Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

Thyroid conversion is one of the most important aspects of thyroid function that thyroid patients need to be aware of. Thyroid conversion refers to the ability that your body has to take inactive thyroid hormone and turn it into active T3 thyroid hormone. Throughout your time as a thyroid patient, you may have heard others mention that they have issues with thyroid conversion. Have you ever wondered how these people know? There are a few ways to find this information and today we are going to be talking about how to test for this problem. Before I do, let’s talk about some facts as it relates to your thyroid, T4, and T3: Fact #1. T3 thyroid hormone is by far the single most important thyroid hormone in your body. It is roughly 300 times more biologically active than T4 thyroid hormone. Fact #2. Most thyroid hormone produced by your body is NOT T3 but is actually T4. Fact #3. Only 20% of T3 in your body is directly produced by the thyroid gland. Fact #4. Roughly 80% of T3 is created through peripheral

Did you know that with the clever use of some over-the-counter supplements and one prescription medication you can re-create all of the benefits found in natural desiccated thyroid hormone formulas? Doing this allows you to make whatever thyroid medication you are using even more effective by mimicking what makes NDT so great. Why is this important? Because when Nature-throid and WP Thyroid were removed from the market, there were a ton of thyroid patients who started doing poorly when they were transitioned over. In addition, we have a ton of thyroid patients using levothyroxine who are still experiencing low thyroid symptoms. The tips and tricks I’m about to share assume that you are starting with a levothyroxine base but all of these tricks can be applied to any thyroid medication including NDT and T3 formulations. Step #1. Add a thyroid glandular. Using a thyroid glandular allows to benefit from the proteins, enzymes, and pro-hormones naturally found in NDT. Step #2. Add T2 thyroid hormone. NDT con

Adthyza is a relatively new thyroid medication that was released within the last 1-2 years. I say new because that’s still pretty new in the grand scheme of things especially when it’s so rare to see a new thyroid medication. *note: I am not paid by Adthyza or any pharmaceutical company! I don’t even have a very favorable opinion of this medication and I’m just sharing what I think. How does Adthyza compare to other thyroid medications? Let’s discuss: First, you should know that Adthyza is a porcine derived thyroid medication which means it falls into the family of natural desiccated thyroid hormone. This means it should be compared to medications like Armour thyroid and NP thyroid. Adthyza contains a combination of T4 and T3 thyroid hormone and markets itself as a sort of cleaner option compared to what’s available. According to their own website, Adthyza claims to be lactose, gluten, corn, dye, and latex free. While you can consider this to be low allergen, I don’t think you can consider it to be

Can certain exercises help your thyroid gland function? Not in a direct way but perhaps in an indirect way! And that’s exactly what these neck exercises are designed to do. You can indirectly support thyroid function by exercising your neck which can help in a number of different ways: #1. Neck exercises can help improve blood flow to the area of your neck. Working out the muscles in your neck will increase blood flow to the musculature itself. Your thyroid will benefit due to its proximity to these muscles. #2. Neck exercises help improve venous outflow out of your thyroid gland. Bringing new blood into your neck will mean blood must flow out of it! #3. Neck exercises can help improve lymphatic flow OUT of your neck. The lymphatic system is designed to help carry waste products away from your cells so your body can eliminate them. Exercising muscles is known to improve this system. #4. Neck exercises can bring balance to the musculature of the neck and help with things like tension headaches, trigge

A new study of over 600,000 thyroid patients from Taiwan suggested that thyroid patients taking levothyroxine have a 50% increased risk of developing cancer at any site. While concerning, the results of this study certainly do not prove that levothyroxine causes cancer but every thyroid patient taking levothyroxine should be aware of this potential connection. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cas.14908 This information is not meant to cause fear or alarm but to simply break down this study, explain some of the issues with the study, and some of the key takeaways. Let’s start with the problems first: #1. The study was retrospective. Retrospective studies look backward in time at existing data and can show a correlation between things but do not necessarily prove causation. This is very important because many thyroid patients suffer from conditions that can also increase cancer risk and these must be taken into account. #2. More research is still needed before any definitive conclusion is ma

Do you feel like your thyroid medication just isn’t working as it should? Do you still have symptoms of low thyroid even though you are taking your thyroid medication faithfully? It could be that your dose is just not high enough and that you need to increase it. This problem is actually more common than you might think. It’s been estimated that as many as 25-30% of thyroid patients may be taking too much thyroid medication at any given time. We don’t know the numbers for how many people are not taking enough but it’s probably safe to assume that it’s at least equal to the number of people taking too much. This promotes a big problem for thyroid patients because you simply won’t feel better if your dose is not sufficient. The good news? There are ways to determine just based on your symptoms if your dose is too low. Let’s talk about those right now. Signs that your thyroid medication dose is too low include: #1. Gaining weight despite taking your thyroid medication every day #2. Fatigue that is g

Thyroid gland massage is something that has gained momentum and attention lately. And when I talk about thyroid gland massage I am not talking about massage therapy for your thyroid gland. I’m talking about actual massage of the thyroid gland itself. Why are some people considering thyroid gland massage as a treatment for hypothyroidism? Well, the reason is as follows: Because the thyroid gland is almost a spongy-like material and because it has some storage capacity of thyroid hormone, massaging the thyroid gland may release thyroid hormone and alleviate or improve low thyroid symptoms. It sounds good in theory but there are several reasons why I do not recommend that you massage your thyroid gland. Here are the biggest reasons: #1. You may cause inflammation and make matters much worse. The number 1 cause of hypothyroidism in the US is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The hallmark of Hashimoto’s is inflammation and immune cell infiltration of the thyroid gland. Do you know what happens when you physically

Did you know that your gut and your thyroid are connected? If you have a problem with one you will almost always have a problem with the other. Your thyroid helps to control how quickly your gut moves and how much stomach acid you produce. When your thyroid is low it slows down how quickly your intestines move and lowers how much stomach acid you produce. The result? Constipation, overgrowth of bacteria, acid reflux, and a reduction in absorption of key nutrients. The relationship between your thyroid and your gut is more complicated than this, though, as gut problems can also lead to thyroid problems. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out which came first which is why treating your gut is always a great idea. Here is a list of 10 gut issues that thyroid patients frequently suffer from: #1. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. #2. Small intestinal fungal overgrowth. #3. GERD or acid reflux. #4. Decreased kinetic bowel movement or gastroparesis. #5. Low stomach acid. #6. H. pylori infections. #7. Ma

One of the best ways to naturally treat Hashimoto’s is by increasing glutathione. Glutathione is the master antioxidant in your cells and a master detoxifier. The production of glutathione prevents thyroid gland damage and can help clean up free radicals after your thyroid gland creates thyroid hormone. We know that some patients with Hashimoto’s are not able to produce enough glutathione which is what may trigger thyroid gland inflammation in these patients. But what if you could do things to help your body produce more glutathione to try and prevent thyroid gland damage? That’s where these therapies step in. They are helpful for those with Hashimoto’s but they will benefit pretty much anyone including those with thyroid disease of any type. Here are 10 ways that you can naturally increase glutathione levels in your body: #1. Glycine supplements. Glycine is a building block for glutathione. Taking glycine may help your body produce more on its own. #2. Take a glutathione supplement. You can dir

Having trouble getting iodine supplements into your body? If so, this episode is for you. While most people who take iodine supplements will have absolutely no issues, there are a handful of people who may experience negative side effects. But what causes these side effects? Why do some people react negatively to something that your body needs and uses on a daily basis? Even though iodine is required to produce thyroid hormone, there are some situations in which it may result in unwanted symptoms. There is always an answer for these symptoms, though, so don’t blame iodine right away! Often, the cause is not iodine itself but other problems that already exist in your body. Here are some symptoms that patients may experience while taking iodine supplements: - Acne-like pustules - Racing heart - Sweating - Headaches - Fatigue - Changes to your weight - Nausea - Stomach pain - Metallic taste in the mouth - Joint pain or muscle pain - Changes to your hair, skin, or nails - Thyroid gland pain - Swelling i

These hypothyroid supplements for women may help improve estrogen balance, enhance libido, help with weight loss, improve thyroid function, and more. Women can benefit from a number of different supplements because of the interaction that thyroid hormone has with other sex hormones. If you’ve listened to my other videos then you know I’m a big fan of supplements for thyroid patients so if you don’t see some of the more common supplements listed here it’s not because they don’t work but instead because I want to focus on supplements that primarily help women who have hypothyroidism. With that in mind, here’s is the list: #1. Glutatione Glutathione can help reduce thyroid gland inflammation. #2. Tyrosine Tyrosine is required for thyroid hormone production and can help those with adrenal problems. #3. Guggul Guggul helps your thyroid convert T4 into T3. #4. Rhodiola Rhodiola is an adrenal adaptogen that balance cortisol and helps improve energy. #5. Maca Maca is another adaptogen that helps with l

This video outlines how to optimize your thyroid medication so that you can get back to feeling 100%. There’s no question that many thyroid patients continue to suffer with low thyroid symptoms despite taking their thyroid medication faithfully. As a result, this has prompted some thyroid patients to believe that perhaps the issue is related to the treatments for hypothyroidism. I’ve been getting a lot questions asking me when will new types of treatments for thyroid disease become available. Unfortunately, this type of thinking is not really the right way to look at the problem. Yes, there are a lot of thyroid patients suffering but it’s not necessarily of available treatments and more an issue of how they are using those treatments. When you look at thyroid medications you will find that every single one is bio-identical to your thyroid. In other words, that means that all thyroid medications look identical to the thyroid hormone that your body produces naturally. In other words, the treatments are

Want to know the best protein powder if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis? Stay tuned to find out what I recommend most frequently to thyroid patients! I’m a big fan of protein powder for thyroid patients because it provides so many benefits. Some of these benefits include: - Helps with weight loss - Provides you with a quick an easy meal - Helps control your appetite - Easy way to get extra nutrients into your body - It’s easy to prepare and tastes great Having said that, not all protein powders are created equal and using the wrong type of protein powder can actually make your thyroid worse. Today I want to talk about the 3 most common types of protein powders that most Hashimoto’s patients are aware of and discuss the pros and cons of each. First up we have whey protein. Whey protein is probably the most common type of protein powder available and the protein powder that most people use. Pros of whey protein powder include: - Results in an increase in glutathione production - Lowest calorie per p

Over the past 6 years, I’ve had the opportunity to help thousands of thyroid patients. I’ve seen and responded to thousands of emails, I’ve personally helped many patients 1 on 1, and over 70,000 thyroid patients have used my supplements to date. I’m not saying this to brag but just to let you know that I’ve done nothing but eat, breathe, and sleep thyroid-related things for the last 6 years! And over these last 6 years, I’ve learned a thing or two that I want to share with you. My goal has been and will continue to be, to help thyroid patients feel better. I don’t know of any other group of patients who get ignored more than thyroid patients by their doctors. Part of feeling better is getting the right information and arming yourself with the right knowledge. With that in mind, let’s get into these 6 lessons: #1. Act fast The best thing you can do if you have a thyroid problem is act NOW! Thyroid disease can and will take away the best parts of your life if you left it. Acting fast will ensure that yo

These Hashimoto’s flare up symptoms will help you determine if your symptoms are related to a flare up or related to something else. Those with Hashimoto’s may experience what is referred to as a Hashimoto’s flare up. This occurs when something triggers your immune system to flare up and increase its attack on your thyroid gland. These flare ups are often associated with very specific symptoms that are often different from the regular day to day symptoms that most thyroid patients experience. Symptoms from a flare up stem from a combination of both thyroid and immune problems whereas thyroid symptoms tend to come directly from the thyroid gland. Knowing you are in a flare up is important because you will want to treat the cause of that flare up ASAP! A Hashimoto’s flare up is usually associated with direct thyroid gland damage from the immune response and you want to stop that as quickly as you possibly can. Here is a list of Hashimoto’s flare-up symptoms that you may experience in a flare-up: - S

Did you know that there are at least 10 different tests for your thyroid? Well, there are actually more but these 10 are by far the most important. If you are someone who is still feeling poorly despite taking thyroid medication or if you are someone who has been told that they are "normal" even though you don’t feel normal then this information is for you! It’s also helpful for pretty much anyone that wants to accurately assess thyroid function. These lab tests help provide information no how well your thyroid gland is functioning, how much free and active thyroid hormone is floating around in your body, how well your body is converting thyroid hormone, what your thyroid gland looks like, and whether or not your other tissues are utilizing it. If you’ve only been tested for your TSH or free T4 then I have good news for you! There are many additional tests that you can use and order which will shed more light on your thyroid function. As a thyroid patient, you will want to get these labs checked at le

Is it possible to naturally increase free T3 levels? The answer is yes! There are actually two ways to do it. The first way I call the easy way. This way is easy because it involves the use of thyroid medications like Cytomel and liothyronine. If you take T3 thyroid medication then you will increase your free t3 levels. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to get those medications from your doctor which is why we need to talk about the second way or the not-so-easy way! Fortunately, these things ARE within your control and are things that you can do. Why should you care? Because T3 is the most biologically active thyroid hormone and is hundreds of times more powerful than T4. Here are 6 things that you can do to increase your free T3 levels: #1. Optimize key nutrients - zinc, selenium, Guggul, anti-oxidants, and anti-inflammatory nutrients. These nutrients all help the T4 to T3 conversion process in various ways. #2. Improve your gut health Up to 20% of thyroid conversion occurs in the gut. Even minor gut

Did you know that hypothyroidism can cause chronic pain? It’s one of the top 10 most common side effects from low thyroid function and not many people are aware of it. Chronic pain can come in the form of joint pain, muscle pain, or just aches and pains throughout your entire body and it is directly tied to thyroid function. Why does it occur in thyroid patients? Through something called tissue level hypothyroidism. This is the idea that even though some of your tissues may be getting enough thyroid hormone it may not be true for all of your tissues. It goes something like this: Imagine you are taking thyroid medication and that medication is getting to most of your body but not to your muscle tissues. If it doesn’t get to your muscle tissues then it won’t allow those muscles to produce enough energy which means you may experience trigger points. If these trigger points are not fixed then they may be the source of potentiation for pain which can be felt on exam. This is why there is a strong conn

LDN, which stands for low dose naltrexone, can be used to treat various treatments including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. But what is LDN? How does it work? And how do you dose it? We are going to talk about all of these today. LDN is a medication used to treat alcohol addiction but is sometimes used off-label to treat autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. LDN works by blocking opioid receptors. When used at lower doses, it causes a temporary blockage of the receptors which results in a paradoxical increase in endorphins. These endorphins can then help to reduce inflammation and may help reduce pain and balance the immune system. The standard dose of Naltrexone for alcohol addiction is 50mg but when used in off-label for treating autoimmune diseases, the dose is much less. Standard dosing is somewhere between 1.5mg and 4.5mg per day but can go as low as 0.5mg all the way up to 13.5mg. Typically, LDN is very well tolerated and has few side effects. As many as 50% of people notice an improv

Should you go gluten free if you have a thyroid problem? My answer is probably and, in this video, I lay out 5 reasons as to why I think most thyroid patients should consider it. Going gluten free is almost always a good idea if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease because these are autoimmune diseases. And we know from many clinical studies as well as patient reports that thyroid patients with these conditions often benefit tremendously from going gluten free. But what about other thyroid patients? What about thyroid patients who have hypothyroidism but not from Hashimoto’s? Should these patients still go gluten free? My answer is yes for these 5 reasons: #1. 70 to 90% of patients with hypothyroidism do indeed have Hashimto’s thyroiditis. #2. Going gluten free limits your diet and may help you keep your dietary goals. #3. There’s nothing to lose by going gluten free for 90 days. #4. Many thyroid patients report feeling better on a gluten free diet. #5. Going gluten free usually