Alan Christianson – Unraveling the Mysteries of Thyroid Well being

• Thyroid autoimmunity is pushed by a distinct mechanism — Whereas many autoimmune situations, like rheumatoid arthritis, a number of sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel illness, are sometimes linked to a leaky intestine, thyroid autoimmunity has a distinct mechanism. In these different situations, proteins leak via your broken intestine lining, triggering an immune response.

• The important thing distinction lies in your physique’s interplay with iodine — We want iodine for correct thyroid operate, however our our bodies are tailored to completely different ranges of consumption based mostly on our ancestry. Individuals with coastal ancestry usually tolerate increased quantities of iodine, whereas these with inland ancestry thrive on decrease ranges. Many individuals at the moment, even these with inland ancestry, eat an excessive amount of iodine.

This extra iodine matches the thyroid globulin and distorts the molecule to one thing your physique is just not usually anticipating. This new protein construction then creates antibodies in opposition to it, inflicting your immune system to mistakenly assault the thyroid tissue.

• The excellent news is that this course of requires an ongoing set off — By decreasing extreme iodine consumption, you break this cycle. Your immune system then acknowledges that the thyroid is just not the enemy, and the autoimmune course of usually reverses. This reversal usually occurs surprisingly shortly, inside just a few months, not like many different autoimmune situations that take years to enhance. In my very own case, I noticed vital enchancment very quickly.

• It wreaks havoc in your abdomen cells — This situation entails your immune system attacking your abdomen’s parietal cells, which results in poor absorption of vital vitamins like iron, B12, and zinc.

• There’s a genetic hyperlink to autoimmunity — Whereas this connection is not straight associated to iodine consumption, it suggests a broader genetic predisposition to autoimmunity. Evidently some genes are extra particular to thyroid autoimmunity, whereas others are related to a normal elevated threat of assorted autoimmune situations. This might clarify why folks with thyroid illness usually tend to expertise different autoimmune issues as properly.

• One other frequent co-occurrence is fatty liver — That is now sometimes called metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver illness (MAFLD). Thyroid hormones play a job in regulating liver operate, metabolism, physique weight, and blood sugar. Due to this fact, hypothyroidism considerably contributes to the event of fatty liver.

• Fatty liver is basically an issue of gas steadiness inside your physique — In accordance with Christianson, varied gas molecules, together with carbohydrates, fat (like LA), and even alcohol, are processed into acetyl-CoA. When your physique exceeds its capability to make use of these gas molecules, it shifts into storage mode.

• The place the physique shops this extra gas varies from individual to individual — Some folks retailer it primarily as subcutaneous fats, whereas others accumulate it of their liver. The liver has two important storage compartments: triglycerides and glycogen.

A wholesome steadiness between these two is crucial for correct liver operate. In fatty liver, the proportion of triglycerides turns into excessively excessive, making a vicious cycle that makes it troublesome for the liver to reverse the method.

• This rationalization helps to grasp why alcohol additionally contributes to fatty liver — Alcohol, like extra fat and carbohydrates, is in the end transformed into acetyl-CoA. Due to this fact, each extreme consumption of sure fat and alcohol overload your liver’s capability to course of gas, resulting in fats accumulation. This additionally explains why some persons are extra vulnerable to fatty liver than others.

• Butyrate solely makes up about 20% of the short-chain fatty acids produced by intestine micro organism — The bulk, round 60%, is acetate, a precursor to acetyl-CoA. Propionate makes up the remaining 20%. This raises the query of whether or not the deal with butyrate has been misplaced. It is attainable that the preliminary analysis on short-chain fatty acids created a bias towards butyrate, overlooking the vital roles of acetate and propionate.

• Clinically, butyrate is usually administered in methods which can be ineffective — Oral butyrate is poorly absorbed, and whereas rectal administration is more practical regionally, it would not attain your entire colon.

• A novel, time-release supply system that successfully delivers vitamins — I’ve developed a novel time-release supply system that successfully delivers substances, together with helpful micro organism and short-chain fatty acids, on to the colon. This know-how permits us to bypass the abdomen’s harsh acidic atmosphere and the small gut, guaranteeing focused supply to the colon the place these substances have the best influence.

This new know-how opens the door for brand spanking new analysis into the optimum ratios of short-chain fatty acids. I plan to discover completely different mixtures, together with a formulation with the pure ratio of 60% acetate, 20% propionate, and 20% butyrate, to see which method is best.

• Girls are incorrectly handled for low estrogen — Christianson notes that girls are sometimes handled for low estrogen based mostly on serum ranges, even when they aren’t experiencing signs. This method, based mostly on flawed information, is unlikely to supply constructive outcomes. The issue is usually not low estrogen, however somewhat estrogen dominance, which is indicated by elevated prolactin ranges.

• Taking exogenous thyroid hormones truly raises prolactin ranges — Christianson says that this is because of a suggestions loop between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and thyroid. The identical sign that tells your pituitary to supply thyroid hormone additionally stimulates prolactin manufacturing.

This explains why my very own prolactin ranges elevated once I was taking thyroid treatment. This data highlights the complexity of hormonal interactions inside your physique.

• Components that affect prolactin ranges — This led to a dialogue of how varied components affect prolactin ranges, together with hormone substitute remedy, oral contraceptives, xenoestrogens, and reactions to thyroid medicines.

This highlights the significance of contemplating the context when decoding prolactin outcomes. My very own expertise with progesterone reducing my prolactin ranges suggests a transparent estrogen connection. The excellent news is that prolactin testing is comparatively cheap and accessible, making it a worthwhile device for monitoring hormonal steadiness.

• Additional discussions on thyroid well being and its implications on metabolic well being — As our dialog continued, we additional mentioned the complexities of thyroid well being, the connection between thyroid, and different hormones and broader implications for metabolic well being.

We additionally cowl details about correct thyroid testing. As Christianson defined, your physique has intricate mechanisms for regulating hormone responses. It adjusts the quantity and exercise of hormone receptors to take care of steadiness.

Nevertheless, while you introduce exterior hormones, you disrupt these finely tuned methods. That is the place the knowledge of nature comes into play. When will we help the physique’s pure processes, and when will we intervene?

In instances of full gland removing, like thyroidectomy, intervention is important. Nevertheless, many individuals have irregular lab outcomes with no true incapacity to compensate. It is vital to differentiate between compensation and true dysfunction.

1. Time of day — Thyroid hormone ranges fluctuate all through the day. Essentially the most constant outcomes are obtained between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Blood spot testing makes it simpler to stick to this timing.

2. Fasting — Fasting standing considerably impacts thyroid hormone ranges. It is vital to quick earlier than testing.

3. Biotin — Supplemental biotin interferes with lab analyses. It is really useful to keep away from biotin dietary supplements for 3 days earlier than testing. Surprisingly, this impact is primarily seen with supplemental, not dietary, biotin.

4. Thyroid medicines — Should you take thyroid treatment, take your lab exams earlier than taking your treatment that day. Testing shortly after taking treatment will produce inaccurate outcomes, particularly for T3 and T4 ranges.

5. Menstrual cycle — For menstruating ladies, thyroid hormone ranges fluctuate all through the cycle. Essentially the most constant outcomes are obtained throughout days one to 9 and 20 to twenty-eight of the cycle. Testing throughout days 10 to 19 produces inconsistent outcomes.

• Artificial hormones are usually not the one resolution — In typical drugs, the first therapy for thyroid points is artificial thyroid treatment. Nevertheless, with the highly effective affect of weight-reduction plan and way of life, different approaches can be found.

• The significance of antibody testing — Christianson emphasised the worth of antibody testing as a screening device, because it’s extra predictive of signs than TSH. Whereas some people with overt hypothyroidism have destructive antibodies, antibody testing nonetheless offers worthwhile data. It is vital to do not forget that regular antibody ranges don’t essentially rule out thyroid illness.

• Nuts are usually not a well being meals — I expressed concern about a few of the “inexperienced” meals in Christianson’s weight-reduction plan, reminiscent of seasoned nuts. Whereas nuts could be wholesome, they’re excessive in LA and are greatest consumed moderately, particularly for these with excessive ranges of saved linoleic acid. I additionally famous that my very own meals system is just not appropriate for thyroid well being because of the inclusion of high-iodine meals.

Christianson defined that his dietary suggestions are usually not supposed as a common weight-reduction plan for everybody however somewhat as a selected device for a selected scenario — autoimmune thyroid illness.

• Fashionable practices contaminate wholesome meals sources — He additionally acknowledged the contamination of in any other case wholesome meals, reminiscent of uncooked milk, with iodine on account of fashionable agricultural practices.

The dairy trade generally makes use of iodine-based disinfectants to scrub teats and tools. Though a scorching water rinse helps mitigate iodine residues, the pervasive use of iodine teat dips introduces an extra, usually unnoticed supply of iodine into dairy merchandise.

• Glucose as your physique’s most well-liked gas supply — I shared my understanding, influenced by the work of Ray Peat, that glucose is the popular gas for many cells, though some cells, like colonocytes and coronary heart cells, primarily use fatty acids.

I additionally emphasised the hazards of overly restrictive low-carb diets, which set off the discharge of stress hormones like cortisol. Christianson agreed, explaining that your physique requires glucose and can produce it via cortisol-mediated muscle breakdown if dietary consumption is inadequate.

• The perfect every day glucose consumption — We agreed that 200 to 250 grams is an inexpensive vary for most people. We additionally mentioned the hazards of extreme cortisol manufacturing, whether or not from dietary restriction or emotional stress, and its influence on sleep and total well being.

• The parathyroid gland — This tiny gland, nestled close to your thyroid, performs a job in sustaining calcium steadiness in your bloodstream. Christianson argues that even barely elevated calcium ranges, particularly if recurring, warrant investigation, notably if accompanied by signs like fatigue, nervousness, or joint ache.

He emphasizes that conventionally accepted reference ranges for calcium are overly broad. Additional, typical drugs is proscribed in addressing parathyroid points. Surgical procedure is often the one supplied resolution and there’s an absence of deal with root causes.

• Hormone substitute remedy — Lastly, we touched on hormone substitute remedy, with each of us expressing warning relating to long-term use. Christianson emphasised the significance of contemplating each the advantages and dangers of any intervention, notably when it entails manipulating hormone ranges. He burdened the necessity for sturdy proof of internet profit earlier than recommending such interventions.