| Chronic Fatigue, tiredness, mood changes and weight | | | | Tests for thyroid function linked with chronic fatigue |
| gain can be caused by hormones. If your hormones | | | | If you are doing everything right and still felling unwell |
| are not 'in balance' then you can find yourself | | | | and suffering from chronic fatigue, there is definitely |
| experiencing symptoms such depression, headaches, | | | | something going on that needs to be addressed. |
| insomnia, chronic fatigue, weight gain and you may | | | | Perhaps you are suffering from hypothyroidism (an |
| struggle to lose weight naturally. Thyroid disease is one | | | | under-active thyroid) or sub-clinical hypothyroidism (you |
| of the most common hormonal disorders, after insulin | | | | have symptoms but the blood tests are normal). |
| resistance and diabetes. The majority of women with | | | | Let's assume you are overweight and think you have |
| thyroid imbalance have hypothyroidism (under-active | | | | hypothyroidism. You've been to the doctor with |
| thyroid). A small minority has hyperthyroidism | | | | complaints of weight gain, slow weight loss, chronic |
| (overactive thyroid). The problem is that symptoms of | | | | fatigue, cold hands and feet, and ‘brain fog'. The |
| low thyroid function are often mistaken for depression, | | | | doctor examines you and performs some blood tests, |
| signs of ageing, or are not identified as in the case with | | | | including thyroid tests, and all the tests come back |
| Carolyn, Bev and Val. Click Here to read their | | | | normal. However you are sure you must have an |
| journey with fatigue. | | | | under-active thyroid as you have all the symptoms, |
| Common thyroid Condition linked to chronic fatigue: | | | | including a low body temperature, but the doctor |
| - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | | | | decides to not prescribe any treatment. You go home, |
| - Hashimoto's Thyroiditis | | | | sentenced to a life of weight gain, chronic fatigue and |
| - Post partum Thyroiditis | | | | feeling plain unwell. This scenario is played out again |
| - Thyroid Nodules & Cysts | | | | and again until one day you finally fall below the |
| What does your thyroid do and how does it cause | | | | 'reference' ranges. |
| chronic fatigue? | | | | The Barnes temperature test for thyroid function and |
| Your thyroid - a small butterfly-shaped gland located in | | | | chronic fatigue |
| the front of your neck - controls the functioning of | | | | If you feel that your thyroid is sluggish and you think |
| every cell, organ and gland in your body. In addition, | | | | you may be hypothyroid, testing your thyroid is |
| your thyroid regulates these functions: | | | | important. You can take the do-it-yourself Barnes |
| - The use of oxygen in all tissues, | | | | Thyroid Temperature Test, as an inexpensive, yet |
| - The rate of repair of damaged of diseased tissues, | | | | surprisingly accurate, initial test for chronic fatigue. |
| - Your blood sugar levels by controlling the release of | | | | Before the advent of the blood test, the Barnes basal |
| glucose (sugar) from the liver to the bloodstream, | | | | temperature test and patients symptoms were all |
| - Electrolyte and water balance in the cells and body, | | | | physicians had available to them to test thyroid |
| - Your circulatory system, | | | | function. |
| - The energy and strength of the muscles, | | | | Doing the Barnes self temperature test will give you a |
| - The speed of the impulse going to nerves | | | | starting point to determine if you may have |
| - Your libido | | | | hypothyroidism and need to have further confirmatory |
| - Your fat metabolism | | | | tests to establish why you are suffering from chronic |
| - Weight loss | | | | fatigue. |
| Four main hormones produced by your thyroid gland | | | | How to test your thyroid and find out why you are |
| directly affect your metabolism and body fat. They are | | | | chronically fatigued. |
| thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), | | | | Place a thermometer (preferably digital) within easy |
| thyroxine/levo-thyroxin (T4), and calcitonin (used in | | | | reach on the bedside table. Place the thermometer in |
| calcium metabolism). | | | | your armpit for five minutes. Try to move as little as |
| Although your thyroid gland secretes and regulates | | | | possible because movement will raise your body |
| these hormones, about 80% of the body's T3 is | | | | temperature. |
| produced outside the thyroid gland, in the liver, by | | | | Record your temperature each morning for five days. |
| chemical modification of thyroxine or T4. | | | | (For women, additional consideration is needed during |
| Hypothyroid women gain weight and find it difficult to | | | | ovulation, since ovulation somewhat elevates |
| lose weight because (i) their T4 is not being converted | | | | temperature. Because of this, women who menstruate |
| by the liver to the metabolically active form of T3 or (ii) | | | | should start recording their temperature on the second |
| the converted T3 hormones is not getting to the | | | | or third day of menstruation.) |
| cellular level of the body – meaning that they are | | | | A reading of 36.4 degrees or lower may indicate low |
| producing it, but their body can't use it. | | | | thyroid function and be a cause of your chronic |
| Although most conventional practitioners only test for | | | | fatigue. |
| the inactive T4 hormone level, it is important to | | | | Serum (blood) test for hypothyroidism |
| remember that active T3 thyroid hormone works | | | | If your temperature is low, you may want to request |
| inside every cell of the body – not only in the blood. | | | | further testing. If you want to go the conventional |
| If T3 isn't available at the cellular level, then those cells | | | | medical test route you need to request that your |
| can't function properly. The T4 blood test does not | | | | physician perform the T3, free T3, sensitive TSH, |
| test for this, but taking your body temperature does! I | | | | reverse T3, and anti-thyroid antibody tests. Remember |
| personally believe that your body temperature is the | | | | that the standard T4 blood test for thyroid function |
| single best test of your thyroid function. | | | | only measures T4 (the inactive form of the hormone) |
| If you feel that your hormones could be making you | | | | function and is rarely sensitive enough to determine |
| gain weight and causing fatigue, take my quick | | | | hypothyroidism. That is why I recommend that you ask |
| hormonal test online click here | | | | your doctor to perform the other blood tests to get to |
| Symptoms of low thyroid function causing chronic | | | | the cause of your chronic fatigue. |
| fatigue | | | | In my clinical experience, most thyroid blood tests will |
| Every cell and tissue in your body is affected by | | | | come back within a 'normal range', but the patient still |
| hypothyroidism and deficient levels of the active T3 | | | | shows signs of (sub-clinical) hypothyroidism such as a |
| thyroid hormone can produce one or more of the | | | | low body (basal) temperature, etc. There is research |
| following symptoms: weight gain, chronic fatigue, | | | | indicating that the reference ranges are too broad and |
| weakness, constipation, shortness of breath, | | | | do not cater for the individual – I guess we are not |
| depression, irritability, poor memory, difficulty | | | | all the same after all! |
| concentrating, intolerance to cold, low body | | | | The good news is that new and more accurate |
| temperature, dry coarse hair/dry skin, hair loss, muscle | | | | salivary and urine thyroid tests have become available. |
| or joint pain and stiffness, headaches, decreased libido, | | | | The salivary thyroid test |
| slow weight loss and elevated cholesterol or | | | | Salivary and urine thyroid testing to the rescue! That's |
| triglycerides. | | | | right. Your saliva and urine now hold the key to |
| Sadly, many hypothyroid symptoms are frequently | | | | determining whether or not you have an under-active |
| dismissed by physicians as being a normal part of | | | | thyroid causing your chronic fatigue. This brand new |
| ageing, psychological problem, overwork, or some | | | | technology promised to change the lives of the millions |
| other condition. As a result, thyroid tests are never | | | | of individuals suffering with an undiagnosed |
| performed and the patient never receives the proper | | | | under-active thyroid. Because it tests thyroid function |
| medical treatment they require. | | | | at the cellular level, the salivary/and or urine thyroid |
| What interferes with thyroid function causing chronic | | | | panel has been found to be more accurate than the |
| fatigue? | | | | blood tests in identifying an under-active thyroid. Urine |
| - Insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome | | | | thyroid tests are available from my online dispensary. |
| - Chronic stress/adrenal depletion – there is a | | | | The thyroid salivary test measures T3, T4 and free |
| strong interplay between the thyroid and the adrenals. | | | | TSH. The salivary or urine thyroid test also measures |
| One is usually weak first and then weakens the other. | | | | antibodies against thyroperoxidase, an important |
| - Prescription drugs including Dilantin, Lithium, beta | | | | enzyme involved in the production of thyroid hormone. |
| blockers, Premarin, birth control pills and some | | | | Positive antibodies are a sign of an autoimmune |
| anti-depressants. | | | | process (the immune system attacking the body's own |
| - Frequent X-rays – from dental or medical exams | | | | thyroid tissue). |
| or radiation treatment to the head, neck or chest | | | | Reviving your thyroid and stopping chronic fatigue in its |
| - Thyroid inhibiting foods – Over-consumption of soy | | | | tracks. |
| and raw thyroid-inhibiting foods, such as Brussels | | | | If your thyroid gland is found to be sluggish and the |
| sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. | | | | cause of your chronic fatigue, through any of the |
| - Environmental, synthetic and genetically engineered | | | | various tests, you may first try the natural non-drug |
| hormones (oestrogen and other hormones) in meat, | | | | approach to reviving your thyroid. |
| dairy, poultry and eggs. Also conditions such as poly | | | | - Identify what is causing it to be sluggish – e.g. |
| cystic ovarian disorder, fibroids, IVF treatment and | | | | stress, chemical exposure, etc. |
| menopause. | | | | - Check your basal body temperature. |
| - Exercise – The receptors for the thyroid | | | | - Consult your GP if necessary and request specific |
| hormones are found deep within the cells, and | | | | blood tests and discuss any possible need for |
| exercise stimulates the thyroid by increasing oxygen to | | | | medication changes. |
| the cells. When you exercise and breathe more | | | | - Change your diet – different foods do interfere |
| oxygen into your body, you speed up your metabolism | | | | with thyroid function. You may wish to consult a |
| and the heat in your body rises. So, to pump up your | | | | naturopath for help with this. |
| metabolism, you need to pump some iron to heat up | | | | - Consult a herbalist – herbs such as withania, |
| your cell's ‘fat burners' by giving them more | | | | coleus, rehmania, kelp, etc. , are helpful if used in the |
| oxygen. | | | | correct dosages. |
| - Dieting – During a restrictive diet that is either too | | | | - Improve your liver function. |
| low calorie or deficient in essential nutrients, the body | | | | Avoiding the toxins I mentioned earlier and increasing |
| produces less of the liver enzymes, thus converting | | | | your intake of iodine-rich foods such as seafood, |
| less T4 and producing less T3. Perhaps the biggest | | | | asparagus, sea vegetables (kelp), garlic, lima beans, |
| problem with diets is that most leave you with less | | | | sesame seeds, spinach, Swiss chard and sea salt can |
| muscle and more fat than when you started. | | | | be helpful. |
| Researchers have found that low calorie and low | | | | The bottom line is most of the above symptoms may |
| carbohydrate diets eventually suppress T3 hormone | | | | sound familiar – it's not unusual for a 30, 40, or 50 |
| levels in the body by providing insufficient fuel for the | | | | something woman to feel tired, burnt out, and a little bit |
| thyroid and body to function properly. | | | | overweight and this makes hypothyroidism that much |
| - Heavy metal exposure – mercury is a toxic | | | | harder to diagnose. However there are few things |
| heavy metal, which comprises over 50% of ‘silver' | | | | more frustrating than feeling chronically fatigued and |
| dental fillings and is found in cigarettes. Mercury | | | | unwell. It can take a while to get the right diagnosis. |
| interferes with the liver's production of 5-deodinase, an | | | | Remember though, if you are feeling unwell – there |
| enzyme that is critical in converting thyroid hormones. | | | | is most likely something triggering it. Ignoring the |
| - Chlorine – added to most municipal water supplies | | | | problem won't make it go away. |
| as a disinfectant. | | | | Getting a correct diagnosis is crucial when you realise |
| - Fluoride – primary sources include toothpaste, | | | | that being treated can be a life-affirming event. So |
| dental products, municipal water supplies, pesticide, and | | | | explore your options and strive for a better, healthy life! |
| residues on commercially grown foods. | | | | |