For people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, the most common treatment method is synthetic thyroid hormone.  Some medical doctors will recommend natural thyroid hormone, but either way, this is usually a “permanent” recommendation.  In other words, people with hypothyroid conditions will be told to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone daily for the rest of their life.  In fact, one of the more common sayings for these people is “Once on thyroid hormone, always on thyroid hormone”.

Without question, there are some people who do need to be on thyroid hormone for the rest of their life.  For example, someone who has received a complete thyroidectomy will need to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone daily.  Many people who receive a partial thyroidectomy or radioactive iodine treatment will need to be on thyroid hormone on a permanent basis, although this isn’t always the case.  And even some people who haven’t had surgery performed or received RAI will need to take thyroid hormone for the rest of their life.

However, many people who develop hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis don’t need to take thyroid hormone forever.  One of the stories I don’t believe I have shared on this website (until now) is that many years ago, my mother was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and she was told to take synthetic thyroid hormone on a permanent basis.  Of course if this were to happen today I would have tried convincing her to find the underlying cause of the condition, yada yada yada.  But this happened when I was a child, and so I didn’t know what thyroid hormone was, let alone anything about natural treatment solutions for the condition.

In any case, my mother began taking the thyroid hormone, but eventually felt she didn’t need to take it, and so she abruptly stopped.  I don’t recommend for people with hypothyroidism to take this approach, as many people would experience severe symptoms if they were to just stop taking their medication.  As for my mother, once she stopped taking thyroid hormone she never had to take it again, as she felt fine, her thyroid labs normalized and they remained normal (I honestly have no idea if they tested her for thyroid antibodies, and she doesn’t recall this either since it was so long ago).

One thing I probably should point out is that my mother didn’t have a natural mindset.  She smoked a couple of packs of cigarettes throughout my childhood, brought plenty of junk food into the house (brownies, cupcakes, soda, punch, etc.), and we would frequently eat at places like Burger King and White Castle.

I realize this is only one example of someone who was diagnosed with hypothyroidism who was able to stop taking thyroid hormone.  And once again, I would not recommend for anyone who is currently taking thyroid hormone to abruptly stop taking their medication.  The main point I’m trying to make is that most medical doctors have a “forever” mindset when it comes to hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone.  Since they don’t look into the underlying cause of the disorder, and don’t believe it is possible to restore the function of the thyroid gland, the only thing they know how to do is to continuously manage the symptoms.

What they don’t understand is that people don’t simply develop hypothyroidism out of the blue.  There is a reason why this happens, and many times the cause can be corrected, which in turn will restore the function of the thyroid gland back to normal.  But how about if someone has Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?  Well, just remember that synthetic or thyroid hormone doesn’t do anything for the immune system component.  So when someone is diagnosed with an autoimmune hypothyroid condition, it drives me crazy when they are simply told to take thyroid hormone for the rest of their life, without addressing other compromised areas of the body.   If you address all of these other areas and the person still needs to take thyroid hormone, then that’s fine.  At least an attempt was made to restore their thyroid health back to normal, and by correcting these other problems (immune system, weak adrenals, mineral deficiencies, hormone imbalances, etc.), you can’t help but to improve the person’s overall health.

In summary, some people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis do need to take thyroid hormone for the rest of their life, and there admittedly are people who follow a natural treatment protocol who still need to take thyroid hormone continuously.   On the other hand, many people with these conditions can restore their thyroid health back to normal, and to assume that anyone who is taking thyroid hormone will need to continue taking thyroid hormone on a permanent basis is just plain wrong in many cases.

When someone with Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis goes to their medical doctor or endocrinologist, their doctor will focus on the thyroid gland.  Managing the thyroid symptoms can be important, as it will be necessary for some people with hypothyroid conditions to take thyroid hormone, and for some people with hyperthyroid conditions to take antithyroid medication.  The problem I have with this is that most of these doctors don’t address other compromised areas of the body.

It’s bad enough that they won’t try to help correct weakened adrenal glands, improve poor digestion and gut health, or correct any vitamin or mineral deficiencies (with the exception of vitamin D and B12, and iron in some cases).  But to completely ignore the autoimmune component is crazy if you ask me.  Of course the primary reason why they don’t do anything for the immune system is because they don’t know what to do to help restore its health.  And in most cases they have no interest in finding out.

With that being said, is it possible to completely eliminate the autoimmune response in Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?  This admittedly is a controversial subject, as some will claim that once you “turn on the genes” for an autoimmune condition there is no way to turn it off.  Then there are those who believe you can stop this process.  Even with the advances we have had in genetic testing, I’m not sure if this is something that can be measured.  Plus, we also need to keep in mind that apparently not everyone who develops this condition has a genetic component, although this might be controversial as well.

There Is Still A Lot We Don’t Know About Autoimmune Conditions

Even though we are constantly learning more about autoimmune conditions, there is still a lot we don’t know.  And things are always changing.  For example, cytokine testing was once thought of as a way to measure the autoimmune response.  But upon attending a recent conference on thyroid health, I was told that this type of testing is no longer thought to be accurate.  Perhaps this will change in the near future, but the point is that it is difficult to look at the autoimmune response and see if it has been “shut off”, or even suppressed.

How about looking at the thyroid antibodies?  I think it’s important to look at the antibodies, as if they are positive then this concludes that someone has an autoimmune thyroid condition.  But just because someone once had positive thyroid antibodies and now tests negative for thyroid antibodies doesn’t confirm that the autoimmune response has been eliminated.  This doesn’t mean that it’s useless to measure the antibodies on follow-up tests (although many medical doctors think doing this is pointless), but negative thyroid antibodies alone doesn’t tell the entire story.

The Primary Goal Is To Control The Inflammation

Although I don’t know for sure whether the autoimmune response can be “eliminated”, or simply suppressed, what I do know is that in any one with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, inflammation is an issue.  And if one is going to suppress the autoimmune response and help restore the health of the person, one really does need to get the inflammation under control.  The problem is that so many different factors can cause inflammation, and at times it can be difficult to determine what specifically is causing it.  In many cases a food allergy such as gluten or casein is causing the inflammation, and therefore needs to be avoided.  Sometimes another food allergen is causing the problem.  Sometimes the inflammation can be caused by a candida infection, H. Pylori, or parasites.  So it can be a challenge to determine the source of the inflammation, but doing so is essential to help with an autoimmune condition.

But how do other factors cause or contribute to an autoimmune thyroid condition, such as weak adrenal glands, mineral deficiencies, heavy metal toxicities, imbalances of the sex hormones, etc?  These all can potentially act as triggers to the autoimmune response, and so they do need to eventually be corrected.  For example, the adrenal glands are closely tied into the health of both the immune system and the gut.  And so problems with the adrenals can in turn compromise the immune system, which in turn can lead to the development of an autoimmune condition.  Plus, let’s not forget that the adrenal glands secrete cortisol, which is essentially an “anti-inflammatory hormone”.  This is why corticosteroids are commonly recommended, as they help to control inflammation.  So if someone has an adrenal problem where the cortisol levels are depressed, then this will affect the body’s ability to control inflammation.

So while I’m guilty at times of talking about how it is important to “eliminate” the autoimmune response, the truth is that this is difficult to measure.  As a result, when dealing with someone who has Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, one of the main goals is to suppress the autoimmune response and to get rid of the inflammation.  In order to accomplish this one of course needs to get rid of the inflammatory trigger, whether it be gluten, a candida infection, etc.  Herbs such as hemidesmus, boswellia, and turmeric can help with the autoimmune component and inflammation.  Then once this has been addressed the goal from this point on is to have the person maintain their health and try their best to avoid those factors which can trigger the autoimmune response again.

Many people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease have an increased appetite, while some people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis also experience this problem.  With hyperthyroid conditions, the increased metabolism is often responsible for the increased appetite.  In fact, when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, a voracious appetite was one of my main symptoms, and one of the last ones to disappear.

But a big reason behind an increased appetite is due to problems with digestion.  This obviously doesn’t just pertain to people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions, but people in general, as many people have problems with their digestive system.  So if you are hungry all of the time, then you might need to focus on restoring your digestive health.

Take A Close Look At Your Stool

While you no doubt want to be aware of any digestive symptoms you might be experiencing (bloating, gas, etc.), your stool can also be a great indicator of your overall digestive health.  A “healthy” stool should have the following characteristics: it should be medium brown, shouldn’t float (although it shouldn’t sink rapidly either), should have no odor, and it should be eliminated without having to strain.

If your stool doesn’t match these characteristics I just listed, then chances are you have some digestive problems. Perhaps one day I’ll write a separate post focusing on the characteristics of stool (I’m sure you can’t wait!), but for now just realize that if it is a different color than medium brown, has an odor, is accompanied by gas, and/or is difficult to eliminate, then you probably have digestive problems.

What Can You Do To Correct The Malabsorption Problem?

If malabsorption is the reason for your increased appetite, then there are a few things you can do to correct this issue:

1. Eat well. This goes without saying, but if you aren’t eating well, then now’s a great time to start.  If you’re eating a lot of junk food, including fast food for many of your major meals, then this without question will lead to digestive issues.  Now truth to be told, if you go to a fast food restaurant once or twice each month then it probably won’t be a big deal if you eat healthy the rest of the time.  But of course this usually isn’t the case, as most people who eat at fast food restaurants do so a few times per week, and some of course make it a daily habit to eat at such places.

As you already know if you have been reading my articles and posts for awhile, you should be eating mostly whole foods, minimize your consumption of refined foods and sugars, and drink purified water.  Doing this alone might not completely restore your digestive health, but it definitely is an important first step.

2. Eliminate common allergens. Food allergies can also contribute to digestive problems, and thus lead to malabsorption issues.  For example, someone who has a gluten sensitivity problem, but who constantly eats gluten-based foods, will probably have issues absorbing these foods.  Other allergens can have a similar effect.  Food allergy testing is definitely something to consider, although I don’t find the tests to be 100% accurate, which is why I usually just recommend for people to initially avoid the most common allergens.

3. Take digestive enzymes and/or probiotics.  Taking digestive enzymes and/or probiotics can help greatly with digestion.  Since many people have problems digesting their food, most can benefit from taking a digestive enzyme before each meal.  Many people also have low stomach acidity, and so it also might be a good idea to take a digestive enzyme with betaine HCL.  If someone has stomach burning then they probably will want to refrain from taking the betaine HCL, but should still be able to take digestive enzymes.  Probiotics can also be beneficial, as they can help to replenish the healthy bacteria of the gut.  Having a deficiency of the healthy bacteria can lead to digestive issues.

4. Detoxification Program. Just about everyone can benefit from following a detoxification program.  Many people I consult with change their eating habits, but never clean out their system, specifically their liver.  This would be analogous to never changing your oil in your car, but just putting in new oil every 3,000 miles.  Okay, maybe this is a poor analogy, but hopefully you get the point.  There are plenty of different detoxification programs available, although you need to be cautious, as not all of them do what they claim to do.  For someone’s very first detoxification I usually recommend for them to consult with a healthcare professional, rather than do it on their own.  Then once they have gone through the first one they usually can do it on their own in the future, as I recommend going through a detoxification at least once a year, and twice would be even better.

5. Gut Dysbiosis Protocol.  Sometimes I put patients on a gut flora protocol to help with digestive issues.  This essentially involves eating well, along with taking a few select supplements to help restore the healthy bacteria in the gut.  While taking probiotics can help to some extent, just doing this usually isn’t sufficient to restore one’s digestive health.  This protocol will last at least 6 to 8 weeks, and will help to restore the person’s digestive health by cleaning the lower GI tract, helping to improve nutrient absorption, and of course promoting a healthy intestinal flora.

6. Test for parasites. Parasites can also cause digestive issues, and so as a last resort you might want to test for parasites.  Why as a last resort?  After all, doesn’t it make sense to test for parasites first?  Well, one reason why I don’t test everyone for parasites is because the tests aren’t completely reliable.  In other words, just because someone tests negative doesn’t mean they don’t have parasites.  Plus, if someone follows the first five steps I recommended then it usually will eliminate the parasites, especially following a gut flora balance protocol.  And if incorporating the first five factors I listed still doesn’t restore the person’s digestive health, then I’ll look to do additional testing.  If someone has symptoms that makes it seem obvious that they have parasites, then I will do some testing initially.

In summary, if you have a constant feeling of hunger, while it very well may be attributed to the thyroid gland if you have hyperthyroidism, in many cases a poorly functioning digestive system is the culprit.  And when this is the case, in order to overcome this health issue you need to restore the health of the digestive system, and in most cases you can accomplish this by following the advice I have just given.

Recently I was consulting with a patient with Graves’ Disease who told her endocrinologist she was seeking alternative care. Not surprisingly, that endocrinologist wasn’t thrilled to hear this, and went on to criticize this patient, and even threatened to release her from care if the patient continued to pursue a natural treatment approach. This isn’t an isolated incident, as I’ve had other patients tell me similar stories. While every doctor is entitled to their own opinion, what they fail to realize is that the patient hired them, not the other way around. They should be grateful for the opportunity to try to help these people. But of course many let their egos get the best of them, and some doctors think they have the right to boss around their patients.

Perhaps they do have the right to boss their patients around. However, their patients also have the right to find another doctor who will actually listen to them. Even if this means seeing a doctor who might not be happy with a patient of theirs looking into a natural treatment approach, but who nevertheless will be supportive of a patient who chooses to combine medical and alternative treatment options. While it will be a big challenge finding a medical doctor who endorses natural thyroid treatment methods, if you interview enough medical doctors then you should find one who is willing to work with you, even if it means driving an hour or two to see them.

When Should You Fire Your Doctor?

Based on the information I gave, it might seem obvious when one should switch doctors. After all, if you have a medical doctor who won’t work with you with if you choose to follow a natural treatment protocol, doesn’t it make sense to look for a different doctor? Well, I have mixed emotions about this. If you’re dealing with a rude and arrogant doctor who won’t listen to anything you say, then I agree that it’s time to look for another doctor. I realize you might be seeing this doctor because they are on your health insurance plan, and/or they might be located nearby to where you live or work, but the number one reason to choose a doctor isn’t because he or she is on your insurance plan or lives close to you, but instead is because they are a competent doctor who will listen to you and try to do everything they can to help you.

However, even if you find a doctor who has these traits, they still might not be supportive of natural treatment methods. Once again, while it would be nice to find a medical doctor who thinks it’s great that you’re trying to restore your health back to normal, it is extremely difficult to find such a doctor. For this reason, many patients won’t even tell their medical doctors they are trying out alternative methods for their hypothyroid or hyperthyroid condition. And to be honest, in many cases I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to tell your medical doctor this.

However, if you would like to tell them you’re seeking alternative treatment options, before revealing this to them, you might want to ask them the following question:

Question # 1. What do you think about natural treatment options for [Name your condition]?

If they start bickering and criticizing natural treatment methods then it might be a good idea not to tell them you plan on following a natural treatment protocol. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still try looking for a medical doctor who is more receptive to natural treatment options, but if this is his or her only major flaw, then for now you probably should continue seeing the same doctor.

On the other hand, if they don’t react strongly to the first question, then you can go ahead and ask them the following one:

Question # 2. I would like to continue working with you, as I realize the importance of medical treatment for thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions, but how would you feel if I also consulted with a holistic doctor to help treat my condition naturally?

You might decide to word it a little differently than I did, but the point is that you want to get a feeling as to how your medical doctor perceives natural treatment methods. While they might not be thrilled about you looking into natural treatment methods, if they react to the second question by saying “I don’t think natural treatment methods will help you, but you have nothing to lose by giving such methods a try”, then to me this is a positive response. While they still might not be willing to order certain tests for you (i.e. saliva testing), as long as they are a good doctor and respect your choices that’s all you can ask for.

The purpose of this post was to make you realize that ultimately you’re the one in charge when it comes to your health. When you schedule an appointment with a doctor you’re obviously doing so to seek their advice and help, but this doesn’t give them the right to criticize you for looking into different treatment options. Too many people are afraid to stand up to their medical doctor, but if they don’t have your health in their best interest, then you really should try to find another doctor, even if it means paying out of pocket and/or driving a long distance.

Many people are aware of the benefits of vitamin D, as this “vitamin” plays an important role in bone health, neuromuscular function,  immunity, and it has many other important functions.   As a result, it’s no surprise that many of my patients are already taking vitamin D3 upon consulting with them for the first time.  Some are taking 1,000 IU per day, others 5,000 IU, and some even 10,000 IU per day.  Just as is the case with most other supplements people take, most people who take vitamin D on their own don’t know how much they should be taking.  In many cases the person is taking too small of a dosage for their needs, while every now and then someone will be taking too much.  And some people don’t need to take any vitamin D through supplementation.  But since vitamin D is extremely important for a healthy immune system, it is necessary for people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to have adequate levels.

Before I discuss how to determine the dosage of vitamin D one should take if they choose to supplement with this, I’d like to briefly discuss some of the different forms of the supplement.  Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is what people should be taking when supplementing with this vitamin.  Vitamin D3 is the same substance the body manufacturers when being exposed to sunlight.  Even though it’s called a “vitamin”, it actually is a hormone.  Vitamin D2 is a different form of vitamin D, and is not the same as the vitamin D3 that is manufactured by the body.  Some medical doctors prescribe vitamin D2 to their patients who show a deficiency on the blood tests.  Sometimes they will prescribe synthetic calcitrol.  If you have a vitamin D deficiency, ideally you want to supplement with vitamin D3.  I typically recommend the brand by Biotics Research Labs to my patients, which is a high quality emulsified form of vitamin D.  But many times you can find something equivalent in a local health food store.

Don’t Pay Attention To The Typical Reference Ranges

When you get your vitamin D levels tested, in most labs, the lower end of the reference range will be around 30 ng/mL.  And so if your vitamin D levels are at least 30 ng/mL, most medical doctors won’t consider you as being deficient.  But as I’ve been telling my patients for years, according to the Vitamin D council and other reputable sources, one ideally wants these levels to be at least 50 ng/mL.

So with that being said, if someone’s vitamin D levels are below 50 ng/mL, is it necessary to supplement with vitamin D3?  With most people it probably is a good idea, and this is especially true for those who have levels below 40 ng/mL.  But if someone hasn’t been getting much sun and wants to try increasing their levels without taking supplements, then they of course can give this a try.  So they can spend 15 to 30 minutes daily in the sun for a few months (without sunscreen of course, as this will block the absorption of vitamin D) and then retest, and if their levels are above 50 ng/mL then there probably isn’t a need to supplement with vitamin D3.  However, they will need to continue getting regular sun exposure in order to maintain these levels.

Although getting regular sun exposure is ideally the best method of manufacturing vitamin D, some people seem to have problems absorbing it, even when getting plenty of sun exposure without putting on any sun screen.   I’ve consulted with numerous patients in sunny areas (Florida, California, etc.) who claim they get plenty of sun exposure, but still are deficient in this vitamin.  Sometimes this can be due to deficiencies of one or more of the cofactors that are important for the proper absorption of vitamin D, such as magnesium.  But I wonder whether in some people there is a genetic problem with absorbing this vitamin.  One’s skin color also will determine how well one absorbs vitamin D from the sun, as the darker the person’s skin, the longer they will need to be exposed to the sun in order to get an adequate amount of vitamin D manufactured.  In any case, if someone is getting adequate sun exposure and doesn’t have a deficiency in any of the cofactors, then supplementation usually is necessary.

Determining The Proper Dosage Of Vitamin D3

So if someone has a vitamin D deficiency and needs to supplement with vitamin D3, how much is it necessary for that person to take?  Well, it admittedly can be challenging to know exactly how much vitamin D3 someone needs to take, which is why retesting is important.  For example, if someone has a moderate to severe deficiency, then I’ll commonly have them take 10,000 IU per day for a few months, and then reduce the dosage in half for a few months, and then have them retest.

If someone has a mild deficiency and if we determine that supplementation is the best course of action, then I will start them with a lower dosage (i.e. 4,000 to 6,000 IU per day), and of course will still have them retest after a few months.  Some people are concerned about vitamin D toxicity due to taking too high of a dosage.  This is rare, as if someone has a deficiency they would need to take extremely high dosages of vitamin D3 for many months before it would reach toxic levels.  And while some people would consider 10,000 IU per day to be too high, I personally have never encountered a problem with a patient taking such a dosage.  Once again, you want to have the person retest after a few months just to make sure the blood levels don’t go too high.

So while it is important for anyone with a vitamin D deficiency to get this addressed, it arguably is even more important for anyone who has an autoimmune thyroid condition, such as those people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, to make sure they have adequate Vitamin D levels.  If you haven’t been tested recently to determine if you have a vitamin D deficiency, then I highly recommend you doing so, as increasing these levels can be a very important part of your recovery.  For more information on vitamin D, I highly recommend visiting the Vitamin D Council website at www.vitamindcouncil.org.

Although most of the patients I deal with are female, there are also many men who deal with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions. And of course I personally battled with Graves’ Disease before following a natural treatment protocol. Just as is the case with women, many men also have a hormone imbalance which needs to be addressed. Because of this I thought it would be beneficial to dedicate a post which discusses the male hormone pathway, and how to detect and correct a hormone imbalance.

Here are some of the symptoms which can result due to an imbalance of the male steroid hormones:

• Low mood
• Loss of energy
• Problems with concentration and memory
• Blood sugar issues
• Weight gain
• Sleep issues
• Prostate problems

A Basic Breakdown Of The Androgen Pathway:

The pathway which forms the male hormones is actually very similar to the female pathway. It all begins with cholesterol, which is then converted into pregnenolone, and from this point it divides into two separate pathways. One potential pathway is for the pregnenolone to be converted into progesterone, which in turn will convert into the adrenal hormones, aldosterone and cortisol.

Pregnenolone also converts into DHEA, which in turn gets converted into the male steroid hormone, androstenedione, which in turn gets converted into testosterone. Testosterone in turn can convert into either DHT or estradiol. Different enzymes are involved in the conversion process, as 5-alpha reductase is involved in the conversion of testosterone to DHT, while aromatase is involved in the conversion of testosterone to estradiol, as well as androstenedione into estrone.

Hopefully this will give you a better understanding as to why a hormone imbalance may take place. For example, if someone has low testosterone levels, bioidentical tesosterone is commonly recommended as the solution. However, since DHEA is a precursor to testosterone, then if one has low DHEA levels then this very well can be the underlying cause of the low testosterone problem. So in this case bioidentical DHEA should be taken, right? Well, not necessarily, as it depends on how low the DHEA is. Plus, an herb such as Tribulus might be able to raise the DHEA levels, which in turn can help raise the low testosterone levels. Either way, the goal in this case should be to find out why the DHEA levels were low, as this is usually due to chronic stress over a prolonged period of time. Of course not every case of low testosterone is caused by low DHEA levels, but the point I wanted to make is that most medical doctors don’t look at the whole picture.

So what’s so bad about taking biodentical testosterone in the above scenario? Well, besides not addressing the underlying cause of the problem, an excess of testosterone will convert to estradiol, which can lead to the condition known as estrogen dominance. Some medical doctors are aware of this and thus will also recommend an aromatase inhibitor so that this conversion can’t take place. But besides the potential side effects of these inhibitors, they once again don’t address the cause of the low testosterone.

Prostate Problems Can Be Caused By A Hormone Imbalance

Many of the prostate problems men have are also caused by an imbalance of the steroid hormones. This isn’t always the case, but for someone with BPH or another prostate issue, not at least looking at the hormones is ludicrous. And once again, just looking at testosterone isn’t enough, as since the hormones interact with one another it really is important to get a complete picture.

How To Detect A Male Hormone Imbalance:

In addition to the symptoms a male patient may be experiencing, here are some of the tests which can help determine whether someone has a hormone imbalance:

1. Male Hormone Panel. If you have been following my posts for awhile then you probably know I recommend the company Diagnos-Techs for hormone testing. They have an expanded male hormone panel which will show the levels of DHEA, androstenedione, testosterone, DHT, progesterone, estrone, and estradiol. The expanded version of the panel (which is the one I recommend) includes FSH and LH. The reason why you want to look at these hormones is because these hormones stimulate and regulate the formation of sperm (FSH) and testosterone production (LH).

2. Hair Mineral Analysis. Although this test doesn’t directly measure the hormones, an imbalance in certain minerals can reveal a hormone imbalance. For example, an imbalance in the ratios of zinc and copper can mean that the person has an imbalance in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This test can also give adrenal, thyroid, and blood sugar indicators.

3. Cholesterol levels. Since cholesterol is a precursor to all of the hormones, it of course is important that people have a sufficient amount of it. Most people are concerned about their cholesterol levels being too high, but it also can cause problems if these levels are too low.

Correcting A Hormone Imbalance

So once a hormone imbalance is detected, how can one correct this problem? Well, it depends on what type of hormone imbalance is taking place, and what the cause is. For example, if the imbalance is due to misfiring of the pituitary hormones FSH and LH, then one needs to provide support to the HP-Axis in order to correct this problem. If the problem is low DHEA due to a prolonged stress response, then of course one needs to modify the stress response, and may need to give adrenal support to raise the DHEA levels. Sometimes a purification program can help with a hormone imbalance as well.

So I hope that all of the men reading this have a better understanding behind the physiology of the hormones. It’s definitely a complex system, and it’s important to realize that giving bioidentical hormones can help at times, but this isn’t the solution for every hormone imbalance, as sometimes natural hormones can do more harm than good at times.

Many people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions have a hormone imbalance. While most people I consult with haven’t received any type of hormone testing, some people have had such testing, and usually it has been serum testing done by their medical doctor. While this type of testing can be useful, there are some flaws you need to be aware of. Although you might think this doesn’t pertain to you, just keep in mind that many people have an underlying hormone imbalance but are unaware of it. So just in case you ever need to receive any type of hormone testing, I would take a few minutes to read this information carefully.

The Differences Between Serum & Saliva Testing

I’ve discussed this in other articles and posts before, so I won’t go into much detail here. But the primary difference between the blood tests and the saliva tests is that most blood tests measure the bound form of the hormone, while saliva testing measures the free form of the hormone. 99% of the hormones in the bloodstream are in the bound form, and are released when necessary. But it’s the 1% of the free hormone that we need to look at with regards to these tests. Of course the free hormone can be looked at under serum tests.  This is obvious when looking at the thyroid hormone levels, as with serum testing one can look at the Total T3 or T4, or the Free T3 or T4. Similarly, it is possible to look at the free levels of estrogen and progesterone.  The problem is that it is more expensive, and therefore most medical doctors simply order the bound form of the hormone when it comes to estrogen and progesterone.

This is why I recommend saliva-based testing. While such testing isn’t cheap, it’s less expensive than the free serum tests. Another advantage is that it’s non-invasive, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Some question the accuracy of this test, but the main questions arise simply because we’re so accustomed to blood tests. So we make the assumption that blood tests must be more accurate than saliva tests, or else medical doctors would recommend saliva-based testing to all of their patients. But as usual, it all comes down to the training they receive in medical school, as you probably have guessed that they don’t teach medical doctors about saliva testing in school, and so it shouldn’t be a surprise that most medical doctors frown upon such testing.

One-Sample Testing In Cycling Women Is Inadequate

Another major flaw with conventional testing of hormones is the following: taking a one-sample test of a cycling woman doesn’t give a complete picture of what is happening with her hormones. I can understand using serum testing on a menopausal women, although once again, one should evaluate the free form of the hormone. On the other hand, it doesn’t make sense to draw a one-sample test for someone whose hormone levels are in a constant state of fluctuation. I’m not suggesting that one-sample testing of cycling women is completely useless, as there is some value, but it’s definitely not sufficient to see if someone has an existing hormone imbalance. Just because a woman doesn’t have an imbalance at one point during her cycle doesn’t mean doesn’t have an imbalance at other points.

For example, if you are a cycling woman and you visit your medical doctor for a one-sample serum test on day #17 of your cycle, and if everything looks fine, this doesn’t mean there isn’t an imbalance on day #11, day #21, etc. Keep in mind that the in the first half of the cycle, estrogen is the dominant hormone, and then in the second half of the cycle progesterone is supposed to be the dominant hormone. So at the very least you would want two samples taken a few weeks apart. But even this wouldn’t be sufficient, which is why a saliva-based cycling female hormone panel will require a cycling women to collect a saliva sample every few days of her cycle.

One of the big reasons why you want to obtain multiple samples is because you’re looking at the output of these hormones throughout the cycle. This is especially true in the second half of the cycle when progesterone is the dominant hormone, as you want to look at the total output of progesterone, and not just the levels on a specific day.

Monitoring The Levels Of Someone Taking Bioidentical Hormones

More and more doctors recommend bioidentical hormones to their patients. What many don’t understand is that these hormones are in the free form, yet most medical doctors use serum tests to follow-up on these patients, which as you know by now only detect the bound form of the hormone. What commonly happens is that people who use natural estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone creams will overdose, but the serum tests won’t reveal this because they’re only showing the bound form of the hormone. So if they’re going to use serum testing to monitor their patients who are taking bioidentical hormones, they should look at the free form of the hormone.

So hopefully you now have a better understanding of the differences between serum-based hormone testing and saliva-based hormone testing. While the serum-based tests have some value when it comes to menopausal women, you need to remember that they don’t measure the free form of the hormone. And when it comes to testing the sex hormone levels in cycling women, a one-sample serum test won’t give a complete picture of what’s happening. Finally, when taking bioidentical hormones, if someone is overdosing then serum-based testing won’t reveal this since bioidentical hormones are in the free form of the hormone.

Many holistic doctors are critical of medication. To be honest, I’m guilty of this too at times, as while I know that both prescription and over-the-counter medications are sometimes necessary, many drugs are both overused and abused. This applies to thyroid medication as well, such as Methimazole, Tapazole, Synthroid, and other thyroid medications. I do think that many people can benefit from taking these drugs on a temporary basis, and some people need to take them on a long-term basis.

In any case, the goal of this post isn’t to discuss medications, but instead is to discuss herbal medicine. While I’m frequently talking about how thyroid medication doesn’t do anything for the cause of the condition, and how there are risks with conventional treatment methods, it is rare for me to talk about the “risks” of using herbs. And I’m not just talking about self-treating one’s condition, as I’m just talking about the general use of hebal remedies, as while there are definitely risks of taking herbs when self-treating one’s condition, there can also be risks even when under the guidance of a healthcare practitioner.

Remember That Not All Herbs Are The Same

I have discussed in the past how not all nutritional supplements are the same. There are of course different qualities of nutritional supplements, and the same concept applies to herbs. For example, with certain herbs it is more beneficial to use the root part of the plant, when compared to the leaf. Of course the consumer usually doesn’t know this, and in some cases the doctor isn’t aware of this either. Many holistic doctors don’t know much about herbs, and to be frank, I fit into this category when I first began seeing patients many years ago. But in addition to taking an extensive herbology program by a well know herbalist named Kerry Bone, I’ve attended numerous seminars and have done a lot of studying on my own. But there was a time when I didn’t know much about herbs, and I’m still learning about them to this day.

When talking about the “risks” of herbs, usually there won’t be any adverse reactions when someone takes an herb consisting of the leaf instead of the root. It very well may impact it’s effectiveness, but it usually won’t cause the person any harm. Of course by not being effective this in turn can cause problems, not to mention waste the person’s money. My goal here isn’t to promote any company which provides quality herbal products, but one needs to understand that there are a lot of companies out there which do sell low quality herbs. So without question I recommend using companies that have quality herbs, and quality herbs aren’t cheap.

The Difference Between Liquid Herbs and Tablets

Although I do recommend herbal complexes to my patients that are in tablet form, one major disadvantage of tablets is that there is increased processing. Most of the time the liquid herbs are more effective than tablets, although it is definitely more convenient to recommend the tablets, and in many cases it is also easier for the patient to take tablets. For example, the company MediHerb has a product called Thyroid Complex, which is a tablet consisting of Ashwagandha, Bladderwrack, and Bacopa. While this is a great product and I do recommend it to my patients, taking the liquid herbs can be more effective. But besides it being more expensive to purchase the liquid herbs, it is more convenient to take the tablets. This is especially true if you need to take them away from your home, as you can simply put the tablets in a pill holder, whereas it’s more challenging to carry the liquid herbs with you, although this definitely is possible.

When I was initially diagnosed with Graves’ Disease I took a combination of tablets and liquid herbs.  I took Bugleweed and Motherwort in liquid form, and for awhile I took Echinacea in liquid form before switching to a tablet.  I also took a number of different herbs in tablet form, such as Eleuthero, Licorice, and another tablet which consisted of numerous herbs for immune system support.

Keep in mind that not everyone with Graves’ Disease needs to take all of the same herbs I took. And course just because an herb is in liquid form doesn’t automatically mean it’s of good quality. Once again, there are different qualities regardless of whether the herb is in a tablet or liquid form. This may seem like common sense, but some people assume that an herb in a liquid form is always of a high quality, which of course isn’t always the case.

Herbal Interactions With Prescription Drugs

Are there dangers when taking certain herbs, along with prescription and over-the-counter drugs? There definitely can be, which is why you need to be careful. For example, St. Johns Wort is contraindicated when taking certain medications. For other herbs, there are “cautions”, but not necessarily contraindications. Truth to be told, many herbs are safe to take and have no known contraindications when taken with any type of medication. On the other hand, other herbs do have some contraindications.

Can’t you just do a search online and/or refer to a book to see what type of interactions there are when taking specific herbs? I would be cautious about relying on information on the internet, although there are some books on herbal remedies which do provide some good information. As you know, I’m an advocate of speaking with a holistic doctor who has experience dealing with herbs on a frequent basis.

How about the interactions of herbs with thyroid medication? For those people with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis taking synthetic thyroid hormone, or for those with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease taking antithyroid medication and/or beta blockers, are there risks when taking certain herbs? In most cases, taking these prescription drugs with herbal remedies won’t be a problem, although once again, it’s always wise to consult with a natural healthcare professional who has a good deal of experience dealing with herbs. Of course some people have sensitivities to certain herbs, and so this also needs to be considered. For example, if someone is allergic to the herb Feverfew, they will most likely have a reaction regardless of whether they are taking thyroid medication.

Plus one also needs to be careful regarding the dosage of the herb they are taking.  As an example, if someone with a hyperthyroid condition is taking Methimazole or PTU, and if they also decide to take Bugleweed, if they take too high of a dosage of this herb then this can actually lead to the development of a hypothyroid condition.  On the other hand, someone with hypothyroidism who is taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone and then takes some herbs which stimulate the production of thyroid hormone very well might become hyperthyroid.  So you need to be very careful.

There are also certain contraindications one needs to be aware of. One obvious example is that someone with a hypothyroid condition shouldn’t take an herb such as Bugleweed, which is specifically for people with hyperthyroid conditions.  Bugleweed is also contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.  Also, since many people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions have compromised adrenal glands, it’s important to know that someone with high blood pressure needs to be careful about taking the herb licorice, which is commonly recommended for people with low cortisol levels.

In summary, there are some risks when taking certain herbs. Many of the herbs are safe, even for those with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions. Upon consulting with people, many are taking herbs on their own without experiencing any problems. So it admittedly is rare to have an adverse reaction. However, it does happen from time to time, and of course one shouldn’t just randomly take herbs based on what they read on this or any other website.

I’ve discussed the condition estrogen dominance numerous times on my website, as many people have this condition, and this includes both men and women. This frequently is due to a deficiency in progesterone, but it can also be due to an excess of estrogen. This is especially true when people take bioidentical hormones. In any case, I’ve been asked by some people whether or not taking aromatase inhibitors can effectively prevent estrogen dominance from developing.

Before I answer this, it’s probably a good idea to explain what an aromatse inhibitor is for those people who aren’t familar with these. Aromatase is an enzyme which helps in the production of the estrogens, as it specifically converts testosterone to estradiol, and androstenedione to estrone. There are drugs specifically manufactured to help inhibit the conversion process, which of course is why they are called aromatase inhibitors. There are also some natural aromatase-inhibitors which I will discuss shortly.

When Are Aromatase Inhibitors Used?

They are used in numerous different conditions. For example, since breast and ovarian cancer involve the hormone estrogen, aromatase inhbitors are commonly used in the treatment of these conditions. Body builders also may use these when taking steroids, as if they don’t take an aromatase inhibitor then the excess testosterone will convert to estradiol, which will result in estrogen dominance. Some medical doctors will give these drugs to their patients when recommending bioidentical testosterone to address a deficiency. In all of these examples, the goal is to preven the formation of estrogen.

If you have been a long time visitor to my website then it shouldn’t surprise you that I’m not a big fan of aromatase inhibitors. I’m not saying that in some cases they aren’t necessary to use, but they of course don’t get to the underlying cause of the problem. For example, if someone has low testosterone levels and is given bioidentical testosterone to bring up the levels, and then is given an aromatase inhibitor to prevent the testosterone from converting to estradiol, then this isn’t addressing the cause of the low hormone levels. Once again, I’m not suggesting that it’s never necessary to give bioidentical testosterone. On the other hand, I know some doctors who will give it to every single patient, even if they don’t show a deficiency. I definitely don’t agree with this approach.

Side Effects Of Aromatase Inhibitors:

Of course just as is the case with most prescription drugs, there are potential side effects. Some of the common side effects include fatigue, joint and muscle pain, as well as hot flashes and night sweats. There are also other less common side effects one might experience.

How About Using Natural Aromatase Inhibitors?

There are also natural aromatase inhibitors, and I’ve had some people ask me as to whether these are effective in preventing estrogen dominance from occurring. Natural aromatase inhibitors can be effective, but it depends on the situation. For example, if someone is addressing a low testosterone condition by giving small amounts of bioidentical hormones, then a natural aromatase inhibitor can prevent the conversion from happening. Of course if one is taking a small amount of testosterone then one shouldn’t need to worry about excessive conversion to estradiol.

Some natural aromatase inhibitors are more effective than others. For example, flaxseed oil is an effective aromatase inhibitor due to the high concentration of lignans. Flavinoids can also be effective, along with pumpkin seed extract. In fact, when I attended a seminar by Dr. David Brownstein, who uses bioidentical hormones a great deal in his practice, he stated that “Pumpkin seed extract has been shown to reduce aromatase by 50%”. He also mentioned how pycnogenols have been effective at blocking estradiol production.

So hopefully you have a better understanding of how aromatase inhibitors work, and realize that while they might be necessary at times, the overall goal should be to get to the cause of the problem so they won’t be needed.  And if it is necessary to take an aromatase inhibitor, then you might want to consider some of the natural options I discussed in this post.