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Hypothyroidism and Infertility

August 16, 2012/0 Comments/in Symptoms /by Tom Brimeyer

There’s a very clear link between hypothyroidism and infertility but it’s something that is not widely discussed for various reasons. Unfortunately, because it’s not widely discussed, infertility continues to rise and is becoming a much bigger and more expensive problem.

Infertility is one of the many hypothyroidism symptoms and largely a hormonal issue that can, more often than not, be corrected by overcoming hypothyroidism and the other associated hormonal imbalances. But instead of taking this common sense approach, we tend to try to force fertility to occur in a less fertile environment through in vitro fertilization and implantation. But no one stops to consider the long term health implications that this can have on the fetus.

This important link between hypothyroidism and infertility is oftentimes missed and many doctors claim that with many cases it’s impossible to fully restore fertility.

However, I would argue that this assumption based on evidence of many completely infertile post menopausal women who have successful become pregnant and given birth to healthy babies. There have been reports of some of these women being upwards of 60 and even 70+ years of age.

If a woman who has been post menopausal and has not ovulated for years can become fertile again, then I believe that a lot can be done for much younger women who have been given no hope.

The Link between Hypothyroidism and Infertility

As I mentioned above, infertility is largely a hormonal issue. But most people fail to realize that there are many factors that they have complete control over that affect their hormones for both the good and the bad.

When it comes to hypothyroidism and infertility, the two primary hormones to consider are estrogen and progesterone.

Most people understand that they need adequate progesterone, the pro-gestational hormone, in order to conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy. Progesterone increases drastically upon conception and continues to rise throughout pregnancy. And this is because of the protective effect that progesterone has on both the mother and fetus.

But few people realize the implication of estrogen on both hypothyroidism and infertility. Estrogen is actually a hormone that does not support fertility even though the medical community argued that it did for many years.

Just look at how birth control pills work.

Birth control pills contain small doses of estrogen that increase your body’s estrogen levels up through the time of ovulation. And the increase in estrogen causes the cells of your uterus to consume more oxygen. And when your uterus consumes more oxygen, it literally steals the oxygen that is required to support the implanted egg, or embryo. Without enough oxygen, the egg cannot continue to develop.

And hypothyroidism and infertility go hand in hand because one of the main effects of hypothyroidism is the increase of estrogen within your body.

The two effectively feed off of each other. One of the many negative effects of estrogen is that it suppresses the release of thyroid hormones from your thyroid gland which in itself can cause hypothyroidism. And when you become hypothyroid, your liver becomes unable to properly inactivate and detoxify estrogen, so estrogen continues to build up in your system. And this increase in estrogen feeds back to further suppresses your thyroid.

This feedback mechanism quickly spirals out of control and hypothyroidism and infertility will persist until your hormones can be properly balanced again.

Common Causes of Hypothyroidism and Infertility

Excess Estrogen (Estrogen Dominance)

I’ve already discussed the connection between hypothyroidism and infertility above so I don’t think it needs repeating. However, it’s important to understand that any mechanism that leads to hypothyroidism will have the same effect of raising estrogen levels, regardless of whether or not estrogen played a factor in causing your hypothyroidism to begin with.

Estrogen can also come from outside sources.

One which I have already mentioned above is birth control pills. Oftentimes, it can take months after getting off of birth control pills before you can successfully conceive. And this depends entirely on how long it takes your body to inactivate and detoxify all of the estrogen that has built up.

For many women with liver dysfunction, they may not be able to conceive even after getting off of birth control until their liver issues are resolved.

Another common and significant source of estrogen is from estrogenic chemicals such as xenoestrogens which are prevalent in plastics, pesticides, and many other industrial chemicals.

And lastly, there are even certain foods that are estrogenic by nature. Soy, which is often touted as a “health food” is very estrogenic and oftentimes wrongly recommended to women to help improve fertility when it is actually having the opposite effect.

Progesterone Deficiency

On the other side of the coin, you can become deficient in progesterone which has the same effect as estrogen of promoting and being promoted by hypothyroidism and infertility.

Progesterone is naturally synthesized from the hormone pregnenolone which requires vitamin A, cholesterol, and thyroid hormone to make. So if you are hypothyroid and lack thyroid hormone then your body might not be able to produce enough progesterone to support the fetus.

Another common factor in progesterone deficiency is stress. When your body is under chronic stress then it begins to slow down the production of progesterone in favor of producing more stress hormones.

So, stress can lead to progesterone deficiency which can also play a big part in both hypothyroidism and infertility.

Polyunsaturated Fats

This is a major cause of hypothyroidism and infertility that nobody ever hears or talks about. And it has a lot to do with the fact that this is a very controversial topic. But in the end, the research speaks for itself.

Polyunsaturated fats in your diet actually cause your body to produce more estrogen. So a diet that is high in polyunsaturated fats can actually cause both hypothyroidism and infertility to develop based on the feedback mechanism between estrogen and thyroid that I mentioned above.

But there’s also another feedback mechanism at play here because when estrogen increases, it causes your body to release more polyunsaturated fats into your bloodstream which perpetuates the problem.

Vitamin E Deficiency

Vitamin E has many beneficial properties that can greatly improve both hypothyroidism and infertility.

For starters, vitamin E helps to offset the effects of estrogen in your body. It also protects your body against the unwanted effects of polyunsaturated fats. It boosts your thyroid function. And it also helps to increase oxygen to the fetus.

Studies have shown that vitamin E increases fertility in both males and female and helps prevent miscarriages.

So it should go without saying that vitamin E is a very powerful nutrient that can offset many of the issues that contribute to hypothyroidism and infertility. By incorporating a good hypothyroidism diet and hypothyroidism treatment protocol, you can effectively improve your thyroid function and drastically improve not only your fertility but also the health of your baby once you conceive.

Thyroid Symptoms in Men

March 23, 2012/0 Comments/in Symptoms /by Tom Brimeyer

When you look at the true number of thyroid symptoms, it’s rather staggering even though the medical community takes a blind eye to the majority them. This is particularly a problem with the various thyroid symptoms in men which are often overlooked and dismissed altogether because they have been wrongfully associated with other unrelated health problems and conditions.

But when you consider the fact that your health is largely based on your thyroid and its role in helping your cells to efficiently produce enough energy for you to stay healthy, the far reaching effects of hypothyroidism become much more obvious.

It’s simple really. If your cells don’t get the thyroid hormone or nutrients that they need to be healthy, your health will suffer. And because this can affect any and all of the cells of your body, the thyroid symptoms in men really have few limitations.

Get An Accurate Diagnosis

Most men believe that the thyroid’s only role is with metabolism and that as long as their weight remains stable, they don’t have a problem with their thyroid. However, thyroid symptoms in men are not always accompanied by weight gain. This is a very common misconception today.

Unfortunately current medical testing for low thyroid function or hypothyroidism is not very reliable. Because of this, most men (and women) are wrongfully informed that their there is nothing wrong with their thyroid when the reality is that doctors today are completely dropping the ball.

It’s actually far more accurate to base your diagnosis on a thyroid symptom checklist. But in terms of scientific validation, simply tracking your basal body temperature and your pulse, you can quite accurately diagnose yourself without having to spend money on useless tests.

Even without tracking your temperature and pulse, any of the thyroid symptoms in men can be validated using what is called a therapeutic trial. Simply follow the right hypothyroidism treatment plan and track your symptoms through the process. If you begin to see improvements in your symptoms as your measured thyroid function increases then you’ve just validated your own diagnosis. Even simply adopting a good hypothyroidism diet can be enough to give you the answers that you need.

Of course, it’s always beneficial to have a good understanding and knowledge of the many common thyroid symptoms in men so that you can make your own educated guess as to whether or not your thyroid could be involved. But unfortunately there’s a huge lack of awareness of hypothyroidism today.

Most Concerning Thyroid Symptoms in Men

Most men are rather stubborn when it comes to health problems. They would prefer to wait it out instead of going to see their doctor about any particular health problem. More often than not this is because there’s embarrassment or shame associated with their symptoms. And this is a common reason why so many thyroid symptoms in men are completely missed or go undiagnosed.

Let’s look at some of the most common low thyroid symptoms that you need to know so that you can take a more active role in getting the help that you need to reverse this problem and get your life back in working order.

Common Thyroid Symptoms in Men # 1 – Heart Disease

There are a number of factors that contribute to heart disease and why it’s more prevalent in men than women. For starters, women naturally produce more progesterone than men which gives them far greater protection from heart disease than men.

Studies have shown that men who have heart attacks have much higher levels of estrogen than men who do not. This is important because estrogen rises with the development of hypothyroidism.

High estrogen causes calcium to enter the cells of organs including your heart which leads to calcification of soft tissue and making your heart far less efficient.

There’s also the factor of lactic acid production which naturally increases with hypothyroidism. This increase in lactic acid contributes to the hardening of your arties which further increases your risk of heart disease.

As you can see, by keeping your thyroid healthy you can greatly decrease your risk of one of the deadliest thyroid symptoms in men.

Common Thyroid Symptoms in Men # 2 – Diminished Libido and Infertility

We already established that hypothyroidism leads to an increase in estrogen which has a number of negative health effects. But it also causes a number of other hormonal imbalances. Most notably it causes a decrease in testosterone and progesterone which play an important role in both your libido and sperm production.

Without these important hormones, you’re left with a decreased sex drive and a reduction in sperm production along with other common thyroid symptoms in men which can cause infertility problems, especially if your partner is hypothyroid as well.

Common Thyroid Symptoms in Men # 3 – Thinning of Hair or Balding

Hair loss is another one of the common thyroid symptoms in men that makes a lot of men uncomfortable.

You’re supposed to be in your prime but instead you find yourself grimacing in front of the mirror, wondering why your hair is thinning and whether or not you’re going bald.

Common Thyroid Symptoms in Men # 4 – Weight Gain and Puffiness

Weight gain and puffiness, especially of the face are two very common hypothyroidism symptoms. But men tend to gain and carry weight a little different than women.

Both men and women deal with considerable weight gain due to water retention. This occurs because as your cells fail to get the thyroid hormone that they need to stay healthy, they become weak and begin to absorb water.

But men are also more susceptible to higher stress hormone levels, one of which is cortisol. Your abdominal region contains a lot of cortisol receptor sites which is why high stress hormones promote fat storage in your abdominal region.

Common Thyroid Symptoms in Men # 5 – Mental Health Issues

This is another one of those symptoms that men rarely talked about. But when stress hormones run out of control as is the case commonly found with hypothyroidism, anxiety and depression can take their toll.

Generally, you become very susceptible to stress and it takes very little to put you over the edge which can cause a lot of strain in your relationships and family life.

It’s important to note that this is not strictly some attitude or mental problem that requires counseling. This is caused by hormonal issues that can be corrected. And when you correct your hormones then this and other associated thyroid symptoms in men will practically disappear on their own.

The most important thing you can do as a man suffering from hypothyroidism is to actually educate yourself and get help instead of continuing to ignore the problem that is only going to worsen over time.

By making some simple changes to your diet and correcting some of the hormonal imbalances that exist, you can eliminate all of the common thyroid symptoms in men and get back to enjoying your life and family without all of the unnecessary stress caused by hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism in Men

March 23, 2012/0 Comments/in Symptoms /by Tom Brimeyer

Hypothyroidism in men is often overlooked due to the big misconception that thyroid problems are exclusive only to women. It’s true that one doesn’t hear a lot about hypothyroidism in men, but it’s not because men aren’t susceptible. On the contrary, many men do suffer from hypothyroidism but unfortunately there is very little awareness and the condition is more often than not, misdiagnosed.

Because most doctors use weight as their main indicator as to the possible involvement of hypothyroidism, they all too often dismiss all of the other hypothyroidism symptoms that their patients present when their weight is not a problem.

Needless to say, there’s men need to do a much better job at recognizing the symptoms and addressing them with the appropriate hypothyroidism treatment.

If not addressed, a lack of thyroid hormone can eventually become a serious health problem which I’ll explain a second. This is why it is so important to have a good understanding of the symptoms of hypothyroidism in men and address the condition sooner than later. The longer you wait, the more difficult and longer the road to recovery.

Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism in Men

I want to cover some of the more common symptoms of hypothyroidism in men. But do keep in mind that this is just a very short list and there are a lot of other symptoms beyond these. For a more complete list, be sure to check out this list of hypothyroidism symptoms.

And keep in mind that eating the right hypothyroidism diet is key in helping men to overcome hypothyroidism.

Here are just a few of the symptoms of that are important to note:

Fatigue and Hypothyroidism in Men

Fatigue is one of the first signs that your thyroid is either not producing enough thyroid hormone or that your thyroid hormone is not getting delivered to your cells properly.

Hypothyroidism in men, if not addressed, will eventually interfere with your ability do normal activities. Some men report that they feel sluggish or experience a decrease in mobility and reaction time. Many complain that they feel so tired at work that they are concerned about falling asleep on the job.

Many men write fatigue off as something that just occurs with age instead of realizing that it’s not normal and that there is something that you can do about it.

Oftentimes stress hormones can keep you going as long as you stay active but once you sit down and try to relax, the fatigue kicks in and you have a difficult time staying awake.

Weight Gain and Hypothyroidism in Men

Weight gain is yet another symptom that most men completely write off as a byproduct of age. You may have been an avid athlete in your youth but today, your weight is beyond your control.

Your thyroid controls your metabolism so it does play an integral role in the number of calories you burn, but it goes beyond that. Hormonal imbalances that are a byproduct of hypothyroidism play a big role as well. Stress hormones in particular cause fat to accumulate around your midsection.

In any case, slow and unexplained weight gain or the inability to lose weight are both common symptoms of hypothyroidism in men.

Sexual Dysfunction and Hypothyroidism in Men

This is a big one that men typically don’t talk about. But given that the little blue pill is one of the largest grossing drugs every single year, it’s safe to say that many men are relying on a little extra help.

Hypothyroidism can impact a man’s reproductive organs and associated hormones. A study on the Prevalence of sexual symptoms in male Hypo- and Hyper-Thyroid Patients, released by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in December, 2005, indicated there is a definite connection between specific sexual problems and hypothyroidism in men.

Research indicated that 64.3 percent of men suffering from hypothyroidism had common sexual problems such as:

Delayed ejaculation
Erectile dysfunction
Infertility
Low sex drive
Premature ejaculation

The men were examined when their thyroid levels first revealed a problem with their thyroid and again two to four months after their thyroid levels returned to normal range.

Researchers found that men whose thyroid returned to normal function experienced prompt reversal of the symptoms of hypothyroidism in men.

Aches, Pains, and Hypothyroidism in Men

Hypothyroidism is also the cause of a lot of muscle aches, pains, cramps, tenderness, and stiffness as well as pain and swelling in the joints.

What have we learned from men so far? That most are going to ignore these symptoms and continue on with their restricted lives instead of dealing with the problem head on.

These aches and pains can be contributed to a number of causes. For starters, poor blood sugar handling is common cause for headaches and migraines, especially when the brain isn’t getting the nutrition it need to function properly.

There’s also the issue of calcium retention that occurs with hypothyroidism. When connective tissue retains calcium, it will begin to calcify the connective tissue leaving you stiff and uncomfortable.

Nutrient and mineral imbalances such as a magnesium deficiency which is also associated with hypothyroidism in men can also lead to aches, pains, and muscle cramps.

The increased estrogen associated with hypothyroidism can cause nerve swelling which can contribute to numbness and MS type pain symptoms.

High Cholesterol and Hypothyroidism in Men

It has been known since the 1940’s that cholesterol increases in direct proportion as thyroid function decreases. Yet today, doctors don’t seem to be aware of this very telling relationship.

In fact, during the 1940’s, doctors used cholesterol as a sign of hypothyroidism and would track it as an indicator that their hypothyroidism treatment plan was working. Your cholesterol will lower to normal levels at the same rate that your thyroid function returns to normal.

The medical community likes to use cholesterol as a risk indicator for heart disease but the truth is that it’s hypothyroidism and its negative effects on your body that lead to heart disease, not cholesterol itself.

Thyroid researcher and scientist Dr. Broda Barnes demonstrated this very phenomenon. In one of his research studies, he showed that by removing the thyroid gland and inducing hypothyroidism, heart disease developed. And by reversing the hypothyroidism, heart disease disappeared.

Even today, high cholesterol is becoming one of the more common hypothyroidism symptoms in women.

These are all common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism in men that largely go undiagnosed or are diagnosed and improperly treated independent of hypothyroidism. By properly treating your hypothyroidism and taking it seriously, you can literally add years back to your life.

Underactive Thyroid Symptoms

October 10, 2011/0 Comments/in Symptoms /by Tom Brimeyer

Most of us have heard someone say they have an underactive thyroid and that maybe they suffer from some underactive thyroid symptoms. Most peoples first thought is that it has something to do with their ability to lose weight, but it’s important to start thinking much beyond that.

There is a major problem in chalking up an underactive thyroid as being “nothing important.” The fact is, underactive thyroid symptoms can be not only annoying, but also quite serious if not addressed with the right hypothyroidism treatment protocol.

Unfortunately, many people who have had a thyroid test assume that if it came back “normal” then their thyroid is in good shape. This isn’t necessarily true. In fact many of the thyroid hormone tests are inaccurate, leading people to believe their thyroid is fine, when in reality they are suffering from underactive thyroid symptoms without even knowing it.

Your underactive thyroid symptoms are a result of hypothyroidism which is a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones or when those hormones are not being properly delivered to your cells. In any event, all thyroid symptoms should be taken seriously because hypothyroidism is a serious condition that can greatly impact your quality and length of life.

Another word for underactive thyroid symptoms is “hypothyroidism.” What this means is that the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones.

General Underactive Thyroid Symptoms

Chronic Constipation
Depression
Dry Hair
Dry Skin
Fatigue
Feeling sluggish
Feeling too cold
Inability to lose weight
Sleeping too much
Slow movements
Sore muscles
Unexplained weight gain
General weakness
A change in facial expression
Slow heart beat

Most underactive thyroid symptoms usually develop slowly over time. At first, the symptoms will be quite mild and most people don’t even pay attention. However, eventually hypothyroidism begins to have a far greater effect on your cells as it disrupts your liver, brain, and your entire hormonal system.

While oftentimes you may experience just one of these symptoms, it is not unusual to find that you are suffering from several underactive thyroid symptoms at the same time without ever correlating them to the one cause.

This is especially the case when a thyroid problem is manifesting in a specific body system. In that instance, one may experience a myriad of symptoms all related to the same body system. Below I’ve covered some commonly affected systems.

Reproductive System

In women, oftentimes the most affected is the reproductive system. In fact, women often first develop or first discover they have a problem with their thyroid after pregnancy. This is because of the large fluctuations in your hormones which can intensify and perpetuate many of the thyroid symptoms in women.

For women, this is largely a problem with over-producing of estrogen or under-producing progesterone. Progesterone is a very protective hormone for both mother and baby which also serves to help regulate the thyroid gland. Estrogen on the other hand suppresses the thyroid gland.

Underactive Thyroid Symptoms Connected to the Reproductive System

Irregular menstrual cycle
Heavy or prolonged menstrual cycle
Excessive clotting
Fibroids
Fibrocystic breasts (lumpy breast syndrome)
Breast milk when not lactating or pregnant
Low or no sex drive
History of miscarriage

Oftentimes women experience food cravings at different times of their cycle when their hormones are fluctuating. We oftentimes view this as a negative habit; however, this is your body innately trying to tell you what it needs. Oftentimes by following a good hypothyroidism diet to help keep your hormones in balance you can avoid many of the negative effects of these hormone fluctuations.

Cardiac and Circulatory System

Underactive thyroid symptoms can be similar to those of an adrenaline shot or too much epinephrine. Rapid heartbeat, increase pulse rate and heart palpitations can be mistaken for a heart condition when in reality it is a thyroid problem that you are dealing with.

Underactive Thyroid Symptoms Connected to Heart Disease

Shortness of breath
Abnormal cardiac function
Angina
Congestive heart failure (very rare)
Decreased cardiac function
Diastolic hypertension – (high blood pressure)
Edema or swelling
Inability to tolerate exercise
Increased LDL or bad cholesterol
Slow heart rate – 10 to 12 beats slower than normal
Worsening of an already diagnosed “heart failure.”
Hardening of the arteries
Heart attacks in older patients

Digestive System

Poor digestion depletes the body’s nutrients and therefore can actually promote and perpetuate thyroid problems. Most physicians agree that many disorders of the body seem to start in the intestine. One such example of hypothyroidism’s impact on your digestive system is it’s important role in the manufacturing of many digestive enzymes required to properly digest your food.

Underactive Thyroid Symptoms Connected to Digestive Dysfunction

Bad breath
Belching
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficulty in passing bowel movements
Digestion difficulties after eating greasy foods or foods high in fat
Metallic taste in mouth
Nausea, vomiting, or heart burn that gets temporary relief when treated with OTC meds.

Remember that some of you have suffered from these underactive thyroid symptoms for so many years that you have come to believe the way you feel is normal.

It is not!

Many of the underactive thyroid symptoms such as fatigue and exhaustion are a result of your body’s inability to deliver key thyroid hormones to your cells.

Nervous System

The nervous system is a double edged sword when it comes to your thyroid function. On the one hand, long-term chronic stress can bring on underactive thyroid symptoms, and in turn an underactive thyroid can cause the body to experience high levels of stress. Both promote each other.

Also, when it comes to the body’s nervous system, you can be suffering from these symptoms for years, and never realize the problem are really underactive thyroid symptoms.

Underactive Thyroid Symptoms Connected to the Nervous System

Reduced sensation
Peripheral nerve damage
Memory loss
Lack of coordination
Hearing loss
Dementia

Obviously the underactive thyroid symptoms connected to the nervous system can be very serious. As is often the case, many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other conditions and a misdiagnosis can result.

These severe symptoms are usually found in cases of hypothyroidism that have gone untreated for many years.

Remember that once your underactive thyroid symptoms are recognized for what they really are, and you begin taking the necessary steps to turn it around, you will begin feeling better than you have for a long time. In many cases people begin to feel like a different person once they have been made aware that their symptoms are actually a result of their thyroid, many of which have endured years of suffering.