Back in the 1970’s a prescription for levothyroxine, the thyroid hormone preparation that supplies a synthetic form of thyroxine (T4), became the standard of care for hypothyroidism.
At the core of this treatment approach is the belief that hypothyroid disorders are effectively treated with a daily dose of levothyroxine.
This conventional treatment approach remains the same today despite advancements in our understanding of the nutritional, genetic, and environmental triggers impacting thyroid function.
What’s The Future For The Standard of Care?
If you have spent time researching hypothyroidism there’s a high chance you will know there is a great deal of frustration among the online thyroid community with the standard of care.
Many remain unwell, and others feel dissatisfied that they are not getting the help they desperately need. It suggests those with hypothyroidism feel both under-diagnosed and poorly treated.
Do you relate?
The one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for everyone.
According to new research a personalized treatment approach may be required. That is, one that considers individual nutritional deficiencies, co-existing endocrine disorders, drug interactions, hard-wired genetic traits, and the environmental influences on thyroid function.
Getting An Accurate Diagnosis Is The First Step To Transforming Thyroid Health
As you may know the two major warning signs of thyroid dysfunction are fatigue, and feeling cold all the time.
Other symptoms include significant hair loss from all over the scalp, stubborn weight gain, low blood pressure, brain fog, and other indicators that point towards slow metabolism.
If you are ticking off most of these symptoms it’s time to seek the help you need. But first, here’s 3 things you need to know before you set off to see a doctor.
- It’s all too common for doctors to blame thyroid problems on pregnancy, hormone changes associated with menopause, or simply the consequence of getting older. Sure these factors aggravate hypothyroidism BUT they are not the root cause so don’t get fobbed off. It’s very important to discuss your concerns with a thyroid-literate doctor.
- To ensure you get a reliable diagnosis a doctor who understands thyroid problems will take a full medical history, discuss the clinical signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, check for a family history of thyroid disease, discuss your basal temperature results, and perform a physical examination of your neck.
- While it may seem obvious it’s very important you get a complete thyroid panel done as part of an initial screening. You see, comprehensive testing is critical to a complete clinical evaluation. It eliminates guesswork, and provides invaluable insights into what’s really going on with your thyroid. Proper testing could even uncover the root cause of thyroid dysfunction. Here are The Top 5 Thyroid Tests To Discuss With Your Doctor.
Been Told Thyroid is NORMAL?
Some doctors don’t do enough investigation so thyroid problems are easily missed. Don’t accept everything is ‘NORMAL’ without viewing test results for yourself.
It’s your right as a patient to receive copies of any medical tests that are performed. What’s more, I urge you to get a copy so you can make sure proper testing was done AND your results are in the optimal range.
In Summary
In the conventional medical system standard treatment for hypothyroidism is a daily dose of levothyroxine (LT4). However, there’s long standing debate regarding the effectiveness of this medication as it works for some, but leaves many with persistent complaints. When standard treatment is ineffective it is wise to thoroughly investigate the origin of thyroid dysfunction.
From a natural health perspective it’s vital to consider diet, nutritional, genetic, and environmental influences. The body is a complex system so a thyroid problem should not be viewed in isolation. This gland is part of an integrated whole-body system that requires healing.
Please note: This information should not be used as a substitute for treatment, or advice from your qualified healthcare practitioner. Consult your healthcare practitioner before beginning any new nutritional product, diet, exercise, or health program. This is especially important if you have a diagnosed medical condition, or are taking prescription medication.
References
Bland J. Defining Function in the Functional Medicine Model. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2017;16(1):22–25.
Escobar-Morreale HF, Botella-Carretero JI, Morreale de Escobar G. Treatment of hypothyroidism with levothyroxine or a combination of levothyroxine plus L-triiodothyronine. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jan;29(1):57-75.
Eschler DC, Hasham A, Tomer Y. Cutting edge: the etiology of autoimmune thyroid diseases. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2011;41(2):190–197.
Hennessey JV, Espaillat R. Current evidence for the treatment of hypothyroidism with levothyroxine/levotriiodothyronine combination therapy versus levothyroxine monotherapy. Int J Clin Pract. 2018;72(2):e13062.
Hu S, Rayman MP. Multiple Nutritional Factors and the Risk of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Thyroid. 2017 May;27(5):597-610.
Liontiris MI, Mazokopakis EE. A concise review of Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) and the importance of iodine, selenium, vitamin D and gluten on the autoimmunity and dietary management of HT patients.Points that need more investigation. Hell J Nucl Med. 2017 Jan-Apr;20(1):51-56.
McAninch EA, Bianco AC. The Swinging Pendulum in Treatment for Hypothyroidism: From (and Toward?) Combination Therapy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:446. Published 2019 Jul 9.
National Institutes of Health. US National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus. Health Topics. Thyroid Tests. Page updated 4 April 2019. Link
Moncayo R, Moncayo H. Applying a systems approach to thyroid physiology: Looking at the whole with a mitochondrial perspective instead of judging single TSH values or why we should know more about mitochondria to understand metabolism. BBA Clin. 2017;7:127–140. Published 2017 Apr 4.
Pirahanchi Y, Jialal I. Physiology, Thyroid. [Updated 2018 Dec 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan.
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