Thyroid health and The Axis of Energy

This article discusses:

The relationship between the thyroid and adrenals.
Preventing Iodine Side Effects.
Getting the most out of thyroid hormone replacement therapy, especially if you still feel fatigued and sluggish.
If you are on thyroid hormone replacement and/or iodine therapy and still feel fatigued and sluggish starting this protocol could be your next most important step.
This information is also important if you are considering or about to start iodine therapy for thyroid or thyroid medication since the same relationship between the two systems still applies.

I have found from working with many clients over the years that taking the proper support products during iodine therapy and thyroid hormone replacement therapy is very important. The reason for this is that there is often an adrenal fatigue that goes along with the low thyroid symptoms. Iodoral and high does iodine users that do not take secondary support along with their iodine therapy run a higher risk of triggering adrenal exhaustion or over exciting the thyroid. There is a delicate balance between the thyroid and adrenals that feedback and support one another. This is called the thyroid/adrenal axis. Supporting both during iodine therapy increases the odds of success. Read on to learn more.

Build up your Adrenals for 2-4 weeks before starting. When working with glands and hormones it's important to highlight that this is a tightly interconnected system. Making changes in one will ripple through the entire system. An example of this is iodine can increase progesterone levels. In women, starting iodine to fast can result in a temporary disruption of menstrual cycles, spotting, heavier bleeding, or greater frequency for 2-3 months. There is also an even more important relationship that is often overlooked. The Thyroid/Adrenal Axis, or as I like to call it, The Axis of Energy. Corny I know, but it does make a clear point. Without balance in the thyroid/adrenal axis, pure sustainable energy will remain elusive. After working with many clients over the years, I am convinced addressing the adrenal side of this axis is critical to a successful iodine program. The thyroid and adrenals work together to auto regulate. When thyroid function begins to decline, the adrenals attempt to compensate and fill in the gap. Over time this causes adrenal fatigue, in extreme cases, adrenal exhaustion. Where there is low thyroid, there is low adrenal. When increasing thyroid/thyroid hormone function the adrenals need to increase in function as well to keep the axis balanced. Think of it like repairing your gas peddle and driving off without any breaks. Essentially, without sustainable adrenal strength new found thyroid strength can result in symptoms of over stimulation and many of the symptoms listed on our side effects page.

To that end, I have found the following support products very helpful in every iodine program: Adrenal Energy, Omega 3 Fish oil, and Ultra C. A word of caution, many adrenal supplements can work against you in a thyroid program. I spent much time in my practice developing an adrenal protocol that didn't result in excess cortisol or glandular stimulation. Cortisol is an essential component of adrenal function, excess presence of this hormone though can convert T4 into inactive reverse T3. See Wilson's Temperature Syndrome for a more detailed explanation of cortisol and thyroid function. Adrenal glandular, whole and hormone depleted, I have found often over stimulates cortisol. I have also found the same to be true for the ginseng family as well. When shopping for an Adrenal support supplement avoid ginseng and desiccated adrenal glandular, instead look for: Poly peptide fractions of adrenal glandular, Pantothenic Acid, Licorice root, L-Tyrosine, Calcium and Magnesium ascorbate. Adrenal Energy and Ultra C fit this perfectly and have performed well for me in numerous cases. I usually recommend 1-2 Adrenal Energy twice daily in the morning and between 1-3pm. And 2-3 Ultra C at the same times.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are quite popular right now for their cardiovascular benefits. But the under sung song is the hormonal balancing qualities of Omega 3. They work to your advantage in several key ways. One, Omega 3's reduce inflammation. Less inflammation means less cortisol secretion. Two, Omega 3's provide an essential foundation for the manufacture of hormones. The upshot is, unlike a lot of other supplements, they are a really stable way to get this boost.

When shopping, look for an animal derived Omega 3. Vegetarian Omega 3's are ineffective for hypothyroid because it consists of ALA, and only a small fraction of the total dose is converted to active EPA and DHA forms. This conversion requires a complex enzyme process in the liver. As body temperature drops enzyme processes become impaired, it's likely that already low ALA conversion could be near zero in people with low thyroid symptoms.

The remaining preferred options are Omega 3 fish oil and krill oil. Both work well, but have different costs, ideal dosages for thyroid, and qualities to shop for. Fish oil should be Omega 3 fish oil, not cod liver oil. Cod liver oil will supply excess vitamin A & D¹ when trying to reach target Omega 3 levels. Fish oil is prone to contamination with heavy metals, dioxins, and PCB's. Molecular distillation ensures that as much as possible of these contaminants have been removed. Another consideration is fish oil is prone to rancidity (oxidation). To minimize potential for rancidity, never buy fish oil packaged in clear bottles, or in sizes larger than 250 caps. Fish oil should be stored in a cool dry location away from light, and if you don't expect to use it up within 3 months store it in the fridge. The major advantage of fish oil over krill oil is that it is an ideal choice for those allergic to shell fish and it's significantly lower price, making it a popular choice. Fish oil is still not 100% bioavailable, it still has to be processed by the liver. The omega-3 molecules are attached to triglycerides, which means they must undergo hydrolysis during digestion before being absorbed, leaving about 80-85% unabsorbed. If you find yourself burping up a fishy taste, first switch to taking it with food. If the taste persists it is an indication that your absorption of fish oil is impaired even more and you should consider switching to krill oil. Our Omega 3 fish oil is molecularly distilled to remove contaminants. To ensure freshness, we source from small batch processors and never stock more than a 3 month supply at our facility. I have found that 3 grams (3000mg or 3 caps) of fish oil daily seems to be the minimum magic number for iodine therapy. Doses closer to 6 grams should be considered if you have any form of chronic inflammation.

Krill oil is quite likely the most perfect Omega 3 food known to man. It works just as well as fish oil in iodine/thyroid therapy, perhaps better. Krill are essentially at the bottom of the food chain and thus have few contamination issues, especially when harvested from waters less effected by pollution such as the Antarctic. Krill oil also is 200 times more resistant to rancidity than fish oil due to a naturally occurring antioxidant astaxanthin that prevents lipid oxidation. Research is identifying an increasing number of disease linked to lipid oxidation including heart disease, amyloid plaque formation in Alzheimer's, and age related macular degeneration. Look for a minimum of 0.2mg astaxanthin per gram (1000mg) krill oil but more is always better. At first glance fish oil seem superior to krill on EPA, DHA content. Fish oil contains an average of 30% EPA, DHA compared to krill's average of 14%. However, krill is composed of phospholipid Omega 3's, instead of triglycerides. The phospholipid form found in krill Omega 3's is bioidentical to the phospholipids found in our own cellular structure. Absorption and utilization at the cellular level is essentially 100%. This more complete assimilation increases krill oil's delivered EPA, DHA dose to 140mg/g compared to fish oil's max potential of 60mg/g, making krill 2.33 times more potent. The added benefit of krill's increased bioavailability is it virtually eliminates aftertaste or fishy reflux that some experience with fish oils. Our Krill Oil is made exclusively with the patented Azantis™ brand ingredient which has been shown to contain at least 42% Phospholipids, 24% Omega-3 fatty acids (240mg/g or 4 times more potent than average fish oil), and 1.5mg/g astaxanthin. This unique brand is 100% natural and is derived exclusively from Euphasia Superba Antarctic krill species for their high levels of beneficial fatty acids and phospholipids. Doses for our krill oil are roughly 1/3 to 1/4 that of fish oil, so 1 gram (1000mg or two, 500mg caps). Doses closer to 3 grams should be considered if you have any form of chronic inflammation.

Axis of Energy Supportive Products Summery & Dosage Guide.

Product	Dosage guideline
Adrenal Energy	1-2 caps, morning and noon
Omega 3 Fish oil 1000mg	3 caps in the morning
or Krill oil 500mg	3 caps in the morning
Ultra C 500mg	2-4 caps, morning and noon

To sum things up, iodine supplementation and thyroid hormone therapy do affect the entire endocrine system, especially the thyroid/adrenal axis. Adrenal support often makes these therapies more comfortable and successful, with increased energy, better sleep, and generally a more rapid return to a sense of well being. The addition of these supportive products ensures that your body has everything you need to get off to a great start.

As always we are here for you. If you have questions feel free to schedule an appointment.