| Another study has found the significance of low vitamin D levels associated with heart disease. The latest research, from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism from January 2012, evaluated coronary stenosis in older adults, and categorized them by vitamin D levels. Those with moderately low vitamin D levels (between 15-29.9 ng/ml) had twice the incidence of coronary stenosis as those with normal levels (above 30 ng/ml), while those with very low levels of vitamin D (less than 15 ng/ml) had greater than 3 times the risk of stenosis. Vitamin D deficiency may be due to lifestyle factors such as poor diet and inadequate sun exposure. This may have serious consequences as vitamin D has been shown to be linked to many chronic diseases. Although the incidence of vitamin D deficiency is increasing, ways to measure and treat low levels are relatively simple. |
Vitamin D as it Relates to Heart Disease
A Recent Study on Thyroid Disease
| Thyroid function is typically assessed initially using TSH levels. The thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is secreted by the pituitary gland in response to decreasing thyroid hormone levels in the body. With autoimmune destruction of the thyroid, secretion of TSH increases in response to low circulating levels of the thyroid hormone. In the early stages of disease, TSH levels may still be in the normal reference range. Researchers from Norway, as published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, January 2012 edition, have found that high levels of TSH (still within the reference range) have been associated with the risk of future hypothyroidism. The risk increases gradually as TSH increases to the upper end of the reference range. These high normal TSH levels may be a marker for mild hypothyroidism. The risk is especially high in people with elevated thyroid antibody levels, signaling that there is ongoing destruction of thyroid tissue. It has been suggested by many that the upper limit of the reference range should be lowered in order to detect more cases of undiagnosed hypothyroidism, as many people are suffering from thyroid disease, but not given the appropriate treatment they need. |
Tune in to Sirius Radio on February 9 at 10am EST to catch Dr. Gorn LIVE!
Don’t miss your chance to learn from an expert! Dr. Lisa Gorn shares her experience and knowledge about the mysterious thyroid gland and the impact it has on nearly every function in your body. Tune in on Thursday, February 9 to Sirius XM Channel 81 at 10am EST to hear some vital information that could seriously affect your health.
Benefits of thyroid hormone replacement with T3, contained in Armour Thyroid, versus T4 replacement, such as Synthroid
Hypothyroidism has been treated with porcine thyroid hormone replacement since 1891. Porcine thyroid, also known under such brand names as Armour Thyroid, and Naturethroid, contains both active (T3) and inactive (T4) thyroid hormone. Since the 1930s, however, porcine thyroid became replaced with levothyroxine, or T4, alone, also known under the brand name Synthroid. Therapy with Levothyroxine has become the standard of care, with the notion that the body can adequately convert T4 into the active T3 throughout the body.
However, data with rodents has shown that treatment with T4 does not achieve adequate levels of T3 in all tissues. There is also data showing that some patients treated with T4 alone still experience symptoms consistent with hypothyroidism despite their laboratory testing indicating that they have adequate levels of thyroid hormone present.
Clinical trials using a combination of T3 and T4 show that those patients had an improved quality of life and less depression compared to those patients on T4 therapy alone.
A recent study published in the leading endocrinology journal, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, and completed at the National Institutes of Health, looked at the efficacy of treatment with T3 versus T4. This study showed that although both treatments led to a normalization of laboratory values, treatment with T3 resulted in significant weight loss and a decrease in cholesterol. This study shows that the use of T3 may be extremely important, especially in patients with hypothyroidism who are also suffering from other conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol, where weight lowering and control of cholesterol may be especially important.
This study lends more support to the notion that therapy with T3 in addition to the usual standard of care treatment with T4, is much needed and should become routine. Replacement therapy with both T3 and T4 are available in porcine thyroid replacement therapy such as Armour thyroid, or in the non-porcine T3-T4 combination products.Hypothyroidism has been treated with porcine thyroid hormone replacement since 1891. Porcine thyroid, also known under such brand names as Armour Thyroid, and Naturethroid, contains both active (T3), and inactive (T4) thyroid hormone.
Normal thyroid function is essential for normal fetal development
A new study just published in the October 2011 edition of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that any level of thyroid dysfunction in early pregnancy, from mild to severe, can lead to loss of the pregnancy, malformations, decreased vision development, and problems with neurological development, to name a few. This study was done in China, where women with abnormal thyroid function are usually not appropriately treated.
All over the world, many women with mild hypothyroidism are also not appropriately treated, and this study confirms previous findings about the importance of optimizing thyroid function in pregnancy. This study found that pregnant women with mild hypothyroidism who were untreated had almost 10 times the increased risk for circulatory system malformations, as well as early delivery, and small size. There was a 12 times increased risk for loss of the pregnancy in the hypothyroid women.
This data lends increasing support to the argument that routine maternal screening and treatment for thyroid dysfunction is essential to improve pregnancy outcomes.
Higher testosterone levels in elderly men found to be correlated with less risk of heart disease
More and more data is being published correlating higher testosterone levels in men with a lower risk of heart disease. A new study in the prestigious Journal of the American College of Cardiology looked at 2400 elderly men, and found that those with testosterone levels in the highest quartile had a 30 per cent decreased risk of cardiovascular events over 5 years, compared with men in the lower 3 quartiles. These men were less likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke. We have known for a relatively long period of time that lower testosterone levels in men are related to several chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome. It is important for men to consider having their testosterone levels checked as they get older, especially if they have any of these disease states.
Low B12 is a risk factor for poor memory
Another new study, published in the journal Neurology, showed that low vitamin B12 is a risk factor for brain atrophy and cognitive impairment. This study also found that routine markers of vitamin B12 status, such as a serum vitamin B12 level, were not good measurements of B12 levels in the body. Special testing of B12 utilizing B12 markers or metabolites, such as methylmalonic acid and homocysteine, more closely reflect B12 levels in the body. Several of the B12 markers were associated with cognitive impairment. Higher levels of methylmalonic acid, reflecting lower B12 levels, were associated with poorer memory.
Physicians need to place more emphasis on the importance of B12 for brain health. Also, levels should not be measured with just a serum level, but with levels of their metabolites or markers.
Bioidentical estrogen improves memory in postmenopausal women
A recent study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that women taking bioidentical estrogen had a significant improvement in memory, compared to women receiving synthetic hormones. Recent research has shown that synthetic estrogen is harmful to brain function, especially in women at risk for dementia. This study looked at women at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, and compared 2 groups: 1 group taking synthetic hormones and the other group on bioidentical therapy. The women on synthetic hormone replacement showed worse verbal memory performance, while the bioidentical hormone replacement group showed better memory, attention, and processing. These findings support the notion that natural estrogen is important for cognition and can protect against neurodegeneration. This is a concept that physicians working with bioidentical hormones have been aware of for many years, and more data is continuing to support this.
