The Link Between Iodine and Optimal Thyroid Function

Signs and symptoms of thyroid disorder can include  hair thinning, sluggish metabolism, inability to warm hands and feet/frequently feeling chilled, low blood pressure, low body temperature, acne, insomnia, puffy eyes and high cholesterol.

If thyroid lab values are considered ‘normal’ by Westernized medicine, it is worth getting a second opinion from a Functional Medicine provider.  Often Westernized medicine will only check TSH and Free T4 to determine if the thyroid is functioning optimally.  One value that is frequently overlooked is Free T3- the form that is the workhorse for the body.  Free T4 needs to be converted to Free T3, and when this is not happening, inflammation is usually the reason. Inflammation will hamper the conversion, so if a Free T4 value is normal, and a person is experiencing symptoms, then the provider needs to dig deeper.  

Reverse T3 is another level to check.  When it is high, it will act like a break on the thyroid.  Finally, antibodies that target the thyroid are important to screen for since they can tell if the thyroid is under attack and not able to work properly for an autoimmune reason- this is known as Hashimoto.  

When looking at lab values, be aware that Westernized medicine’s range for what is normal covers a very broad area.  The cut-off for functional medicine is a tighter range- where the majority of healthy people fall.

The thyroid is made up of glandular tissue, and when it does not get what it needs, abnormal cellular changes can happen.  Glandular tissue is not only in the thyroid, but it also makes up breast, colon, pancreas, prostate, uterus, ovaries and skin tissues to name a few.  When the needs are not met, the door for abnormal tissue growth is opened.  Using iodine needs to be supervised by a functional medicine provider, since too much can be damaging or cause a worsening of symptoms.  Also, if someone with Hashimoto supplements iodine, it is important to have the right dose of selenium in place.

The thyroid and many other tissues in the body need the right amount of iodine to carry out their job- a potential iodine deficiency, iodine/selenium imbalance, and/or systemic inflammation should be considered whenever the above symptoms present and you have been told values are ‘normal’.

Iodine is a Trace Element and the right amount is essential to optimizing health.

#iodine #holistichealth #fundamentalhealing #functionalmedicine