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I am starting this thread for a friend…
“can you direct me in your
forum about thyroid health. I am
not sure I trust doctors but I do
have a low thyroid and not sure
what I should do. I was taking
thyroid a few years ago but then
read somewhere that if you are
taking levothyroxine it actually is
bad for other things and makes
other things out of whack and
then my endocrinologist was
such a mask pusher that last
time I went to see him that I just
stopped taking it as i did not
trust him anyway. But now I see a
lot of posts about Ray peaters
taking thyroid meds so I’m
reconsidering. I read peats posts
on thyroid but still kinda
confused about what I should
do….. maybe the best course of
action would be to ensure I get
the right tests done as I know
they don’t always test.” @Zack-VegasWell first off, you shouldn’t trust doctors. Historically, as a profession, they have collectively done enough to earn everyone’s distrust (to put it mildly), from things like the Tuskeegee and secret radiation experiments, to performing electro shock and lobotomies. The current crop isn’t any better, with their loyalty to dangerous pharmaceuticals, and other procedures. I’m sure you can give plenty of your own examples.
As for tests for Thyroid, Peat recommended pulse and temperature. A low waking body temperature, for example, is a good sign that you might be hypothyroid, and can benefit from thyroid supplementation. Symptoms like cold hands and feet, weight gain, and brain fog can also be signs. Common labs that can be useful include TSH, Free T3 and Free T4, although Peat didn’t think much of the idea of “Free” hormones.
Levothyroxine is just pure T4, which is more like the “storage” form of thyroid. It can have some benefits, but many are hypothyroid because they have problems converting T4 to T3, so would find little to no relief from Levothyroxine. Something like desiccated natural thyroid has both forms (and other forms like T2 as well), so many find that to be superior. I think there is also some benefit to taking a mix of both synthetic T4 and T3 (like you can find in Idealab’s Tyromix), I think either of those is superior to taking T4 alone. Some even find T3 only useful, although I have heard it can be dangerous, I think especially at higher doses in the long term.
Ultimately, a trial of either desiccated thyroid, or a T4/T3 mix would be the best test. It would probably have to be done over the span of a few months, as it seems to take longer for some symptoms to improve. Also, it would be wise to read about traditional dosing schedules, like Broda Barnes used, you don’t want to flood the body with excess thyroid hormone too soon. It would be best, of course, to do this with a knowledgeable and competent medical professional, but those seem to be very hard to find.
Danny Roddy recently suggested checking body temperature, pulse, cholesterol levels, and prolactin levels.
Adding on to what has already been mentioned above, which are all good points. One other test for hypothyroidism is the the Achilles reflex test, which I am unsure most modern doctors today even know of or consider valuable. But in essence if you place your foot over your other leg and allow it to relax the Achilles tendon is then tapped using a medical reflex hammer or other instrument such as a screwdriver handle or the handle of a butter knife, you should see a reflex reaction. If the foot reacts and then snaps back quickly to the original position it indicates adequate thyroid, but if the retraction is a slow return it indicates hypothyroidism. This video gives a very good description and demonstration.
Temperature can be a good indicator but it is important to remember that high cortisol also raises temperatures as well so I would not rely on this indicator solely. How you feel and things such as mental clarity are also good indicators as well.
@Cari if your friend is female they might do better on just straight T3 as opposed to a blend initially. They would need to dose more frequently simply because the T3 metabolizes at a faster rate since it does not require the liver to convert T4 into T3. Physiologically females have smaller livers so depending on the condition of your friend their liver may not be able to convert the T4 properly or in high enough levels.I would say I was at least mildly hypothyroid since childhood. Resting heart rate was consistently 60 bpm. I did not take my temperature, but I was often cold–in the winter and in an air-conditioned rooms in summer. My hands were often cold, and my feet like ice when I lay down to sleep. I took no blood tests. With diet and other Peat principles–sun, red light, vitamin supplements–I got my heart rate up to 72, and I was warmer. Other benefits, too–like carpal tunnel resolving.
I supplemented thyroid, via Idea Labs Tyromax, only many years into it. I didn’t notice any dramatic changes at first, but about six to nine months in, I realized the chronic soreness in my knuckles was gone. I always thought that was the beginnings of arthritis, and it has never returned. Both my parents had a bit of arthritis in their hands, so I am very grateful. I take about three drops a day of Tyromax now, though I was up to 8 drops in the beginning. I think 8 drops is the equivalent of 1 grain of Armor Thyroid
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Cari