Thyroid/Hormones

Thyroid problems can trigger depression, weight gain and bone loss. Before you sign off on "it's another symptom of menopause," make sure you check with your doctor!

This section is from a terrific physician, Elizabeth Smith. She has specialized in fibrocystic breast disease. Her site is found at www.fibrocystic.org. She wrote a summary of information covering Xenoestrogens.

Too much Estrogen interferes with Thyroid Hormone

Progesterone Use Restores Thyroid Function

American women and women in developed countries have too much estrogen. This estrogen excess, labeled estrogen dominance by John Lee, M.D., creates hypothyroid symptoms despite normal serum levels of thyroid hormone. Excess estrogen impedes the cellular utilization of thyroid hormone. Progesterone restores thyroid function in the body.

by Elizabeth Smith, M.D.

Thyroid hormone made by the thyroid gland regulates the metabolic rate. Low thyroid tends to cause low energy levels, cold intolerance, and weight gain. Excess thyroid causes higher energy levels, feeling too warm, and weight loss.

The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone in two basic flavors T3 and T4. T3 is the more potent of the two. The thyroid gland is stimulated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by a small gland in the brain called the pituitary gland. This gland is stimulated in turn by thyrotropin-releasing hormone produced by the hypothalamus, another part of the brain.

Frequently, Dr. Lee, corrected symptoms of PMS in his patients by using progesterone cream. PMS symptoms caused by estrogen dominance included fat and water retention, breast swelling, headaches and loss of sex drive. He also found that they also had thyroid supplements prescribed based upon hypothyroid-like symptoms such as feeling tired or sluggish, a little cold intolerance, and thinning hair. However, laboratory measured thyroid levels T3 and T4 were normal, and TSH was only slightly elevated. After Dr. Lee corrected the PMS symptoms with progesterone, the patients with presumed hypothyroid symptoms became normal. Their hypothyroid symptoms decreased or disappeared!

One woman patient that I had did not shave her underarms for 5 years. She had a low normal T3, T4 and TSH. After taking natural progesterone and avoiding heated plastics in her food for her fibrocystic breast disease, she noted that the hair under her arms had begun to grow once more. She had to begin shaving her underarms again! Her hypothyroid symptoms, non growing hair under her arms, were due to estrogen dominance.

Confirming Clinical Hypothyroid (normal lab tests T3, T4, TSH, but feeling lousy)

The most reliable way to confirm clinical hypothyroid is to measure the urine temperature for three consecutive days. Urinate in a Styrofoam cup for 3 consecutive days in the morning as soon as you get up. If you forget one day then don't worry just continue until you get 3 consecutive days. Measure the urine temperature with an ordinary health care thermometer. If the temperature is below 98.6 consistently, ( usually 97) then you most probably have clinical hypothyroid.

Why Do Hypothyroid Symptoms Disappear with Progesterone?

Dr. Lee reasons that thyroid and estrogen oppose each other. Estrogen causes food to be stored as fat. Thyroid hormone causes fat to be burned as energy. Patients with normal thyroid hormone levels measured by laboratory tests have symptoms that suggest they have hypothyroidism. When these same patients are given progesterone which is know to oppose estrogen their hypothyroid symptoms ceased. This implies that too much estrogen in the body, estrogen dominance, interferes with thyroid hormone action.

Summary

Fibrocystic breasts are caused by too much estrogen. Cutting down your intake of estrogen and taking progesterone causes fibrocystic breasts to become normal in 2-3 months according to Dr. Lee. Because estrogen dominance also interferes with thyroid hormone action, fibrocystic breast patients are likely to have symptoms of hypothyroidism and be on thyroid supplements even though measured T3 and T4 are normal.

After taking progesterone for several months, thyroid function becomes normal and thyroid supplements can be cut back and possibly eventually discontinued.

Thank you Dr. Smith for this summary of estrogen dominence and it's relationship with thyroid disorders.


We are planning on bringing in Dr. Smiths Progesterone Serum as an alternative to the Progesterone Cream soon.