Iodine is an essential mineral, in that it must be found in one's diet. The body has no way to produce its own iodine. Seventy to eighty percent of iodine is found in the thyroid gland in the neck. The rest is distributed throughout the body, particularly in the ovaries, muscles, and blood. A deficiency of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels); symptoms of this condition include sluggishness, weight gain, and sensitivity to temperature changes. In infants and children, hypothyroidism can impair physical and mental development.

Iodine deficiency has also been associated with ovarian cysts, breast cancer, thyroid goiter and hypothyroidism. Recent work in the field of iodine deficiency has shown that replacement therapy decreases the risk of breast cancer and promotes the reversal of fibrocystic breast disease.

The commonly accepted medical opinion is that iodine’s only role in the body is to help make thyroid hormones.  Other possible functions include: helping to regulate moods, preventing cancer (especially in breasts, ovaries, uterus, prostate and thyroid gland), preventing and treating fibrocystic breasts in women, helping to regulate blood pressure, helping to regulate blood sugar and prevent and treat diabetes, and helping to prevent abnormal cardiac rhythms. For example, Japanese women, who have one of the lowest breast cancer rates in the world, ingest more than 13 mg of iodine daily from seaweed without suffering any adverse consequences.  Iodine tends to be antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and antifungal and that it enhances immune function. Furthermore, suboptimal iodine intake may contribute to various thyroid abnormalities commonly seen today, including hypothyroidism (underactive), hyperthyroidism ( overactive) and autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease)

Hypothyroidism – often referred to as underactive thyroid – is a condition in which the thyroid gland (butterfly-shaped gland in front of your windpipe) does not make enough of a hormone called thyroxine.

Hypothyroidism is the opposite of hyperthyroidism – or overactive thyroid – a condition in which the thyroid gland makes too much thyroxine.

Not having enough thyroxine can cause unpleasant symptoms throughout your body because thyroxine helps control how your body uses energy and how well your cells, tissues and organs work.

The thyroid gland governs the body's metabolism and development through the production of thyroid hormones. These hormones set our body's metabolic rate, the rate at which our body's cells produce and utilize energy. If your thyroid gland was removed and you were not given supplemental thyroid you would slowly die. The thyroid hormones are essential for life.

The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly and is located in your neck just of front of the trachea, the area commonly known as the "Adam's Apple."  The thyroid gland produces two primary hormones: thyroxine, T4, the inactive prohormone and tri-iodothyronine, T3, the active intracellular hormone. Thyroxine (T4) is the more abundant hormone produced about 4 times more than T3. In the cells of the body one of the iodine molecules of the T4 hormone must be removed. T4 must be converted to the active form of thyroid hormone T3 in order to be effective.  T3 is 5 to 10 times more powerful than T4 and ultimately is the hormone that allows your cells to make adequate energy.

The thyroid hormones are secreted into the blood stream and carried to each of the 100 trillion cells throughout the body. It is in the cells, not in the bloodstream, that the thyroid hormones accomplish their purpose of controlling your metabolism, regulating body temperature and increasing your energy level.

Thyroid hormones are carried in the bloodstream bound to protein, primarily thyroid binding globulin (TBG). Over 99% of the thyroid hormones produced by your thyroid gland are bound to TBG in the blood stream. When bound to protein, thyroid hormones are inactive and cannot be utilized by the cells of the body.  Only about .05%, that is 5 parts in 10,000, of the thyroid hormones remain unbound in the bloodstream. This is known as the free thyroid fraction (T4). Only the unbound, free thyroid can be assimilated into the cells of your body and converted into the active thyroid form T3.

The thyroid hormones are essential for normal growth and development in children. Thyroid hormones promote growth hormone secretion and independently promote growth in the peripheral tissues of the body. Insufficient thyroid hormone leads to growth failure by delaying bone growth and bone maturation.  A decline in thyroid hormones during pregnancy or in early childhood often decrease normal brain development.

Subtle physical examination findings that may be suggestive of thyroid problems include thinning of the outer 1/3 of your eyebrows and/or teeth indentation of the tongue. We also suggest you measure your basal body temperature. Your basal body temperature is the temperature you have first thing in the morning, even before you rise from bed. A normal basal body temperature is between 97.8 degrees and 98.2 degrees if you take your temperature orally (96.8 - 97.2 if taken under your arm).

After reviewing your comprehensive history and completion of a one-on-one consultation, additional tests may help us in arriving at a correct diagnosis. These are very simple blood tests.  When this test is returned as within the "normal" range, you are told your problems could not be related to your thyroid.  Unfortunately, the TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone test, is not even a thyroid test.  It is a test that measures the ability of the pituitary gland to produce thyroid hormone and not the ability of the thyroid gland to function normally.  It is not sufficient to only obtain a TSH and make the conclusion that your thyroid function is normal.  It is important to test all areas of your thyroid (T4, T3, T2, T1, reverse T3, and TSH)

We know that a complete thyroid assessment not only requires a TSH test, but additional blood tests such as a free T4 level, total T3 level, thyroid antibody determination and a reverse T3 level. We know that to arrive at a correct diagnosis we must combine all of this information together and interpret the tests correctly to find the answers to your symptoms. 

Treatment of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) is accomplished by replacing needed thyroid hormones and supporting your natural thyroid function. We may recommend thyroid replacement with natural Armour Thyroid. Armour Thyroid is derived from animals but is bioidentical to human thyroid hormone. Unlike synthetic thyroid replacements natural Armour Thyroid contains both T4 and T3 in a ratio identical to human thyroid. Synthetic thyroid contains only T4, they contain absolutely no T3.

In certain patients and clinical situations Armour thyroid may not be effective or well tolerated. In these cases we will work with you to find the best thyroid replacement to ensure improvement in your thyroid symptoms and optimizing your health.

We also try to support your thyroid in a natural way. We may recommend changes in your diet along with appropriate vitamin and mineral supplementation to support your thyroid's health. Our comprehensive approach to your thyroid health will result in restoration of your normal thyroid function and improvement in your general health.  Fitworld utilizes biocommunication software to detect overall mineral and vitamin weaknesses.  This helps along with questionnaire forms and a total health assessment to determine whether you have a thyroid issue.  Regardless, we believe the majority of the population should be taking a small dose of Iodine/Iodide supplementation.  Contact us today to set-up a one-on-one consultation.

15 Symptoms Associated with Thyroid Hypofunction Morning headaches that go away as the day goes on Increased weight (thyroid burns fat) Sensitivity to cold (R.O. anemia or atherosclerosis) Dry brittle hair (hair falling out) Dry itching skin Poor memory, reduced initiative, mental confusion Low auxiliary temperature (Broda Barnes thyroid test 1976) Muscle cramps at rest (inability to use minerals, can’t keep calcium in solution) Reduced immune function Edema of the face and eyes Constipation Loss of the outside part of the eyebrow Breast, ovarian or uterine cysts or fibroids Increased serum Lipids (Cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL) Increased or decreased blood pressure