Re: Online supplements/some encouragement/T4

[Guest guest]

Thanks for explaining about T4 "nlog". Was wondering if I should be concerned about it dropping. I'm not on a low fat diet, I use ev olive and unrefined coconut oils, I've actually been on Dr. Rosedale's diet (good protein, good fats, no sugar or grains), but have been having trouble with the "no sugar" part lately! ) I'm taking all the companion supplements, plus a few extra.

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Posted by: "nlog10" nlog10@... nlog10

Wed Mar 9, 2011 12:04 am (PST)

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?