Naturopathic Thyroid Treatment

The thyroid sits in the front of the neck, next to the trachea. Hormones released by this gland control nearly all aspects of metabolism and the function of most organs. Naturopathic thyroid treatment focuses on improving the body's own healing ability through a combination of modern science and traditional, natural medicine.

Significance

• The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) estimates that more than 27 million Americans have overactive or under-active thyroid glands. That number represents approximately 10 percent of Americans with the majority being female.

  Women suffer from low thyroid function (hypothyroidism), normally in the perimenopausal (the 5 to 15 years before menopause) and post-menopausal years. Those with an overly-active thyroid (hyperthyroidism) account for only a fraction of that number. The approach of traditional medicine is to attempt to treat the thyroid exclusively. Naturopathic treatment strives for a more holistic approach with the understanding that the thyroid is affected by many other bodily and emotional issues.

Natural Approach

• Naturopathic practitioners point to poor nutrition and stress as two of the primary causes of thyroid dysfunction. "Poor nutrition is probably the origin of many thyroid problems (including low thyroid), and rich nutrition is vital to reversing them, or at least to prevent further decline," according to Marcelle Pick, an OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner and founder of the Women to Women Health Clinic in Maine. "Healthy thyroid function depends on a range of nutrients, especially selenium, folic acid and iodine." Most patients will be unable to increase these nutrients through diet alone, so medical-grade supplements are a crucial addition.

Test Options

• Some physicians use only one lab test for diagnosis; thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH.) This is the most common method to detect hypothyroidism, perhaps because it's the most inexpensive and covered by most insurance plans, but simply having normal TSH levels does not rule out the possibility of a low-functioning thyroid. Other tests exist that offer a better view of a potential thyroid problem. These additional options should be discussed with a doctor.

Natural Medicines

• Synthroid is the most common medication prescribed to treat a low-functioning thyroid but naturopathic practitioners prefer other options. "Physicians with experience in successfully treating thyroid disease will also utilize other alternatives such as natural compounded T3/T4 hormone, Nature-throid, or Armour thyroid," says William Nelson, a naturopathic medical doctor specializing in thyroid disease. "Natural supplements such as l-tyrosine, iodine, bladderwack (sea weed), natural progesterone, adrenal and thyroid glandulars can also stimulate thyroid function."

Thyroid Nodules

• Thyroid nodules can be either solid or filled with fluid and usually are discovered during a routine physical exam. Nodules grow as the body produces antibodies that attack the thyroid, affecting the function of the gland. It is sometimes necessary to take thyroid hormones. Fortunately, only around 5 percent of nodules are cancerous (malignant). One of the most common causes of a thyroid nodule is Hashimoto's disease.

Hashimoto's Disease

• Physicians schooled in naturopathy attempt to slow the progression of this disease by treating the underlying cause which may include a history of using oral contraceptives, food allergies, gastrointestinal infections and heavy metal toxins in the body. The goal is to bring the level of antibodies to a normal state and Hashimoto's disease into remission. Otherwise, thyroid nodules may continue to grow with the possibility of some becoming malignant.