"Doctor, I always feel like I have fog in my head. I can't think straight, I always feel tired and I'm gaining weight, even though I eat much less than all the other members of my family," says Mrs Elfriede F. during her first consultation in our practice. She describes typical symptoms of hypothyroidism.

The thyroid gland is something like the accelerator for the metabolism. As a hormone-producing organ, it releases messenger substances that activate our body's metabolism. According to recent studies, 50% of the population is affected by thyroid disorders. While in the past it was mainly goiters and mental disorders that resulted from iodine deficiency, nowadays the focus is on thyroid diseases that are triggered by dysfunctions of the immune system.

Hyperthyroidism

Back to the accelerator: with normal thyroid function, enough energy and heat are produced from food and oxygen. In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland puts the pedal to the metal. Due to the excessively released thyroid hormones, the whole body is constantly under stress: racing heart, shallow sleep, nervousness, weight loss, sweating and trembling are among the main complaints. Even large amounts of food can hardly satisfy hunger. Overactive thyroid glands that persist for years lead to premature ageing and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Hypothyroidism

Underactivity of the thyroid gland is much more common. It produces too little metabolically active thyroid hormone and thus cannot "give the body the right gas". Dullness of mind with reduced memory, tiredness, feeling cold, water retention and excess weight, sluggish excretion and thinning scalp hair are among the important symptoms.

Nodule formation (goitre)

A large goitre used to be a common occurrence. In the inner Alpine and near Alpine regions, the supply of iodine in the diet is insufficient. The thyroid hormone thyroxine contains 4 iodine atoms. If there is not enough iodine in the diet, the thyroid gland swells more and more to fulfil its task of producing hormones containing iodine. In the process, more and more thyroid tissue is formed, leading to goitre. Iodisation of table salt, which has been widely practised for several decades, provides so much iodine that goitre has become rare.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (auto-immune disease of the thyroid gland)

The most common thyroid disease nowadays is Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In this disease, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland and destroys hormone-producing cells of this organ. The thyroid gland is not the culprit in this disorder, but the victim of a malfunction of the immune system. Nine out of ten Hashimoto's patients are women. Especially in times of hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause), this disease recurs or flares up. The main symptoms are usually fatigue and weight gain while the diet remains the same. Holistic therapy includes not only replacing the missing thyroid hormones, but also treatments to modulate the immune system. Dietary recommendations, cleansing cures, herbal remedies from Ayurvedic medicine, vitamins and minerals play an important role.

Replacement of the missing thyroid hormones

Many people take thyroid hormones. Unfortunately, only some of these patients are so well supplied with these hormones that all complaints are satisfactorily eliminated. Decisive for the correct setting are not only laboratory values, but above all the subjective feeling. As long as typical complaints or symptoms of hypothyroidism occur, the setting with thyroid tablets is also not suitable. In today's clinical practice, the prevailing opinion is that a replacement with the hormone thyroxine (T4) is sufficient. However, many patients also need a replacement of the thyroid hormone T3 if the conversion from T4 to T3 is blocked in the body. In such a situation, the laboratory values are correct, but the complaints such as tiredness, dullness, overweight and water retention remain. In our practice, we then switch patients to thyroid medication that also contains the hormone T3 (triiodine-thyronine).

Are thyroid hormones unnatural?

Many patients consult their doctor with the wish to be able to omit their thyroid medication. For many, the very fact of being treated with hormones is a procedure they fundamentally dislike. The active substances contained in the commercially available thyroid medicines are so-called bio-identical hormones. This means that they correspond one-to-one in structure and function to the body's own hormones. In contrast to artificial hormone-like substances, such as those used in contraception (pill, hormonal IUD), thyroid hormones in the right dosage are not only completely harmless, but also useful because they enable many people to lead a normal life without the distressing symptoms of hypothyroidism. However, there are always cases in holistic thyroid therapy where thyroid hormones can be discontinued. "The thyroid is intelligent" says Austrian thyroid specialist Dr Berndt Rieger, referring to the thyroid's ability to regenerate when the disease is not too far advanced.

Self-test for hypothyroidism

Anyone can use a simple self-test to determine whether they have hypothyroidism despite (supposedly) normal thyroid levels. One of the important symptoms of hypothyroidism is a too low body temperature. The waking temperature of thyroid-healthy people is about 36.5°. A lower temperature indicates hypothyroidism. This is how the test works: Before sleeping, place a liquid-filled clinical thermometer on your bedside table and hit it to a temperature below 35°. Immediately after waking up, before doing any other activity, put the clinical thermometer in your mouth or armpit and leave it for 5 minutes before reading the temperature. Repeat this process for at least 4-5 days and note the waking temperature daily. If the waking temperature is below 36.5°, take additional readings on 3 days at 11 am, 4-5 pm and before sleeping. Attention: this test does not work during infections and in the middle of the cycle, because during this time the temperature rises above 36.5° due to ovulation.