gland would be completely unable to produce thyroid hormone. Even the names of the different forms of thyroid hormone reflect the number of iodine molecules attached -- T4 has four attached iodine molecules, and T3 (the biologically active form of the hormone) has three--showing what an important part iodine plays in thyroid biochemistry.

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Hypothyroidism is far more prevalent than once thought in the U.S. The latest estimates are that 13 million Americans have hypothyroidism, but the actual numbers are probably higher. Some experts claim that 10 to40 percent of Americans have suboptimal thyroid function. Many of these folks may actually have nothing wrong with their thyroid gland at all -- they may just be suffering from iodine deficiency. Seven Tips for Avoiding Bromine and Optimizing Iodine Trying to avoid bromine is like trying to avoid air pollution -- all you can do is minimize your exposure. That said, here are a few things you can do to minimize your risk: 1. Eat organic as often as possible. Wash all produce thoroughly. This will minimize your pesticide exposure. 2. Avoid eating or drinking from (or storing food and water in) plastic containers. Use glass and safe ceramic vessels. 3. Look for organic whole-grain breads and flour. Grind you own grain, if possible. Look for the no bromine or bromine-free label on commercial baked goods. 4. Avoid sodas. Drink natural, filtered water instead. 5. If you own a hot tub, look into an ozone purification system. Such systems make it possible to keep the water clean with minimal chemical treatments.
6. Look for personal care products that are as chemical-free as possible. Remember -- anything

going on you, goes in you.

7. When in a car or a building, open windows as often as possible, preferably on opposing sides of

the space for cross ventilation. Utilize fans to circulate the air. Chemical pollutants are much higher inside buildings (and cars) than outside. Avoid Unfermented Soy Another major contributor to thyroid dysfunction that I did not discuss above is unfermented soy. Soy isoflavones can wreak havoc on your thyroid. Kaayla Daniel's groundbreaking book, The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food is a powerful expos that reveals the truth about the soy myths that have infiltrated our culture. It's ironic that soy has become so accepted as a health food when, as Dr. Daniel states, thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid- and hormonal dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility--even cancer and heart disease. So if you want to keep your thyroid healthy, youll definitely want to avoid unfermented soy products of all kinds, including soy milk.

Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions for Poor Thyroid Function

Posted By Dr. Mercola | October 20 2009 | 131,882 views

By Dr. MercolHypothyroidism is far more prevalent than once thought. The latest estimates are that 20 million Americans have hypothyroidism, but the actual numbers are probably higher. Some experts claim that 10 to 40 percent of Americans have suboptimal thyroid function. Thyroid hormones are used by every cell of your body to regulate metabolism and body weight by controlling the burning of fat for energy and heat. Thyroid hormones are also required for growth and development in children. Iodine is Key for Thyroid Health
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Iodine is the key to a healthy thyroid and efficient metabolism, and even comprises a large part of the thyroid hormone molecule itself. Even the names of the different forms of thyroid hormone reflect the number of iodine molecules attached -- T4 has four attached iodine molecules, and T3 (the biologically active form of the hormone) has three -- showing what an important part iodine plays in thyroid biochemistry. Iodine deficiency is one of the three most common nutritional deficiencies, along with magnesium and vitamin D. Since iodine is so important for thyroid function, wouldnt you expect to see an increase in hypothyroidism with insufficient iodine levels? Yes, and that is exactly what we have seen. This means that your thyroid problem could actually be an iodine deficiency problem. If you feel sluggish and tired, have difficulty losing weight, have dry skin, hair loss, constipation or cold sensitivity, it could all be related to hypothyroidism. More than 100 years ago, iodine was shown to reverse and prevent goiter (swelling of your thyroid gland) and to correct hypothyroidism. But we now understand that iodines effects are much farther reaching. Iodine has four important functions in your body: 1. Stabilization of metabolism and body weight 2. Brain development in children 3. Fertility 4. Optimization of your immune system (iodine is a potent anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-viral and anti- cancer agent) While iodine levels have fallen, there have been simultaneous increases in rates of thyroid disease, breast cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, prostate cancer, and obesity in American adults, and an increase in mental retardation and developmental delays in American children. Why are Iodine Levels Dropping? Iodine deficiency is on the rise in the United States. Simple supplementation may not be the answer as the following issues also need to be addressed. Recent national survey data suggest that just over 11 percent of the total U.S. population, and over 7 percent of pregnant women, and nearly 17 percent of all reproductive-aged women, are deficient in iodine. The Total Diet Study, performed by the FDA, reported an iodine intake of 621 g for 2 year-olds between 1974 and 1982, compared with 373 g between 1982 and 1991. During this same time period, the baking industry replaced iodine-based anti-caking agents with bromine-based agents. In addition to iodines disappearance from our food supply, exposure to toxic competing halogens (bromine, fluorine, chlorine and perchlorate) has dramatically increased. You absorb these halogens through your food, water, medications and environment, and they selectively occupy your iodine receptors, further deepening your iodine deficit. Fluoridation of water is a major contributor to iodine deficiency, besides being very damaging to your health in many other ways. Additional factors contributing to falling iodine levels are: Diets low in fish, shellfish and seaweed Vegan and vegetarian diets Decreased use of iodized salt
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Less use of iodide in the food and agricultural industry Use of radioactive iodine in many medical procedures, which competes with natural iodine

Crying Wolff A huge reason why iodine fell out of favor is the Wolff-Chaikoff Effect, which has been a disaster for public health. An experiment was done that resulted in a case of hypothyroidism, which researchers misinterpreted as being caused by excessive iodine intake. However, the individual was given intravenous radioactive iodine -- which is toxic. It had nothing to do with food or supplement iodine intake, and the two are completely different. Yet, tales of this experiment quickly spread, creating a fear of iodine that caused it to be removed from the American food supply for the last three decades. Iodine deficiency is particularly profound in the Midwest and Great Lakes region of the United States because iodine is typically found only in soils close to the oceans, whereas soils of inland areas are iodine deficient. In fact, that region used to be called the goiter belt because of its extremely high incidence of people with goiters. The Toxic Halides -- Iodines Fiercest Competitors Iodine is a member of a class of related elements called halogens that includes bromine, fluorine, and chlorine. When they are chemically reduced, they become halides: iodide, bromide, fluoride, and chloride. These are the forms you usually encounter in your foods, medications and environment. Iodide and chloride are beneficial in small amounts, but bromide and fluoride are toxic. They grab onto your iodine receptors, blocking the action of iodide and thyroid hormones, resulting in, or at least contributing to many serious diseases. One of the main problems is that the toxic halides become stuck in your body. There is no known detoxification pathway for bromine and fluorine -- your body simply cannot break them down. So, they build up in your tissues and wreak havoc on your health. Bromides Bromides are a menace to your endocrine system and are present all around you. Despite a ban on the use of potassium bromate in flour by the World Health Organization, bromides can still be found in some over-the-counter medications, foods, and personal care products. The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures. Sodium bromate can be found in products such as permanent waves, hair dyes, and textile dyes. Benzylkonium is used as a preservative in some cosmetics. Even trace amounts of bromine can trigger severe acne in sensitive individuals. And who needs skin care products that cause acne? Bromine is also found in fire retardants used in carpets, mattresses, upholstery, and furniture and some medical equipment. Based on animal research, bromides have been linked to behavioral changes and neurodevelopmental disorders, including Attention Deficit Disorders, in children. The United States is quite behind in putting an end to the egregious practice of allowing bromine chemicals in your foods and products whereas other nations have taken the bull by the horns: In 1990, the United Kingdom banned bromate in bread In 1994, Canada did the same Brazil recently outlawed bromide in flour products The European Union has banned some PBDE compounds (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)
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Whats taking us so long? Again, corporate profits trump health concerns when it comes to doing what is best for the public. Great Resource for Learning More Author and patient advocate Mary Shomon is one of the leading educators on thyroid health in the U.S. and has led the most popular consumer forum, the About.com thyroid guide. Mary cautions thyroid patients not to run out to the health food store and load up on iodine or iodine-rich supplements like kelp and bladderwrack. According to Mary, in someone who is not iodine-deficient, excessive iodine supplementation can actually worsen a pre-existing thyroid condition, or trigger further thyroid dysfunction. The key is in getting the right amount of iodine -- not too much, not too little. The way to evaluate your iodine intake is a test that measures how much iodine you are excreting in your urine. The general protocol requires you to take a dose of iodine, collect your urine for 24 hours, and then send the sample off to a lab where they calculate your iodine level based on how much iodine you are spilling into your urine. If you are interested in being tested for iodine deficiency, this urine iodine challenge test is the most accurate way to assess your iodine status. Getting Your Iodine Levels Up If you are iodine deficient, I recommend adding sea vegetables to your diet. The best source of organically bound iodine that I know of is non-commercially harvested seaweeds. The dose is about 5 grams a day or about one ounce per week, so a pound would last about two months. It is typically better to obtain a nutrient from a natural food whenever possible than from a supplement, so use supplements only as a last resort. Some patients also report that they respond better to food-based forms of iodine -- like seaweeds -- than the supplement forms. However, if you are going to use a supplement I would strongly advise using supersaturated iodine (SSKI) which is available as an inexpensive prescription. Typically 1-3 drops a day are all that are required. Please avoid using Lugols solution or iodine, as that can actually worsen your thyroid condition.
The fact that your thyroid only transports iodine in its ionized form (i.e. iodide) is straight out of the textbooks. Your thyroid reduces iodide (I-) into iodine (I2) for use in formation of thyroglobulin. Your body doesnt utilize iodine directly. It has to split the I2 into two I- ions, which is an oxidative reaction that causes oxidative stress. Iodide transporters are located in other areas of your body besides the thyroid gland, including your breasts and colon. One family of iodide transporters is called the sodium-iodide symporter, and the other is called pendren. Dr. David Brownstein (see below) discusses the sodium-iodide symporter but doesnt mention pendren. However like all ion transporters they too require a charge in order to move a molecule across the membrane, which means iodine must be in its ionized form. Its possible that some may see good results using Lugols for some afflictions, but according to autism expert Catherine Tamara, in her experience it is very clear that children with autism, and their mothers, do fine with iodide, but not necessarily with iodine. For more information about the research that makes me question the recommendation for iodine and Lugol's solution, please see these studies:

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1992, 37:535-548 "Evidence of Thyroxine Formation Following Iodine Administration in Sprague-Dawley Rats" Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1991, 32:89-101 "Comparison of Toxicity Induced by Iodine and Iodide in Male and Female Rats" Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1998, 55:93-106 "Comparison of the Effects of Iodine and Iodide on Thyroid Function in Humans" Biological Trace Element Research 2006, 110:193-209 "Analyses of Toxic Metals and Essential Minerals in the Hair of Arizona Children with Autism and Associated Conditions, and Their Mothers"

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Keeping your iodine levels optimal is particularly important if you are a women that is contemplating pregnancy, or are already pregnant Make sure you are taking seaweed or a prenatal vitamin with the right amount and form of iodide, not iodine, to help protect your baby. Tips for Optimizing Thyroid Function David Brownstein, M.D., has written several books on thyroid and iodine, which are a valuable resource for those of you who want more information. Also, Dr. Hyman has made some good recommendations if you have a sluggish thyroid:

Identify and treat underlying causes (e.g., iodine deficiency, hormone imbalance, environmental toxicity, inflammation) Adjust your diet and understand the role of nutrition (iodine, as well as tyrosine, selenium, vitamins A and D, zinc, B vitamins, and omega-3 fats), food allergies, gluten intolerance, and foods that contain goitrogens, such as soy, which interfere with the utilization of iodine Get plenty of exercise Reduce your stress Enjoy saunas and hot soaks for detoxification, Use supplements, if necessary for nutritional support If you are on thyroid hormones for less than five years, most people find that they respond far better to natural thyroid hormone supplementation that has both T1, T2, T3 and T4, not just T4 like Synthroid. Armour Thyroid and Nature-Thyroid are the best known, but compounding pharmacists can also produce natural thyroid hormone prescriptions.

The more you can rid your body of the toxic halides, the more iodine your body will be able to hang onto, and the better your thyroid will function. Laura Power, MS, PhD, LDN, offers these suggestions for increasing secretion of fluorine and bromine::

High-dose iodine High-dose vitamin C Unrefined sea salt Epsom salts baths Sweating in a far infrared sauna

The Future of Natural Thyroid Drugs This is a surprising and shocking injustice that is occurring in the U.S. right now. The FDA has shut down natural desiccated thyroid drug production and distribution by three major firms, and is now calling the century-old natural remedy an unapproved drug. One of the ways you can typically differentiate a natural physician from a conventional one is by the type of thyroid hormone replacement therapy they prescribe. Natural physicians will almost exclusively used desiccated thyroid hormone products like Armour Thyroid. I have put thousands of patients on this and it was my consistent experience that most did far better on these than the synthetic versions. About the only exception were people that were taking synthetics for longer than 10 years. Seems like their body had a tough time adjusting back. Taking desiccated thyroid hormone off the market will cause harm, danger and damage to hundreds of thousands and perhaps more than that, unless they are allowed access to this safe and superior thyroid replacement.
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Two other major manufacturers/distributors now have long-term backorders for their bioidentical hormone products, which include Armour, Nature-Throid, and Westroid. The uncertainty about the future of natural thyroid drug options has many patients and practitioners concerned, and the Save Natural Thyroid Coalition has been formed in response. Along with recently holding its first kickoff teleconference to discuss the future of natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) drugs, the Save Thyroid Coalition has also created the Save Natural Thyroid YouTube channel, where patients and practitioners can create and post videos supporting natural thyroid. I am actually serving on this committee and going to support it with as much media exposure is required to prevent this travesty of justice. It is depriving patients of a valid and natural way to support their thyroid function that has typically been damaged by toxins and stress. Theyve also formed a Save Natural Thyroid Facebook Group to strategize and help keep thyroid patients informed. If you or anyone you love uses bioidentical hormones, you may want to join this group to keep up on the latest updates. If youre newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism, or have not been on synthetic hormones for very long, I strongly recommend Armour Thyroid -- a natural porcine thyroid extract, which provides not only T3 and T4, but also T1 and T2, which will help normalize your hormone response. The fact that the FDA may now severely limit, or eliminate, this option is distressing, as it is clearly the best option for many people.

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