Re: Online supplements/some encouragement

March 8, 2011

I've been getting my iodoral from www.pureformulas.com It is currently 28.50 for a bottle of 180 tabs, the 12.5mg dose. They have free shipping too. I am able to purchase other supplements that my doc wants me to use, such as those from RLC labs, Labs, Vital Nutrients, etc. there also. For most everything else I go to Vitacost.

Some encouragement for newbies: Someone asked a little while ago for positive stories about iodine usage. I have Hashimoto's, adrenal fatigue, very low ferritin. I started in earnest with iodine on December 31st, working my way up to 50mg by February 14th. I may go higher with the iodine, but for now I'm at 50mgs. The last time I had my bloodwork done was in November. My Ferritin was 20 then (originally started at 4), but last week it was 34. Yeah! I am taking iron, but I've been taking iron since July last year...I think the iodine is making the difference. My free T3 came up from 2.7 (Nov) to 3.1. My free T4 actually went down from 1.21 to .97 - not sure why. My TSH went up from 1.533 to 3.182 - this was expected per Dr. Brownstein's book. Anyone know why my T4 went down?

I am seeing a big difference in the profound fatigue I was experiencing - my energy levels are very much improved! Not where I want to be, but better, much better. I am also sleeping through the night - whew!

I have been on a couple of other , and I have been very impressed with the moderators of this group. I try to keep up with the reading, and I understand that you can't address every concern - but it seems to me that you answer a much higher percentage of members' concerns than other groups I've been on. I really appreciate all the information you share. It has been very helpful to me. It's difficult to take all this info in, but as someone else said, you just keep reading and re-reading and eventually it starts to sink in.

Thank you so much,

a

March 8, 2011

I'm taking zinc, and I'm getting tyrosine in a thyroid support formula. If I'm using my T4 stores, what's the next step to correct it? Should I be on Armour?

a

"Why did your T4 go down? This is the way I understand it. T4 is the inactive form of thyroid hormone (the reserve, so to speak) which reacts with selenium as your body needs the active form, T3. Essentially your store thyroid hormone as T4 until you need to use it as T3. I would guess that your body needs more of the active form right now so it is depleting the T4 supply. Your thyroid gland makes thyroid hormone from iodine and the amino acid, tyrosine. I have read that zinc is also involved in the process, so I take a tyrosine supplement, and zinc, both as an individual supplement and in a calcium, magnesium, zinc tablet."

> Some encouragement for newbies: Someone asked a little while ago for positive stories about iodine usage. I have Hashimoto's, adrenal fatigue, very low ferritin. I started in earnest with iodine on December 31st, working my way up to 50mg by February 14th. I may go higher with the iodine, but for now I'm at 50mgs. The last time I had my bloodwork done was in November. My Ferritin was 20 then (originally started at 4), but last week it was 34. Yeah! I am taking iron, but I've been taking iron since July last year...I think the iodine is making the difference. My free T3 came up from 2.7 (Nov) to 3.1. My free T4 actually went down from 1.21 to .97 - not sure why. My TSH went up from 1.533 to 3.182 - this was expected per Dr. Brownstein's book. Anyone know why my T4 went down?

March 9, 2011

I think the reference range for free T4 is .7 - 1.9, so you are within that

range. It sounds like you are giving your thyroid all the support it needs, so

it may just be a matter of more time to bring up your free T4, if it even needs

to be brought up higher. I understand that current free T4 immunoassays are

merely estimate tests, and do not measure free T4 directly, so being nearer the

low end of the range would not bother me personally. The free T3 and T4 in your

body is a relatively small fraction of the total T3 and T4 you have in you. The

balance is bound with thyroxine binding globulin (hence not free) as it

circulates in your blood, and since your thyroid produces 20 times more T4 than

T3 you no doubt have a large reserve of T4.

Are you on a low fat diet? Contrary to conventional wisdom, I think a low fat

diet is a health killer. We need saturated fats and meat proteins, and only a

couple vegetable oils are healthful (olive and unrefined coconut oil). Usually

people on low fat diets are on high carb diets and usually these carbs are

refined.

I am not a medical professional so can't say if you need Armour, but if I were

in your shoes, I would not even consider it since you are within the normal

range for free T3 and T4 and you are feeling improved on your regimen.

>

> I'm taking zinc, and I'm getting tyrosine in a thyroid support formula. If

I'm using my T4 stores, what's the next step to correct it? Should I be on

Armour?

> a

>

> " Why did your T4 go down? This is the way I understand it. T4 is the inactive

form of thyroid hormone (the reserve, so to speak) which reacts with selenium as

your body needs the active form, T3. Essentially your store thyroid hormone as

T4 until you need to use it as T3. I would guess that your body needs more of

the active form right now so it is depleting the T4 supply.

>

> Your thyroid gland makes thyroid hormone from iodine and the amino acid,

tyrosine. I have read that zinc is also involved in the process, so I take a

tyrosine supplement, and zinc, both as an individual supplement and in a

calcium, magnesium, zinc tablet. "

>

> > Some encouragement for newbies: Someone asked a little while ago for

positive stories about iodine usage. I have Hashimoto's, adrenal fatigue, very

low ferritin. I started in earnest with iodine on December 31st, working my way

up to 50mg by February 14th. I may go higher with the iodine, but for now I'm at

50mgs. The last time I had my bloodwork done was in November. My Ferritin was 20

then (originally started at 4), but last week it was 34. Yeah! I am taking iron,

but I've been taking iron since July last year...I think the iodine is making

the difference. My free T3 came up from 2.7 (Nov) to 3.1. My free T4 actually

went down from 1.21 to .97 - not sure why. My TSH went up from 1.533 to 3.182 -

this was expected per Dr. Brownstein's book. Anyone know why my T4 went down?

>

March 9, 2011

If I recall past discussions correctly I believe I have read post that

thyroid numbers can fluctuate for 6 months or so when starting the iodine

procotol. I am thinking (but not positive) that this was said in the context

of free T3 & free T4 also, not just TSH.

Perhaps let how you are feeling be the most important guide rather than using

the criteria of tests results? There has also been some discussion and

compelling articles shared about the accuracy of lab results ~ so as incredibly

useful as they can be, serum labs at times can be misleading and/or just the

snapshot for that particular time & day, which may not reflect the overall

condition.

Dr. Rind's site has really good information about thyroid numbers and how they

relate to thyroid and adrenal state. Perhaps plug your numbers into his graph

to see what clues you might get there about the current numbers verses the

previous numbers and how that all correlates to how you feel.

Really great to hear your positive story after beginning the iodine protocol!

Look forward to future reports :-)