Hypothyroidism (symptoms of low thyroid function, from a variety of causes and mechanisms) is more common than is typically diagnosed. It is possible to have some laboratory values be returned in the normal range when you have low thyroid symptoms. Oral temperatures during the day of less than 98.0 degrees F (36.7 C) are very suspicious.
When hypothyroidism is diagnosed, most doctors will prescribe thyroid medication and many use Synthroid (T4). However, a recent blinded study demonstrated that T4 and T3 in combination produced greater benefits than T4 alone, especially in the area of mental functioning.
There is a variation of hypothyroidism called Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome (WTS), named after E. Denis Wilson, MD. Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome is also known as Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction or MED. Dr. Wilson reports that when a body is under stress, such as illness, fasting, cortisol from stress, T4 (thyroxin – a thyroid hormone) is converted to Reverse T3 instead of T3 (triiodothyronine – the primary hormone that regulates the metabolic rate). As the T3 hormone levels in the blood drop to low levels, the patient’s body temperature can subsequently drop below normal. When the body temperature decreases so does the function of important enzymes, as their activity is determined by temperature.
Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome is a state of chronic low body temperature. It may be genetic, or triggered by stress or inactivity, as well as diet, selenium or zinc deficiency, heavy metals and starvation. It seems to be part of the body’s way to conserve fuel. WTS occurs when someone drops into this ‘conservation’ mode and is not able to later recover back to the normal ‘productive’ mode of functioning. An interesting side note is that Dr. Fahrenheit considered normal body temperature to be 100F. Some say the present average temperature is 98.2, and may be as much as 1 1/2 degrees lower than it was 150 years ago. A common time of death is in the very early morning, when the body temperature is at its lowest. Further information about Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome (WTS) is available at his website.
The difficulty arises when these low metabolism conditions continue for too long, various repair functions are deferred too long, and the body begins to show signs and symptoms. For every degree of body temperature lost, biochemists say the loss in efficiency of enzymatic processes can be up to 20%. Chronic low body temperature is related to many syndromes and symptoms, including: allergies, apathy, chronic fatigue, “brain fog”, “personal failure”, depression, dizziness, hypoglycemia, lethargy, passive/aggressive syndromes, skin and joint conditions, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction, past sexual abuse, yeast problems, porphyria, and many other poorly defined chronic low health states. Obviously, not all chronic problems are related to chronic low body temperature; but it would be prudent to measure one’s body temperature from time to time to see if this is a possibility.
Hypopituitarism (low functioning pituitary) and hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid) can both result in deficient production of T4, which is the raw material the body uses to produce the active thyroid hormone T3. Your doctor should be able to help determine which medications are best for you. Dr. Wilson’s treatment plan is now called the WT3 Protocol.
This page gives further detail on the conversion of T4 to T3 and reverse T3, but casts doubt on whether reverse T3 is really an issue.
One way to test yourself is to take your oral temperature at 10 random times throughout the day: if the average is less than 98.0, you are hypometabolic (this means your metabolic rate has dropped below normal, though thyroid blood tests do not reveal a problem). However, there are many possible causes of hypometabolism, including Wilson’s Syndrome; others include fasting, Alzheimer’s Disease and meditation.
Read more at Suite101: Reverse-T3 Syndrome – Is It Real?: Doctors Doubt the Existence of Reverse-T3 Dominance | Suite101.com http://suite101.com/article/is-wilsons-syndrome-real-a121932#ixzz1xRhuR2zX
The treatment of choice preferred by conventional doctors is T4 (Synthroid) because of its long half-life in the body (which helps provide steady T3 levels), once-a-day administration, and usefulness in the treatment of such cases. Patients with hypopituitarism and hypothyroidism may, however, suffer with Wilson’s Syndrome at the same time. In such cases, T4 therapy may not be adequate because impaired conversion of the T4 to the active compound T3 may prevent sufficient normalization of body temperature patterns, and, in some cases, can even feed the vicious cycle of Wilson’s Syndrome. The simultaneous use of T4 with T3 may be the best approach for hypothyroidism, especially if Wilson’s Syndrome is suspected. Many doctors prefer using the standard T4/T3 combination found in desiccated thyroid products such as Armour thyroid and other generic brands. Additional adjustments in the T4/T3 ratio can be made to meet the needs of individual patients. Apart from their T3 content, glandular preparations like Armour also contain T1 and T2 which may have some function, as yet undiscovered, contributing to benefits seen when using these preparations compared to T4 use alone.
Thyroid hormone resistance is a controversial issue. Many researchers claim it is a rare genetic disorder, while others say it significant problem affecting a large percentage of patients. Thyroid hormone resistance refers to the body producing adequate amounts of thyroid hormone, but being unable to use the thyroid hormone, similar to insulin resistance. This occurs because the receptors where thyroid hormone is supposed to bind in the body are not working correctly. Receptors can malfunction from having vitamin and mineral deficits and heavy metal toxicities. Excess trans fatty acids can also cause a malfunction of these receptors. The production of autoimmune antibodies may block thyroid receptors from properly responding to thyroid hormone also. If thyroid hormone resistance is present, blood tests will indicate normal thyroid functioning, but the patient will have many signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. The treatment for thyroid hormone resistance involves treating the underlying cause and sometimes using thyroid hormone.
Recognition and proper daily treatment of low thyroid function using thyroid hormone replacement therapy will result in resolution of deficiency symptoms usually beginning within the first month of therapy and reaching a maximum at 6-12 months of treatment.