Thyroid disorders: alternative therapies and traditional treatments

by Dr. Jacki Hart

Approximately 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disorder. Several readers have written to me with questions about alternative therapies for thyroid disease. In my practice, I have had a few patients experience positive results with alternative therapies, while others have been less successful with unconventional methods. Here I explain some common types of thyroid conditions and what the appropriate conventional or alternative treatments may be.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the center of the neck. It produces hormones called that help to balance many bodily functions or what is generally referred to as "metabolism." Imbalances of thyroid hormones can cause a wide range of symptoms, including but not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Weight loss or gain
• Heart palpitations
• Sleep disturbances
• Tremors
• Digestive problems
• Hair loss
• Abnormal and/or excessive hair growth
• Menstrual irregularity
• Intolerance of hot or cold temperatures
• Mood alterations and shifts in personality

Imbalances of thyroid hormones essentially take two forms too much or too little. When the gland produces too much thyroid hormone, it is called hyperthyroidism; too little is called hypothyroidism.

Diagnosing an underactive thyroid starts with a blood test to measure thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH is produced in the brain and responds to how much circulating thyroid hormone a person has in his or her system. If the thyroid gland is producing too much hormone (hyperthyroidism), the brain is notified and it tries to regulate the level of hormone in the body and regain balance by reducing the amount of TSH it produces. If the thyroid gland is producing too little hormone (hypothyroidism), the brain increases TSH production to try to stimulate thyroid hormone production. This is called a "feedback" mechanism.

Because the balance and interaction of hormones is so finely tuned, diagnosing thyroid disorders can be quite tricky. It is possible, but not common, to have an underactive thyroid with normal TSH and thyroid hormone levels. This is supported by the fact that some people have symptoms suggestive of thyroid imbalance for a while sometimes for years before blood tests reveal an imbalance. This is becoming less and less common, however, because new tests to measure TSH are more sensitive than they used to be.

The most common traditional treatment for hypothyroidism is synthetic thyroid hormone medication. Many people have asked me if there are any alternative remedies for an underactive thyroid. I know of no proven alternative approaches to stimulate an underactive thyroid.

Some sources suggest that the thyroid can be stimulated with kelp supplements, psychotherapy with an emphasis on finding and expressing your own voice, practicing a yoga posture known as the "shoulder stand," and energy balancing with a trained professional concentrating on the neck Chakra. (Chakras are energy centers or fields thought to bring together the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional realms. There are seven chakras and one located around the neck or throat area is the fifth chakra; as such, it is thought to be related to communication, personal expression, and speaking up for oneself).

These alternative methods can also be used as adjuncts once thyroid hormone replacement has been started. I have not yet observed a situation in which these practices allowed an individual to avoid taking thyroid replacement medication altogether, but they may enhance and improve conventional treatment.

One patient of mine struggled with an underactive thyroid while using only alternative therapies for 10 years and then ultimately agreed to add conventional treatment. She now urges others to not delay traditional treatment when it is indicated, but to also explore all aspects of yourlife physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual that could be playing a role in disease.

Graves disease is a condition in which the thyroid gland is overactive or hyperactive. It is the most common type of hyperactive thyroid disorder, accounting for more than 70% of such diseases.

Similar to hypothyroidism,there are no scientifically proven alternative treatments for Graves disease or other forms of hyperthyroidism. With that said, I would like to describe one persons experience with alternative treatments for Graves disease.

Jane* is a 45-year-old woman who, over a period of one year, began to experience weight gain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Jane thought that many of these symptoms were related to feelings she was having about her fathers death, which occurred around the same time that the symptoms began. I point this out because there seems to be a connection between stressful situations and the initiation of a thyroid imbalance.

* not her real name

I checked Janes TSH level twice, about six months apart, and it was normal both times. A few months later, when Jane also began to experience heart palpitations, irritability, and anxiety, I repeated the test, which then indicated an overactive thyroid. This was somewhat surprising because we had assumed, given her weight gain, that her thyroid would be underactive; in fact, we were hoping that was the case so that treatment would help Jane to lose weight.

I referred Jane to an endocrinologist a physician who specializes in disorders of the thyroid and other hormone imbalances. She performed a diagnostic radioactive iodine uptake scan a test in which the patient swallows a small amount of radioactive iodine, which is then picked up by the thyroid gland and can be viewed on a nuclear medicine scan. The amount picked up indicates to the doctor if the thyroid gland is overactive.

Janes symptoms, exam, and test results led to a diagnosis of Graves disease and her endocrinologist recommended radioactive iodine treatment to stop the gland from producing excess thyroid hormones. Radioactive iodine treatment is similar to the radioactive iodine uptake scan used for diagnosis, except that a larger amount of radioactive iodine is administered in an attempt to destroy some or all of the gland. After the treatment for hyperthyroidism, people usually become hypothyroid; occasionally, however, the initial treatment is not enough and additional radioactive iodine treatments are needed months later.

Jane was reluctant to undergo this treatment; instead, she sought advice from a homeopathic doctor. She did agree to take a medication known as a "beta-blocker" to lessen her symptoms, which were getting worse and now included disorientation and hallucinations, which, at one point, led to a trip to the emergency room.

The homeopathic treatment involved a series of four oral treatments of a homeopathic substance called Argentum iodatum each five days apart, followed by a maintenance regimen of one pill periodically. After the initial treatment series, Jane seemed to feel better, but her thyroid tests were not normalizing and every time we tried to wean Jane off of the beta-blockers, the symptoms would resume.

Eight months after the original diagnosis and 1

Although Janes experience with alternative therapy seems positive, I cannot conclude that her course of action would work or even be safe for someone else. Her success may be due to nothing more than chance, luck, or timing.

I cant stress enough that if you are considering any sort of alternative therapy for any type of thyroid disorder, you must involve your physician(s) in the decision. Each persons case is different and it is often dangerous to delay treatment of an overactive or underactive thyroid even for a brief period of time.