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What is Growth Hormone?

Growth hormone (GH) is made by the pituitary gland and is controlled in the bloodstream by various other hormones, many of which are produced in other parts of the brain, the GI and the pancreas. GH levels increase after exercise, after trauma, and even while we sleep. Levels vary throughout the day, so testing GH isn’t very useful because the pattern can be random, except in the evening, when levels are typically elevated.

As its name implies, growth hormone contributes to bone and muscle growth by increasing protein production. In fact, growth hormone deficiency, a rare condition occurring

Ketogenic diets are a popular trend for people seeking both health benefits and weight loss. A “keto diet” is high in fat and low in carbohydrates and sugar, which increases the body’s dependence on “ketones” from fat and decreases its dependence on carbohydrates. Ketogenic diets have been used medically to treat epilepsy and some types of cancer, but the concept is now becoming popular in the mainstream to be used for other purposes, including to enhance athletic performance. Diet trends are known to evolve over time, and before the keto trend, high carbohydrate diets were preferred for optimal athletic efficiency.

Researchers

Insulin resistance is defined as a decreased sensitivity of tissues to glucose delivery by insulin. Insulin acts on receptors of cells, including muscles, fat cells, liver cells, and other tissues, all of which rely on glucose for energy. When they are less sensitive, glucose remains in the blood instead of going into tissues, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance may be asymptomatic in the early stages but later can become type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol, obesity, and even hypertension.

Insulin resistance and hypothyroid

In a review paper, authors found that dysregulation of thyroid hormones can trigger insulin disturbances. One of

Subclinical hypothyroidism is defined as having a high TSH (the test which indicates low thyroid levels), accompanied by a normal thyroid hormone. Many consider it to signify the early stage of thyroid dysfunction, although it’s not widely accepted by conventional medicine. Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome (WTS) has similarities to subclinical hypothyroidism, but uses low body temperature as the primary sign; like WTS, there is controversy about using thyroid hormone to treat subclinical hypothyroidism.

It is important to identify cases of subclinical hypothyroidism, as it has been associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. A recent paper reviewed many studies which

Weight loss is a significant problem in the US, as one third of Americans are overweight and one third are considered obese, based on current guidelines related to BMI. Of course this epidemic isn’t just limited to the US; it has become a worldwide trend which has been costly to healthcare systems. So far, there are no magic pills for weight loss and the problem increases every decade.

Weight loss is never easy, but for some people it is extra challenging. We all know people who seem to struggle with their weight more than most, despite seeming to be doing everything right. For these people,

Hypothyroidism is defined as inadequate thyroid hormone production, leading to slow metabolism, and is diagnosed by a lab test showing high thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level. Standard treatment is lifetime thyroid hormone medication. But it’s not unusual for a patient to have all the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue, weight gain, low body temperature, and depression, yet have a normal TSH.  The reason for this is that the TSH doesn’t measure metabolic rate, so it’s easy for people to have slow metabolisms even though their thyroid hormone production is normal.  On the other hand, body temperature is a direct measure

Iodine is a crucial trace mineral the body uses for the production of thyroid hormone, and without enough of it, a person can become hypothyroid. Most Americans don’t get a lot of iodine in their diet, in part because it’s present in foods we rarely consume, such as seaweed and fish. But we can get enough iodine in the daily diet by using iodized salt and by taking dietary supplements. Often, people choose to take high doses of iodine to support healthy thyroid function. However, we encourage people to take selenium when they take iodine.  

It’s important

As scientists more deeply explore the gastrointestinal environment, otherwise known as the microbiome, they are gaining awareness that it is connected to many other bodily functions. Through their research, we’re learning that the state of the microbiome influences not only digestive function, but also the brain and cognitive function, neurotransmitters, the immune system, and possibly thyroid function. When the microbiome is lacking healthy bacteria in balanced proportions, due to damage from toxins, medication use or poor diet, inflammation ensues. Over time, that inflammation becomes systemic and can affect all the other systems of the body which the gut is connected

It’s not uncommon for a person to experience hypothyroid symptoms and be told by their doctor that all their lab tests are “normal” and that it can’t be a thyroid problem. It’s frustrating for both the physician and the patient, who just wants to feel better. So what is the solution? It may simply be a matter of understanding deiodinases and looking for treatments to help them work better.

What’s a deiodinase?

Deiodinase is a category of enzymes which support conversion of inactive T4 thyroid hormone to the active form T3 in the body. The enzyme activates the hormone by removing iodine

When weight loss is a goal, the focus should be on boosting metabolism in order speed weight loss. Metabolism is the rate at which your body uses energy, or ATP. When it is slow, it causes bodily functions to slow down, so as you can imagine, the associated symptoms of a slow metabolism are fatigue, depression, feeling cold, and being sluggish. A slow metabolism represents bodily functions being in conservation mode, making it very difficult to lose weight.

There are many factors which can slow metabolism, including lack of sleep, nutrient deficiencies, sedentary lifestyle and dehydration. Another major factor