Hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone resistance are under-
diagnosed conditions that affect millions of Americans and
significantly contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease
and cancer. The reason for under-diagnosis is twofold: first
patients believe that their symptoms are a normal part of aging
and second, physicians who take the time to investigate the
thyroid are misled into believing that if the TSH and other lab
values are normal, then function of thyroid hormones is normal.
Physicians are further persuaded by advertising campaigns that
Synthroid is the best treatment of low thyroid when in fact it
is probably the least effective method of treatment. This paper
will discuss the physiology of thyroid hormones, diagnosis of
hypothyroidism and thyroid resistance, and the drug, nutritional
and lifestyle strategies that may be employed to improve
function. What are the thyroid hormones and how are they
produced? The thyroid gland is composed of bundles of follicles
enclosed in fibrous capsules. The foll