Heart Disease Adrenalin and its synthetic drug mimics, such as the inhalers used in asthma are toxic when used or produced continuously in response to the stress of hypothyroidism and endurance exercise. Excess adrenalin is cardiotoxic because it damages heart mitochondria (Voino-Yasenetskaya; Meerson). Peat suggests that this is due to abnormally rapid mobilization and oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids leading to peroxidation, aggravated by inadequate antioxidant protection. Barnes has many years of research on the cardioprotective effects of thyroid therapy on his diabetic patients, who normally have an increased risk to heart disease. This led him to conclude that the cardiovascular complications of diabetes are due to low thyroid function, not insulin. Cancer Barnes also concluded that cancer risk increases in hypothyroid patients, both male and female. This is directly related to increased production of estrogen and decreased production of the primary anti-aging steroids from cholesterol : pregnenolone, progesterone and DHEA, a thyroid-dependent reaction. Blood Pressure Problems Poor Circulation, Edema The hypothyroid person can have high or low blood pressure, depending on organ effects. If the adrenals are overly active, high blood pressure can result. But as the adrenals become exhausted, the blood pressure will drop below normal. Thyroid hormone will increase circulation and cause a transient increase in blood pressure, but its long-term effect is to improve circulation, lower blood pressure to normal and increase blood glucose to normal. The immediate effect of thyroid hormone is due to a combination of the effects of thyroid hormone in the presence of excess adrenalin. In the presence of thyroid, tissue response to adrenalin is increased. This may result in an initial increase in pulse. This is why you should slowly increase the dose, while at the same time monitor your oral temperature and resting pulse. Hypothyroidism can involve hypoxia (low tissue oxygen) and edema. Patients often complain of cold hands or feet, that their hands and feet “go to sleep” easily, and of poor circulation. Edema is involved in carpal tunnel syndrome, in glaucoma, in which the jelly inside the eye swells and in Grave’s disease in which the muscles behind the eyes swell. All of these problems can be relieved by thyroid-dependent, anti-edema hormones, pregnenolone or progesterone and proper thyroid therapy to correct the imbalance. Specifically, Peat observed a reduction in ocular pressure following a dose of progesterone and the return to normal of the budging eyes in a Grave’s patient within 24 hours following pregnenolone administration. Colon Problems Constipation, Low Intestinal Tone Constipation is common among hypothyroid people, who have low intestinal tone. Thyroid therapy will increase intestinal tone until the colon unloads the excess feces. Until this happens, the patient will wake up with a stuffy nose and sometimes a headache. A hypothyroid person can get a similar response just by eating raw carrots, which stimulate the intestines, according to Peat. Depression and Emotional Problems Depression is a classic symptom of hypothyroidism. In women, this can lead to severe post-partum depression following childbirth. Depression and other mental and emotional symptoms are sometimes present without any other apparent physical problems. Barnes described a 30-year-old housewife and mother of three children whose post-partum depression was so severe following each birth that she was given electroshock therapy, anti-depressant drugs and was institutionalized on two occasions. When she first came to Barnes, she was “seriously depressed, apathetic, withdrawn, unable to sleep, unable to care for her children.” After six weeks on thyroid therapy, she showed some improvement. Within six months, she was entirely well. Energy-related problems Insomnia, Hyperactivity and Fatigue How can a hypothyroid person be tired, hyper and have insomnia all at the same time? These symptoms do co-exist in many hypothyroid people and may be remediated with thyroid therapy. Dr. Alan Gaby reported a study of 49 individuals who were diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Among these, 61% were diagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. In the April 1994 Townsend Letter for Doctors, Peat discusses insomnia and hyperactivity among hypothyroid people. He says that the use of stimulants such as Ritalin (methylphenidate), ephedra and ma huang to calm down hyperactive children can be explained as follows. “The frontal lobes of the brain, the most highly evolved part, give us the ability to plan and to understand complex things that require prolonged attention. Without this higher part of the brain, which has a very high energy requirement, people and animals become hyperactive and unable to concentrate.” When thyroid hormone is deficient, the nerves require abnormal stimulants to function or the body produces excess adrenalin to keep it going. “The result is that we get tired and tense at the same time.” Instead of using Ritalin, coffee or other stimulants to raise the energy level of the brain, it seems much more natural to correct the cause of the energy deficit - inadequate thyroid hormone. In the last 20 years, Peat reports almost complete relief of insomnia in hypothyroid patients when their thyroid function was corrected, sometimes with dietary changes alone but usually with supplemental thyroid. When energy production is slowed due to lack of thyroid hormone, muscles tend to tire or cramp easily and to swell after exercise. Like the brain, all muscles need to restore their energy in order to relax. Whether it’s leg cramps or brain fatigue, increasing the rate of energy production, makes relaxation (and sleep) possible. Weight Gain OR Loss Weight gain or inability to lose weight are common hypothyroid symptoms. But some hypothyroid people are underweight, so weight alone, is not a determining factor. In fact, most of the “weight” in the hypothyroid person is water, not fat. Because thyroid can help an anorexic, or sick person gain weight, Peat calls thyroid hormone an anti-catabolic hormone, one that opposes catabolism to normalize its balance with anabolism. Skin/Hair Problems Many skin problems are associated with or aggravated by inadequate thyroid function. The most common symptom is dry skin. Many but not all people who suffer from acne, eczema or psoriasis are relieved on thyroid therapy. Hair loss is common among hypothyroid people. This is especially common in women after childbearing and in women who diet frequently. Headaches Headaches can, of course, have many causes. Here, we emphasize the thyroid-headache connection. This includes not only migraines but also the more common tension headaches, which increase during times of stress and sleep deprivation. It is easy to tell if the headaches are related to low thyroid function. The patient will have a normal blood chemistry with the possible exception of high cholesterol and low white blood count, but will have a low resting pulse and low morning oral temperature. Immune-Deficiency and Frequent Infections Adequate thyroid hormone is required for proper immune system function. Anemia (a low white blood count) and resulting frequent infections are common in people who have low thyroid function. Symptoms of serious conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, mitral valve prolapse, and arthritis - which have other causes - are sometimes remediated with thyroid therapy. Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge of heavy metal poisoning, such as mercury and cadmium in MS victims is probably more widespread than knowledge of the relationship between MS and low thyroid function. Peat explains this as follows. Cells called oligodendrocytes are responsible for myelinating nerve fibers and are steroid-forming cells. Specifically, they produce pregnenolone. In MS, these oligodendrocytes appear to stop functioning. The clustering of oligodendrocytes around deteriorating nerve cells may be an attempt to provide pregnenolone to the injured cells, suggests Peat. Both pregnenolone and its endproduct hormone, progesterone protect against nerve damage by other substances such as the excitotoxic amino acids glutamate, aspartate and NutraSweet. Hypothyroidism may go unrecognized in patients with MS symptoms who aren’t fat or lethargic or severely disabled. According to Peat, thyroid therapy caused the MS symptoms to disappear in MS patients who had no other obvious problems, such as heavy metal poisoning. Peat tells the story of one of these patients who reported to her doctor that she felt perfectly healthy since taking thyroid. Her doctor told her to stop taking it, because MS patients need lots of rest and she would not get it living a normal active life! Recurring infections Hypothyroidism causes immune suppression and anemia. Therefore, it is not surprising that hypothyroid people are subject to recurrent infections. Barnes cites the following infections among hypothyroid patients: frequent colds, respiratory infections including bronchitis and pneumonia, chronic sore throats, sinusitis, recurrent otitis media or middle ear infection, tonsillitis, and recurrent bladder infections. In his day, tuberculosis and rheumatic fever were common and caused many premature deaths. Chronic fatigue syndrome, with its long list of viruses and other infections, is casually associated with low thyroid function. Mitral Valve Prolapse This is common in chronic hypothyroidism. Autopsy reveals the valve thickened into a jelly-like mass (Peat, Generative Energy, p. 110). Thyroid-deficient women with PMS have a premenstrual mitral valve heart murmur, which is not present at other times of the month. Thyroid therapy relieves both PMS and the mitral valve prolapse. “The jelly can be formed and removed fairly quickly.” Arthritis and joint pains Joint pains, often diagnosed as arthritis, may be caused by a sluggish thyroid. In thyroid deficient children, aching legs or calves, more noticeable after exercises, are often passed off as “growing pains.” This is a temporary exercise-induced hypothyroid edema of the leg muscles. In more severe cases, the cartilage in the joints swells, causing a characteristic knock-kneed appearance. Female Problems Female problems including infertility, miscarriage, fibrocystic breast disease, ovarian fibroids, cystic ovaries, endometriosis, PMS and menopausal symptoms are usually caused or aggravated by hypothyroidism coupled with estrogen dominance (estrogen unopposed by progesterone). This can occur even with a normal estrogen level if progesterone is low, or with normal progesterone if the estrogen is high. What is the thyroid-estrogen connection? Estrogen inhibits thyroid secretion. Progesterone stimulates it. Progesterone is made in the body from cholesterol IF there is adequate thyroid hormone and other nutrients including vitamin A and certain enzymes. So, a thyroid deficiency, whether caused by estrogen dominance (and its thyroid inhibiting effect) OR a sluggish thyroid gland itself, has far reaching consequences.