The few souls who brave Antarctic weather may offer clues on treating wintertime blues in more temperate and populated spots on the planet. Researchers have found that treatment with thyroid hormone improves the dulled mental skills and bad moods that are part of Antarctic life.

Thyroid hormones help orchestrate the body's metabolism. When the concentration of thyroid hormone in the blood dips too low, metabolism slows and symptoms such as fatigue, poor memory, weight gain and depression set in. The condition, called hypothyroidism, is treated with thyroid hormone.

Since Antarctic living can produce a similar condition called polar T3 syndrome, investigators looked at whether thyroid hormone might be useful in the South Pole.

The findings suggest thyroid hormone may combat the "winter depression" that affects people living in more temperate climates.

Researchers followed 12 individuals over a year in Antarctica. The team found that during the first 4 months, the study participants' thyroid hormone levels dipped, along with their moods and performance on tests of mental skills and exercise capacity. Their body temperatures had also declined.

Over the next 7 months, half of the participants took daily doses of thyroid hormone. By the end of the study, their scores on mental skills tests had risen and so had their moods.

Researchers believe that living in Antarctica causes the muscles to hoard thyroid hormone in order to warm the body, at the expense of the brain. When they gave the individuals thyroid hormone, it may have been shuttled to the brain, where it was most needed. Thus, the improvement in mood and mental skills, but not exercise performance.

Thyroid fluctuations have also been found in temperate climates during winter. This study suggests thyroid supplements should be studied as a way to combat seasonal affective disorder, a wintertime depression marked by fatigue, mood swings and concentration problems.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism January 2001;86:110-116

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The researchers, like most traditional physicians used synthetic thyroid hormones in their study. They would have achieved far better results had they used desiccated whole thyroid preparations like Armour thyroid. The study does provide some powerful evidence that those taking thyroid hormones will need higher doses in the winter months than they do in the summer. Lack of sunlight has been shown to affect levels of vitamin D and melatonin, so it could be that this may be related to the decreased thyroid levels as well. That is why it is important to take vitamin D supplements during the winter months. Carlson's cod liver oil is now one of my favorite sources. I also highly recommend using Bio-Pure Light Boxes to fill your sunlight deficiency during the dreary winter months. Bio-Pure Light Boxes contain light bulbs that project full spectrum sunlight. You see, in order to achieve natural balanced sunlight INDOORS it is important that your light bulbs contain a full spectrum of color, as well as infrared and ultra violet wavelengths. There are two models you can chose from (BP-12 Combo Box and BP-12 Junior), which contain these essential ingredients to help you obtain the balanced sunlight that is essential to your physical AND mental health. Related Articles: How To Know If Your Thyroid Is Working Properly With Blood Tests Thyroid Disease Far More Widespread Than Originally Thought Thyroid Deficiency In Pregnancy Affects Child IQ