|
iThyroid.com
|
| Bulletin Board Archived Bulletin Board About John Latest Ideas Symptoms Tests and Drugs Weight Loss Experiment Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism Supplement List Medical Science Heredity Other Diseases Thyroid Physiology Deeper Studies Nutrients and Toxics Hair Analysis Book Reports Glossary Table of Contents |
COMPANION DISEASES TO HYPERTHYROIDISM Companion diseases, or other diseases that are highly associated with hyperthyroidism, presumably have similar deficiency profiles and can therefore add to the information about what deficiencies might be involved in hyperthyroidism. Here are some of the companion diseases for hyperthyroidism: SCHIZOPHRENIA AND WILSON'S DISEASE Studies of manic-depressive schizophrenics show that a much higher percentage of these patients exhibit hyperthyroidism than would be expected by chance. Interestingly, many people consider manic-depression a disease characterized by copper storage. Hair analyses reveal that manic-depressives often have high copper levels in their hair, but the copper does not seem to be getting into the cells properly. Lithium treatment of manic depressives often results in an improvement of the symptoms. Lithium is important in cells because it works with sodium to form a lithium-sodium cellular pump that transports minerals into the cells. One study showed that the lithium-sodium pump facilitates the transport of copper into the mitochondria of the cells. At one time there was considerable interest in lithium as a treatment for hyperthyroidism. It was noted that lithium treatment for manic depression often alleviated accompanying cases of hyperthyroidism. These manic depressives would show a decrease in thyroid hormone levels. Also, when lithium treatment was discontinued, some patients would experience hyperthyroidism as a rebound effect. My theory is that schizophrenia is a disease of excessive copper buildup because of an inability of the body to properly metabolize copper. This buildup could be from genetic causes as it appears in Wilson's disease or it could be from deficiencies of nutrients essential for copper metabolism. In Wilson's patients there appears to be an inability of the body to get rid of copper so it builds up in the liver. By the time the person is in their teens signs of copper toxicity are usually showing up. As the copper builds up in Wilson's patients, signs of schizophrenic behavior start manifesting. If Wilson's is not diagnosed properly and this happens quite often, then the patient is often committed to a mental hospital and maintained on anti-psychotic drugs. Wilson's patients are able to survive by the use of several techniques. First, they must restrict copper intake to reduce the body burden. Second, they often have to take zinc and vitamin B-6 on a daily basis. Zinc competes for absorption with copper and B-6 is the B vitamin that facilitates zinc metabolism. These nutritional steps help, but sometimes patients must also take a copper chelator, usually d-penicillamine, which grabs the copper and removes it from the body. D-penicillamine (brand names DPen or Cuprimine) also extracts zinc from the body and this is another reason zinc is supplemented. ANEMIA Another condition that is often associated with hyperthyroidism is anemia. Some studies have indicated that over 50% of hypers have anemia. This makes perfect sense to me. While many people are aware of iron-deficiency anemia, there is also copper-deficiency anemia. Iron and copper work together to form hemoglobin, which is the oxygen carrying molecule in red blood cells. If either iron or copper are deficient, the body cannot make enough hemoglobin and anemia results. Numerous vitamin deficiencies are also found to be associated with anemia. These include B-12, biotin, folic acid, and other B vitamins. Mineral deficiencies include manganese and zinc besides iron and copper. FIBROMYALGIACARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME OSTEOPOROSIS AND DENTAL PROBLEMS HIGH CHOLESTEROL DIABETES HAIR PROBLEMS
|