Thyroid Health

Thyroid hormones positively affected by selenium and vitamin E intake

High levels of stress can negatively affect the synthesis and metabolism of thyroid hormones (T4, T3). This may result in reduced thyroid hormone activity (hypothyroidism) and various health challenges including weight gain, lethargy, reproductive failure, depression, irritability, memory loss, muscle weakness, and more serious long term effects such as congestive heart failure.

In an effort to counteract the negative effects of stress on thyroid hormones, researchers such as Dr. L. Yue and colleagues investigated the ability of vitamin E and selenium to support healthy thyroid function. By observing the metabolic changes of T4 and T3 in experimental rats, Dr. L. Yue and colleagues sought to determine the relationship between selenium and vitamin E deficiency and thyroid hormone disturbances. Rats were either fed a selenium and vitamin E supplemented diet or a selenium and vitamin E deficient diet for 8 weeks.

Upon conclusion of the study, the rats that were deficient in selenium and vitamin E demonstrated a 36% decrease in T3 levels and a 32% increase in T4 levels. This in comparison to the selenium and vitamin E-supplemented rats that had "significantly higher" levels of T3, according to Dr. Yue and colleagues in the Chinese Medical Journal.


This study, among others, demonstrates the role of vitamin E and selenium in protecting and ensuring thyroid health, helping to defend against the inevitable stresses of life.
Chin Med J 1998;111(9):854-57.

Advanced Nutrition Publications ©2002

The 5 Early Warning Signs of Metabolic Syndrome

The 5 Early Warning Signs of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a critical turning point for your health. This cluster of conditions includes any 3 of the following: central obesity (“apple” body), low HDL “good” cholesterol, and/or high blood pressure, blood sugar, or triglycerides. A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is a red flag that you’re more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease—or both. At this crucial point, healthcare providers often recommend lifestyle changes (healthy eating, exercise, stress management, nutritional and medical food support) to help manage or reverse metabolic syndrome and the risk to more serious diseases.
You can also reduce your risk to metabolic syndrome. There’s no need to wait for a metabolic syndrome diagnosis to take action. Simply pay attention to the warning signs. Any single risk factor above—especially belly fat—is an obvious signal that you could be on your way to metabolic syndrome. But there are also 5 other early warnings that may mean you're at greater risk:

1.    Do you crave or eat a lot of carbohydrates (fast foods, sugary treats)?

2.    Do you get little exercise?

3.    Have you noticed a progressive weight gain (“spare tire”)?

4.    Do you have a family history of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or early heart disease?

5.    Have you experienced a decline in energy or increased stress?

It’s never too early to protect your future health. Set up an appointment today so we can discuss how you can reduce your risk to chronic illnesses or come to my workshop the first Thursday of the Month at 6:30 p.m. Call to register today: 801-447-8680

Osteoporosis Risk May Rise with Internal Abdominal Body Fat

For years, it was believed that obese women were at lower risk for developing osteoporosis, and that excess body fat actually protected against bone loss. However, a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) found that having too much internal abdominal fat may, in fact, have a damaging effect on bone health.

"We know that obesity is a major public health problem," said the study's lead author, Miriam A. Bredella, M.D., a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "Now we know that abdominal obesity needs to be included as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone loss."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 72 million American adults are considered obese. The CDC defines obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. Obesity is associated with many health problems including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea and joint diseases. Yet despite all the health issues, it was commonly accepted that women with increased body weight were at lower risk for bone loss.

But not all body fat is the same. Subcutaneous fat lies just below the skin, and visceral or intra-abdominal fat is located deep under the muscle tissue in the abdominal cavity. Genetics, diet and exercise are all contributors to the level of visceral fat that is stored in the body. Excess visceral fat is considered particularly dangerous, because in previous studies it has been associated with increased risk for heart disease.

Dr. Bredella and colleagues set out to evaluate the abdominal subcutaneous, visceral and total fat, as well as bone marrow fat and bone mineral density, in 50 premenopausal women with a mean BMI of 30. Each woman underwent an MR spectroscopy exam to evaluate the bone marrow fat of the L4, the fourth vertebra in the lumbar section of the spine. Then, the bone mineral density of the L4 was assessed using quantitative computed tomography (QCT), which measures bone mass and is used to assess bone loss.

The imaging revealed that women with more visceral fat had increased bone marrow fat and decreased bone mineral density. However, there was no significant correlation between either subcutaneous fat or total fat and bone marrow fat or bone mineral density. "Our results showed that having a lot of belly fat is more detrimental to bone health than having more superficial fat or fat around the hips," Dr. Bredella said.

According to the National Women's Health Information Center, 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and 18 million more have low bone mass, placing them at risk for the disease.

"It is important for the public to be aware that excess belly fat is a risk factor for bone loss, as well as heart disease and diabetes," Dr. Bredella said.

While bone loss is more common in women, the research team is currently conducting a study to determine whether belly fat is also a risk factor for bone loss in men.