Do you struggle with elevated cholesterol levels, even though your diet is good and you exercise? If you still mysteriously have high cholesterol, believe it or not, you may want to check your body temperature! Is it below 98? It’s possible you may have low thyroid hormone function that is contributing to your high cholesterol. Sometimes correcting temperature and thyroid function can help normalize cholesterol levels.
Here’s how it works. Low thyroid function is associated with a reduction in the number and activity of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) receptor sites on liver cells. Receptor sites are “docking stations” that allow cells to remove LDL from the bloodstream. When receptor sites are slacking, LDL accumulates in the bloodstream, and can deposit on blood vessel walls.
You can have low thyroid hormone function without even knowing it. The normal screening test for hypothyroidism, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) may be within a “normal” range. You may even be taking thyroid replacement hormone (T4, also called Synthroid or levothyroxine). But you can still have low thyroid hormone function, because your body may not be converting T4 (the inactive form of thyroid hormone) to T3 (the active form).
There are a few possible reasons for poor conversion.
One of the primary places that this conversion happens is the liver. Some people have a genetic problem with this. Others may be low in certain nutrients, like iodine and selenium, which are necessary for T4 to T3 conversion. Even losing weight can slow this conversion!
When you have low body temperature despite normal TSH levels, it’s a condition called
Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome. The trick is to correct your body temperature. One way to do this is to take supplemental thyroid hormone in the form of T3 (not Synthroid). For this, you
will need a doctor’s prescription. Often, taking T3 for a few months clears
metabolic pathways well enough that your own body can take over and carry on normally on its own. No more thyroid medication! Once that is fixed, you may find your LDL cholesterol lowers.
You can also take supplements that help support normal cholesterol levels.
If you think you might benefit from these therapies, share this article with
your doctor, who can call us at 800.420.5801 to get more information about how
to use T3, and to discuss your individual case. You can also use our website to
find the health care practitioner closest to you who is trained in T3 treatment.
REFERENCES
Agnihothri RV, Courville AB, Linderman JD, et al. Moderate weight loss is sufficient to affect thyroid hormone homeostasis and inhibit its peripheral conversion. Thyroid. 2013 Jul 31.
Bar SL, Holmes DT, Frohlich J. Asymptomatic hypothyroidism and statin-induced myopathy. Can Fam Physician. 2007 Mar;53(3):428-31.
Berta E, Harangi M, Zsíros N, et. al. Effect of thyroid hormone status and concomitant medication on statin induced adverse effects in hyperlipidemic patients. Pharmazie. 2014 Jun;69(6):420-3.
Celi FS, Zemskova M, Linderman JD, et al. Metabolic effects of liothyronine therapy in hypothyroidism: a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial of liothyronine versus levothyroxine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Nov; 96(11):3466-74.
Duntas LH, Brenta G. The effect of thyroid disorders on lipid levels and metabolism. Med Clin North Am. 2012 Mar;96(2):269-81.
2012 Feb 14.
Kiernan TJ, Rochford M, McDermott JH. Simvastatin induced rhabdomyolysis and an important clinical link with hypothyroidism. Int J Cardiol. 2007 Jul 31;119(3):374-6.
I have found a doctor in Kissimmee Fl. that has me on the thyroid px and my and Adrenal px 2 tablets a day, and Cardiac px but my temperature still is pretty constant at 97.5, a few times it’s been as high as 97,7 or 8 but that’s not often. I’ve had low temp. for years. I’m now 78. I have Lupus, have gained a lot of weight. ( All of my life I was thin.) I’ve lost a lot of hair, and my nails are very thin and brittle. My energy level is very low. I am at wits end as to what to do. Increasing the thyroid from one to 2 tablets with the px and he increased the adrenal med. hasn’t made a difference. I’ve followed you for years, since the first homeopathic Dr. diagnosed Wilson’s syndrome. And I took your thyroid, until I found this Dr. Do you have any suggestions as to what I should do? I sure could use some help. Thank you. Jerryanne Cameron.
Hi Jerryanne,
Dr. Wilson is traveling until next week, so he will try to respond when he returns. Keep in mind he can’t give medical advice over the internet unfortunately.
I’m happy to see you found a doctor you knows about WTS!