Show 1015: Thyroid Mysteries, Controversies and the Latest Research

The thyroid medicine levothyroxine (Synthroid) is among the top ten drugs dispensed in the US. The inevitable conclusion is that thyroid malfunction is extremely common.

Even after diagnosis and treatment, however, many people continue to feel bad. Research has found a genetic basis that explains some people’s problems with levothyroxine.

Would a new approach to treatment help? What should it be? We talk with Dr. Antonio Bianco about his research on the genetics of hypothyroidism and the complexities of T4, T3 and TSH.

Thyroid superpatient Mary Shomon gives us an overview of what many individuals with hypothyroidism find helpful, and how you could make that work for you.

This Week’s Guests:

Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD, is head of the division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Rush University Medical Center. His articles include: “Coordination of hypothalamic and pituitary T3 production regulates TSH expression.” Journal of Clinical Investigation, April, 2013; “Cracking the code for thyroid hormone signaling.” Trans American Clinical and Climatological Association, 2013; “Defending plasma T3 is a biological priority.” Clinical Endocrinology, Nov. 2014; “Differences in hypothalamic type 2 deiodinase ubiquitination explain localized sensitivity to thyroxine.” Journal of Clinical Investigation, Feb. 2015; “Coupling between nutrient availability and thyroid hormone activation.” Journal of Biological Chemistry, online Oct. 23, 2015; and many others.

Dr. Bianco also co-chaired an American Thyroid Association task force that updated the guidelines for treating hypothyroidism. They were published in the journal Thyroid.

Mary Shomon has been a patient advocate and activist for thyroid and hormonal health since 1997, when she became the guide/thyroid expert for the popular Thyroid.About.com website. She is author of 13 books on thyroid health, hormones, and weight loss, including the NY Times bestseller Thyroid Diet Revolution. The photograph is of Mary Shomon.

Her websites are: http://thyroid.about.com

http://www.thyroid-info.com

http://www.facebook.com/ThyroidSupport

http://www.twitter.com/thyroidmary