Published January 25, 2003 in the North Island Weekender
Jane came into the office complaining of fatigue and headaches. She was 40 years old, had returned from a two week holiday in Cuba one month before and had not felt right ever since. She had also experienced the odd hot flash but her periods were still regular. This is a very common scenario for this age group. Peri-menopause includes the 10 year period before the period actually stops and during this time, aside from the declining function of the ovary, women may also experience a decline in other organs such as the thyroid, the liver and the adrenal glands. In this article I want to talk about the thyroid. This small organ located in the middle of the neck consists of two lobes topped by the parathyroid glands. The thyroid is the master engine of the body. It regulates the metabolic rate of all the other organs.If the thryoid is functioning normally the body revs between 97.8-98.6 degrees. At a lower temperature it means the body is revving at a slower rate and therefore not generating optimal heat nor function. Sometimes people notice that their hands and feet are always cold or they might be generally more cold blooded than others they know. Other people don’t notice the temperature difference until they take their temperatures. I have people check their temperatures first thing in the morning before they move in bed with a digital thermometer one minute under the arm. If the average of 7 morning temperatures is below 97.6 I consider the underfunctioning thyroid (hypothryoid) as a possible cause.
Jane’s temperature was 96.3! She was surprised that even when she was having a hot flash the temperature did not come up much! I also evaluate two blood tests: TSH and T4. The TSH is the thyroid stimulating hormone secreted by the pituitary and T4 is one of the thyroid hormones made by the thyroid itself. The optimal value of the TSH is around 2 and the T4 is around 17-20. MD’s have a different range than this, so many of my patients have been told their thyroid is normal, when I disagree. Sometimes the blood work is within this normal range but the temperature is very low and the individual has other common symptoms of hypothyroidism such as fatigue, dry skin, hoarse voice, slow mental functions, constipation, elevated cholesterol and frequent infections. The physical exam and the organ testing machine that I use, also give me clues that point to hypothyroidsm.
Jane’s TSH was 4.5 and her T4 was 12. When the TSH is too high along with a low T4 this points to hypothyroidism. It turns out her sister also had a problem with her thyroid and was on medication for it. I recommended that Jane take a naturopathic thyroid remedy that jump starts the organ, for three months and then retest her TSH. I also recommended that she exercise more regularly. Exercise raises the body’s core temperature and assists the thyroid to do its job better. I had checked Jane’s ferritin for iron deficiency which was normal at 70. I also checked out her liver enzymes to make sure she hadn’t picked up a hepatitis while she was away. They were all within the low range of 18-20 which I like to see. I also recommended that she follow our two week detoxification program to clear out her intestines, liver and kidney.
Every month Jane took her temperature during her period and over the following three months the temperatures came up although slowly. Her energy returned to normal and she felt warmer. After three months the TSH and T4 reverted to normal and by supporting her liver and adrenal glands we were able to discontinue the thyroid treatment. Kelp and selenium are simple nutrients that support the thyroid. As Jane goes through peri-menopause she will not doubt go through more ups and downs, however by supporting her whole being, she is much better able to cope with the change in her body.
Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com