Who really would benefit from thyroid administration? Does anyone really know ?

My professor told us that some go through life half awake with low normal thyroid function and other go through life loaded with energy and wide awake with high normal thyroid function. Which would YOU rather have?

This research could prove very valuable to obese children if it helps some of us prescribe thyroid to obese children if they fit the criteria of Mark Starr MD for Hypothyroidism type 2. Note, 73 out of 186 children showed abnormalities on thyroid ultrasound compatible with thyroiditis but without finding the thyroid antibodies during the three years of the study. Will they develop those antibodies over time?

This concept that obesity itself alters thyroid function opens the strong possibility in my mind that treating these children as probable hypothyroidism type two, as described in the important book with that title by Mark Starr MD, could have significant benefits with virtually no risk to the child if you follow his recommendations of starting very low, even 1/8 grain and watch the pulse and body temperature. Of course, we can anticipate criticism from your peers so follow the details of Dr Starr’s program carefully, as he has really pulled all the research together about thyroid hormone administration.

This research suggests to me that the benefits of prescribing thyroid exceed any risks; in fact, my own research into this subject has convinced me that when in doubt, it is best to err on the side of prescribing thyroid. This is because taking thyroid when it is not needed has been shown to do no long term harm, even for 10 years, even at aggressive dosages, because even if it was not needed, thyroid function comes back without fail in a short time in everyone evaluated. This has been studied at Scripps Institute because at one time Bariatric physicians would treat patients with as much as 10 or more grains of thyroid for years and some would be evaluated at Scripps and when taken off thyroid all function quickly went back to normal.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
http://www.gordonresearch.com

From: INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL-CONSULTING

Pediatric Obesity May Alter Thyroid Function And Structure

ScienceDaily (Dec. 4, 2008) — In addition to its strong associations with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, pediatric obesity may induce alterations in thyroid function and structure, according to a new study.

Thyroid hormones drive metabolism, however demonstration of a direct or strong correlation of obesity with deficient thyroid function has been controversial, and previous studies provide conflicting conclusions. While some studies have found that thyroid disorders may lead to obesity, this recent study shows that in some cases, it is the obesity that may cause the disorder.

"Our study shows that alterations in thyroid function and structure are common in obese children and we may have uncovered the link," said Giorgio Radetti, M.D., of the Regional Hospital of Bolzano in Italy and lead author of the study. "We found an association between body mass index and thyroid hormone levels which suggests that fat excess may have a role in thyroid tissue modification."

This study evaluated 186 overweight and obese children over a period of nearly three years. Researchers measured subjects' thyroid hormone levels and thyroid antibodies and also performed a thyroid ultrasound.

The presence of thyroid antibodies would suggest a diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid where T-cells attack the cells of the thyroid. In this study, 73 children did not show these antibodies, yet their ultrasound pattern was still suggestive of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

"The ultrasound findings are a bit mysterious," said Dr. Radetti. "However, the findings do suggest the existence of a low-grade inflammation state, which has been known to characterize obesity."

Thyroid function has been shown to return to normal after weight loss, said Dr Radetti, raising the question of the potential reversibility of thyroid abnormalities shown on an ultrasound. However, researchers still do not know whether the persistence of thyroid abnormalities in obese children may also progress into chronic thyroid disease in early adulthood. Dr. Radetti says more studies are needed to answer these questions.
Other researchers working on the study include Wolfgang Kleon, Lucia Pappalardo, and Claudio Crivellaro of the Regional Hospital of Bolzano in Italy, Fabio Buzi of the University of Brescia in Italy, and Natascia di Iorgi and Mohamad Maghnie of the University of Genova in Italy.
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Journal reference:
1. . Thyroid Function and Structure are Affected in Childhood Obesity,. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, December 2008