Thyroid

Thyroid hormone is necessary for respiration on the cellular level, and makes possible all higher biological functions. Without the metabolic efficiency, which is promoted by thyroid hormone, life couldn’t get much beyond the single-cell stage 1. Without adequate thyroid, we become sluggish, clumsy, cold, anemic, and subject to infections, heart disease, headaches, cancer, and many other diseases, and seem to be prematurely aged, because none of our tissues can function normally 1.

The TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) test is often viewed as a yes-or-no answer, which is fundamentally wrong. TSH is controlled not just by circulating T4 and T3, but by T4 getting converted to T3 at the pituitary level. Excess T3 generated at the pituitary can falsely suppress TSH 3. Dr. Ridha Arem, author of The Thyroid Solution, agrees that hypothyroidism may exist despite normal TSH levels 3.

Thyroid hormone is also linked to the body's ability to use oxygen. Stress blocks oxygen use, causing the production of lactic acid instead, which accelerates inflammation and further reduces the ability to use oxygen 2. This process is part of wound healing—a reversion to a primitive state—but it can also lead to various diseases if not properly managed.

Thyroid function can be influenced by various factors, including diet and nutrition. For example, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can be slightly anti-thyroid, but most people don't have a problem with them 6. On the other hand, milk and orange juice can boost thyroid function 6. Additionally, thyroid hormone is necessary for the liver to excrete estrogen, and being malnourished or low in thyroid can lead to estrogen accumulation in the body, which can cause endometriosis and other conditions 7.

Thyroid resistance, also known as reverse T3, is a condition where the body's cells become resistant to thyroid hormone, even if blood tests show normal levels. Measuring reverse T3 is important to diagnose this condition 8.