Allergies Aggravated by Low Body Temperature

Allergies are an immune response, not to an infection, but to something irritating to your body nonetheless. You can be allergic to just about anything — pollen, animal dander, fungi and mold, dust and microscopic dust mites, even environmental chemicals. You may never figure out what all is causing your allergies. In fact, it could be an overwhelming combination of things.  And you literally can’t shake it off.

Research shows that a disordered immune response is associated with low thyroid function. Autoimmune disorders are common–where the body attacks itself. Allergies and infections are more common, too. Low thyroid function leads to lower metabolism, and lower body temperature.

Lower body temperature slows down your body’s biochemical processes, and that can make allergies worse. It can heighten the response of cells that release symptom-causing histamine and other biochemicals.  It can cause congestion and fluid retention. It makes your immune system less adaptive to environmental changes.

It’s easy to find out if you have low metabolism due to low body temperature. Just take your temperature. (For complete instructions on how to take your body temperature accurately, see “How are body temperatures measured”.) If it is consistently below 97.8 F (36.56 C) chances are good you have slow metabolism.  (If it is consistently low despite having normal thyroid tests, you have a condition called Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome.)

Many people with Wilson’s Temperature syndrome complain of hives, asthma, runny nose and congestion, and dermatographia.  Dermatograhia is where a person can scrape their skin with a fingernail and “write” words that show up as a raised line that shows up against a red background.  These symptoms can resolve with normalization of body temperature.

Low metabolism is often caused by low levels of T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Some people have trouble converting T4 to T3, a problem many doctors simply don’t recognize and that the standard thyroid test, TSH, can’t pick up. People with Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome often feel better and find their allergy symptoms subside when they normalize their body temperatures with T3, the active form of thyroid hormone.

You can discuss taking a course of T3 (active thyroid hormone) with your doctor.   Your doctor can call us at 800.420.5801800.420.5801 to get more information about how to use T3 and to discuss your individual case.  The object of T3 therapy is to normalize your oral body temperatures to average 98.6 F. (37 C.) during treatment.

Proper nutrition can also help allergic symptoms. Important nutrients include selenium, a potent antioxidant that interacts with your thyroid. Vitamins C, D and A, magnesium, and B vitamins are also important.

 

REFERENCES

Hodkinson CF, Simpson EA, Beattie JH, et al.  Preliminary evidence of immune function modulation by thyroid hormones in healthy men and women aged 55–70 years. J Endocrinol  (2009) 202, 55–63.

Ruggeri RM, Imbesi S, Saitta S, et al. Chronic idiopathic urticaria and Graves’ disease. J Endocrinol Invest. 2013 Jul-Aug;36(7):531-6.

Stevenson TJ, Onishi KG, Bradley SP, et al. Cell-autonomous iodothyronine deiodinase expression mediates seasonal plasticity in immune function. Brain Behav Immun. 2014 Feb;36:61-70.