How to tell if you have Hypothyroidism or Preclinical-Hypothyroid
Do you experience any of these
persistent symptoms? If yes you may be experiencing symptoms of low
thyroid even if your thyroid blood tests are normal.
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Fatigue |
Fluid Retention |
Unhealthy Nails |
How can you tell if thyroid is part of why you feel the way you do? Follow these easy steps to see if you have the early signs of hypothyroid. These early signs can develop long before there is any change in blood tests to indicate obvious hypothyroid disease.
Early Sign One – Document your symptoms associated with low thyroid. Symptoms often begin to develop right as your optimal hormone levels begin to decline. But nobody knows exactly what your optimal levels are. All kinds of variables like genetics, gender, age, diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposure to thyroid inhibiting pollutants all influence what makes up ideal thyroid hormone levels. This variation in people is why there is such a wide range for “normal” on thyroid blood tests, making initial diagnosis difficult by blood tests alone.
Go through each of the symptoms listed above and rate each one 0-10. Zero being none, and Ten being severe. If you have any other symptoms not listed above, now is a good time to write these down as well. If you experience fatigue and at least 2 additional symptoms above severely, or at least 5 additional symptoms mildly, consider thyroid.
Early Sign Two – Test your metabolism at home. We might not know the exact optimal levels for your thyroid hormones, but we do know the exact temperature at which every human enzyme functions optimally, 98.6° F. Metabolism is the rate and temperature at which your body burns energy and regulates temperature. And thyroid hormones are at the center of it, directly regulating the rate of energy burn and heat production for every cell. The reason your body endeavors to regulate temperature so closely is because every process in your body is driven by enzyme assisted chemical reactions. Too cold and the enzyme shape contracts too tight to fit its target molecule, too hot and the enzyme is too loose to fit its target molecule. This is why extremes such as heat stroke, high fever and hypothermia can be fatal. Smaller shifts from ideal though just leave the body running inefficiently, producing symptoms like those listed above. Research Wilson's Temperature Syndrome to learn more on this topic. So under the right conditions, to avoid thermal extremes, oral temperature can be an excellent indicator of thyroid function and utilization on a whole body wide basis. During the day an optimal oral body temperature should run right at 98.6° F. If this ideal midday oral temperature averages below 98.6°F many symptoms of hypothyroid can develop and persist. Printer Friendly Temperature Chart for a printer friendly chart and instructions on checking on your temperature accurately at home.
Many who hear this for the first time argue, “but my 'normal' temperature has 'always' been low. I'm the exception. My normal isn't 98.6° F.” In my clinic we define normal as physiologic ideal, not typical or average. And in this instance, this system is way too fundamental to our genetics to vary from person to person. Even if you were born with a below normal temperature, it's more likely you inherited the dysfunction from your mother's existing low function or toxic load than from genetics. It is true that a significant and growing number of individuals have a temperature below 98.6° F, in fact it's becoming pandemic. But this does not mean that in the span of the last 100 years we have genetically evolved a new metabolic rate and a whole new enzyme system to match. There is significant evidence however to support the conclusion that we are seeing an epidemic of environmentally, chemical pollution, induced hypothyroid syndromes. You can verify this with a simple urinary thyroid toxin panel.
Both of these early signs are what are called indirect measures and can add significantly to a clinical diagnosis. However, they do not always directly correlate to thyroid or iodine deficiency. So if you are experiencing these early signs it's time to take a few next steps.
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See your physician, tell them about your concerns and get a thorough exam. During your evaluation, ask for a thyroid panel, not just a TSH. This panel should consist of TSH, free T4, free T3, and reverse T3. Based on your medical history, they may wish to run additional tests. Bear in mind that if the thyroid tests are within the laboratory's established range, most physician's are reluctant to prescribe thyroid medication. Preclinical-hypothyroid is often missed by doctors not open-minded and literate on the topic. An evaluation by a professional versed in the field can make a big difference in getting diagnosed and treated early.
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Get a second opinion from an iodine/preclinical-hypothyroidism literate specialist. If nothing else is found during your first general exam it's still possible you have preclinical-hypothyroid. Your iodine literate specialist will take a detailed history, listen to you about your symptoms in detail, and should recommend several additional tests to verify their conclusions. Amongst these additional tests should be the following:
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An iodine saturation test. This test will determine exactly how deficient you are iodine. Iodine is an essential nutrient vital in the production of thyroid hormone and its utilization at a cellular level. Research in recent years is reinforcing the vital roll this element plays in healthy metabolism and that the old RDA of 1.5mg is way too low for optimal health.
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A thyroid toxin panel. There are a number of environmental toxins that directly interfere with the thyroid system. These include bromide, fluoride, and toxic metals like mercury, cadmium, aluminum and lead. If you have elevated levels of any of these toxins it may be interfering with normal thyroid function. A thyroid toxin panel can be added to any iodine saturation test.
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Depending on the practitioner and your history, they may also recommend a hair mineral analysis, or similar test, to screen for co-deficiencies potentially induced by diet or temperature impaired enzyme function.
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Thyroid disease is no longer a simple, easy to diagnose, easy to treat problem. In many instances, it has become a complex syndrome with many subtle symptoms and environmental factors that should be considered if you are having persistent symptoms. Individuals can suffer from symptoms long before blood tests diagnose clinical hypothyroid. Chemical pollutants can interfere with thyroid hormone production. These same chemicals disrupt utilization of that hormone at a cellular level as well creating cases that don't respond to thyroid medication. Additionally, thyroid hormone resistance can develop from high stress lifestyles, adrenal stress and excessive cortisol secretion. Popularized as Wilson's Temperature Syndrome, excess cortisol diverts the conversion of T4 into inactive reverse T3 instead of active T3.
These complexities don't make treatment impossible, just a little more confusing. If you aren't confidant on your own, don't hesitate to seek experienced advice. I feel strongly about looking at the whole picture before venturing off into a new supplements and medications as strong as iodine and thyroid hormone. Screening for symptoms and testing for temperature, hormone levels, iodine saturation and thyroid toxins before you start out can make a significant difference in selecting a successful treatment program.
If you desire, our clinic offers a full range of personalized testing, office visits, and phone consulting services to meet you needs.
Cheers! and best wishes on your journey toward health,
Dr. Kassner, NMD