PRESENTLY AVAILABLE IN THIS ARCHIVE:
NUTRITION 101: LESSON TWENTY-0NE AND TWENTY-TWO
HORMONES AND YOUR HEALTH
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archieve15.html for a review of lessons ten through twelve.
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archieve16.html for review of lessons thirteen through fifteen.
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archives17.html for review of lessons sixteen through eighteen.
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archives18.html for review of lessons nineteen and twenty.
NUTRITION 101: LESSON TWENTY-ONE
NEWSLETTER: DECEMBER 2008
HORMONES AND YOUR HEALTH
THE THYROID AND PARATHYROID GLAND
The body produces dozens of hormones that regulate hundreds of metabolic functions. The word hormone is taken from a Greek word which means “to excite” or “to urge on.” There are two basic categories of hormones. One category is water soluble hormones made from amino acids and the other category is fat soluble hormones made from cholesterol. Hormones are picked up by receptor sites located on cells resulting in the activation of specific chemical messages leading to specific cellular responses.
Hormones are transported in the body by carrier proteins within the blood plasma. When in close proximity to a cell, hormones are released from their carrier proteins and readily pass through cell membranes into the cytoplasm of cells. If they encounter an appropriate receptor, they migrate into the cell's nucleus for binding with an accessible DNA element. This results in the formation of a specific RNA by which the cellular effects of the hormone are accomplished.
As already stated, the body produces dozens of hormones involving hundreds of metabolic processes. In this article, we will begin to discuss some of the better known hormone producing glands and the hormones they produce.
THYROID GLAND:
The thyroid gland is located at the front of the throat and underneath the voice box. It is primarily known for its production of the water soluble hormone called thyroxine. It also produces the hormone calcitonin which we will discuss in the section on the parathyroid glands.
Thyroxine is made from the amino acid tyrosine and the mineral iodine. Tyrosine comprises 35% of thyroxine. Thyroxine enters the blood stream complexed to another protein called plasma globulin. Thyroxine increases the number and activity of mitochondria in the cell. Mitochondria are the millions of little “energy factories” found throughout the body. This hormone regulates the rate of carbohydrate metabolism and protein synthesis and its breakdown in the body. Thyroxine activity is controlled by another hormone called thyrotropin, also known as TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). TSH is released by the pituitary gland which is located in the brain.
The major form of thyroxine in the blood is called T4. The ratio of T4 to T3 in the blood is roughly 20 to 1. Once in the cell, T4 is converted to T3 which is three to four times more potent than T4. Most of the thyroid hormone circulating in the blood is bound to carrier proteins. Only a very small fraction of circulating thyroxine is unbound and biologically active. When thyroid hormone is bound, it is not active, so the amount of free T3/T4 is what is important. For this reason, measuring total thyroxine in the blood does not provide an accurate picture of thyroid hormone activity in the body. When testing for thyroid function you want to test for free T3/T4 and also for TSH levels. Most thyroxine activity is accomplished by T3.
Fluoride and Thyroxine Research
Research has shown that the chemical fluoride, as found in our drinking water, can inhibit thyroid activity. Intake of as little as 1 part per million of fluoride can inhibit the output of thyrotropin from the pituitary gland resulting in reduction of thyroxine output. Fluoride also competes with iodine for receptor sites on the thyroid gland which respond to thyrotropin, further reducing thyroxine production. Fluoride inhibits the enzymes that produce thyroid hormones in the thyroid gland. It inhibits the process whereby iodine is attached to tyrosine during the production of thyroxine. It is advisable to avoid drinking fluoridated water. See lesson twenty in archive 18 for a comprehensive overview of water and point of use purification systems.
Diseases of the thyroid:
Hyperthyroidism is an ailment characterized by over activity of the thyroid gland. Grave’s Disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism. This disease is caused by overproduction of thyroid hormones. It is considered to be an autoimmune disease involving a genetic defect in suppressor T-cells. Grave’s Disease occurs seven to ten times more frequently in women than in men.
Hypothyroidism is an ailment characterized by under-activity of the thyroid gland where there is insufficient production of thyroid hormones. Hashimoto’s disease is a particular disease of the thyroid where your immune system attacks the thyroid causing it to become swollen and irritated. The most observable sign of hypothyroidism is a low basal temperature upon awakening in the morning. Low thyroid activity can result in a lower basil metabolic rate (BMR) and slower burning of calories in general. This will impact a person’s ability to lose weight. To determine thyroid activity, you can administer the following test.
Treatment of Hypothyroidism:
Conventional medical treatment of hypothyroidism often uses only T4 supplementation with a synthetic thyroid product such as synthroid. Ideally the treatment of hypothyroidism should supply both T3 and T4. Clinical studies have demonstrated that treatment of hypothyroidism with combination thyroid hormone therapy is more effective than treatment with T4 alone. Conventional medicine assumes that treatment with T4 will result in conversion of T4 to T3 within the body. Research indicates that this is not the case. Many hypothyroidism patients have a defective mechanism for the conversion of T4 to T3.
Armour Thyroid is a brand name of natural, desiccated thyroid, derived from the gland of pigs. It contains natural forms of the thyroid hormones T4, and T3 plus two other forms along with other components. This product was the sole thyroid hormone replacement for the first half of the 20th century but has largely been replaced by synthetic thyroid hormone products which are most often only T4. Armour is still available by prescription.
Supplementally, you can eat kelp, which is a good source of organic iodine, or take an iodine supplement. The herb cayenne can stimulate thyroid function. Guggulipid extract can stimulate the production of thyroxine. Guggulipid is an ancient herb that comes from the gummy resin of the mukul myrrh tree. It is a thorny tree that grows in northern
PARATHYROID GLANDS:
The parathyroid glands are small endocrine (hormone producing) glands in the neck that produce parathyroid hormone (PTH). These glands are usually located behind the thyroid gland and in rare cases are located within the thyroid gland. Most people have four parathyroid glands, but some people have six or even eight.
The sole function of the parathyroid glands is to maintain the body's blood calcium level within a very narrow range, so that the nervous and muscular systems can function properly. When blood calcium levels drop below a certain point, calcium-sensing receptors in the parathyroid gland are activated to release PTH into the blood. PTH increases blood calcium levels by stimulating osteoclasts to break down bone and release calcium. Osteoclasts are bone cells that remove minerals from the bone matrix and release them into the blood. PTH also increases gastrointestinal calcium absorption by activating vitamin D, and promotes calcium uptake by the kidneys.
Another hormone called calcitonin is produced in the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Some believe it is only produced by the C-cells of the Thyroid. Chemically, calcitonin is a single chain polypeptide water soluble hormone composed of 32 amino acids. Calcitonin transfers calcium from the blood and stores it in the bones. It inhibits the rate of release of calcium from the bones by inhibiting the action of PTH. Therefore calcitonin and PTH work together to maintain proper levels of calcium in both the blood and the bones.
Diseases of the parathyroid:
Hypoparathyroidism is a disease where the parathyroid glands do not produce enough PTH. This results in decreased levels of calcium in the blood and is a serious medical condition called hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia can also occur as a result of cellular insensitivity to PTH. Doctors often prescribe vitamin D in high doses for people afflicted with hypoparathyroidism. The trace mineral boron may help poor parathyroid function as this mineral is concentrated in this gland.
Hyperparathyroidism is an ailment involving increased secretion of parathyroid hormone. Over activity of one or more of the parathyroid glands causes high calcium levels (hypercalcemia) and low phosphorus levels in the blood. An over active parathyroid can lead to osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) because to much calcium is being drawn out of the bones. Excessive consumption of the mineral phosphorus may cause secondary hyperparathyroidism where over activity of the parathyroid is related to too much dietary phosphorus. What happens is that the parathyroid, being responsible as it is to maintain proper levels of calcium in the blood will draw excessive amounts of calcium from the bones in an effort to counter the high amount of phosphorus being absorbed from the diet. A diet containing a phosphorus to calcium ratio of 2:1 can cause secondary hyperparathyroidism.
Protecting the parathyroid:
A diet high in phosphorus has been identified as a major contributor to osteoporosis. Phosphorus is found in high amounts in animal products, preservatives, soda waters and a variety of processed and refined foods. Since the western diet is high in these products, it is little wonder that westerners have the highest rates of osteoporosis and other bone density problems in the entire world. The body has to maintain an approximate 2 to 1 calcium to phosphorus ratio in the blood. PTH will consistently draw calcium from the bones to maintain this ratio. When there is too much phosphorus in the blood, more calcium is needed to maintain this ratio.
To protect the parathyroid glands from working overtime and to protect against bone loss it is recommended that you reduce consumption of animal products along with soda waters and processed and refined foods which are high in phosphoric compounds. While dairy products are a good source of calcium, they often have as much phosphorous as calcium and therefore it becomes a trade off. Increasing the consumption of green foods will increase calcium without having much impact on phosphorous intake.
NUTRITION 101: LESSON TWENTY-TWO
NEWSLETTER: JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009
ADRENAL GLANDS
ADRENAL GLANDS:
The adrenal glands are located on top of both kidneys. An adrenal gland is made of two parts. There is an outer region called the adrenal cortex and an inner region called the adrenal medulla. The adrenal glands work in harmony with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, both of which are located in the head. When the body is under physical or mental stress, the hypothalamus gland produces corticotrophin-releasing hormone which stimulates the pituitary gland to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This hormone travels via the blood stream to the adrenal cortex and stimulates it to produce glucocorticosteroid hormones which are secreted directly into the blood stream.
One such glucocorticosteroid hormone is hydrocortisone, also known as cortisol. This hormone regulates the body’s use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This same hormone, in harmony with another hormone called corticosterone, suppresses inflammation in the body. Another adrenal cortex hormone called aldosterone controls the level of calcium excreted into the urine and regulates the amount of sodium and potassium ions in the blood and therefore regulates blood pressure. The hormones produced by the adrenal cortex are largely made from cholesterol.
The adrenal medulla secretes the two water soluble hormones, epinephrine, better known as adrenaline, and norepinephrine, better known as noradrenaline. These hormones are made from the amino acid tyrosine. When the body is faced with a “fight or flight” situation, the brain releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which signals the adrenal medulla to secrete adrenaline. Adrenaline increases the heart rate and force of heart contractions. It facilitates blood flow to the muscles and brain, causes the bronchial tubes to dilate allowing for more oxygen intake and dilates the pupils of the eye so that more light can be absorbed. It speeds up the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver so more energy can be produced by the body. Noradrenaline acts in similar ways to adrenaline but under certain conditions can constrict the blood vessels which can increase blood pressure. Noradrenaline also acts as a neurotransmitter.
CORTISOL AND ADRENAL DISEASE:
Cortisol levels are critically important to the health of the body. An adrenal malfunction called Addison’s disease, named after British physician Thomas Addison, is a condition where the adrenal cortex does not produce enough cortisol. Symptoms of this insufficiency include chronic fatigue, nausea, muscle weakness, dizziness or fainting, low blood pressure and even changes in skin pigmentation. In some cases of Addison’s disease, the adrenals fail to produce a balance of the hormones aldosterone and adrenaline which causes low blood pressure, tremors, fatigue, dehydration and a craving for salty foods.
ADRENAL SYNDROME:
Some physicians distinguish between Addison’s disease and what is sometimes referred to as Adrenal Syndrome. In this case, Addison’s disease is characterized as being associated with shrinkage of the adrenals (atrophy) or a lack of signaling hormone produced by the pituitary gland. This is contrasted with a simple weakening of the adrenals due to unrelieved stress over an extended period of time. Unrelieved stress over an extended period of time can lead to the adrenals simply wearing out and being unable to cope with the body’s demand for the stress hormones this gland is designed to produce. Since the same syndrome of symptoms associated with Addison’s disease is present with this condition, it is referred to as adrenal syndrome.
The adrenal response to stress takes priority over all other metabolic functions. The release of cortisol is for the purpose of providing the body with the ability to react to and handle stresses as they occur. This response, however, isn’t meant to continue over long periods of time without abatement. When cortisol levels are maintained at high levels over extended periods of time, it can lead to the breakdown of muscle and bone tissue, weaken normal cell regeneration, impair digestion, weaken immunity and play havoc with a host of other bodily processes. Extended periods of high cortisol levels can lead to the adrenals becoming weakened and no longer able to produce adequate cortisol levels. When this happens, the body’s ability to properly respond to stress is compromised leading to the symptoms already described.
When the adrenals are chronically overworked and straining to maintain high cortisol levels, they lose the capacity to produce DHEA in sufficient amounts. DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is another hormone produced by the adrenal cortex and acts as a precursor hormone to the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. DHEA acts to facilitate the balance of hormones in the body. Insufficient DHEA contributes to fatigue, bone loss, loss of muscle mass, depression, aching joints, decreased sex drive, and impaired immune function.
IDENTIFYING ADRENAL FATIGUE:
Ideally, cortisol should be elevated in the morning, then become lower but steady throughout the day and then fall in the evening in anticipation of sleep. When cortisol levels are consistently high during the day and continue rising in the evening is when the adrenals can become over stressed and eventually lose their ability to function as designed. When the adrenals become exhausted due to being overworked, cortisol will never reach normal levels which results in constant fatigue and many other symptoms. Mainstream medicine tends to only recognize problems with cortisol production when levels become severely depressed as in Addison’s disease or extremely elevated as in Cushing’s disease. Nutritionally orientated practitioners will test cortisol levels throughout the day in an effort to determine adrenal function.
WHO NEEDS TO BE TESTED?
If your energy level is generally high without the need to artificially elevate it by using caffeine products or other forms of stimulation, if you sleep soundly most of the time and are generally emotionally stable, your cortisol levels are probably sufficient. On the other hand, if you tend to be constantly tired, don’t sleep well and feel emotionally unstable much of the time, this could indicate depressed cortisol levels and testing for such levels could determine whether this is indeed the case. I recommend such testing be done by a health care practitioner who is trained in identifying cortisol related health problems.
ADRENAL SELF-TEST:
You can determine adrenal function in general with a self administered blood pressure test. Normally systolic blood pressure (the upper reading) is approximately ten points higher when you are standing than when you are lying down. It the adrenals are not functioning properly, this may not be the case. You will need a home blood pressure monitor to do this test. Take your blood pressure reading after lying down for five minutes and then take it again immediately upon standing up. If your systolic blood pressure is lower after you stand up it can be indicative of reduced adrenal function. If this is the case, you may want to have cortisol and other adrenal hormones checked to determined adrenal output.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT:
A strong whole food diet which is heavy on the side of fresh vegetables and fruit is necessary to maintain adrenal health, as well as, the health of all other body tissues. The adrenals need a lot of the B vitamins, especially vitamin B-5 which is pantothenic acid. Vitamin C is also essential to adrenal health along with the amino acid L-Tyrosine. Do not take supplemental L-Tyrosine if you are on a MAO inhibitor antidepressant drug as the combination of tyrosine and an MAO can elevate blood pressure. Raw adrenal and adrenal cortex glandulars can provide targeted support to the adrenals by providing the specific nutrients needed by these tissues.
STRESS REDUCTION:
While easier said than done, stress reduction is critical to taking the pressure off the adrenals to produce cortisol while at the same time maintaining proper secretion of the various other hormones these glands produce to maintain our health. Exercise is a know stress reducer and provides many other physiological and psychological benefits. It may be wise to make a list of those things that seem to produce the most stress in your life and than work at finding ways to make changes that will reduce those stressors.