 Understanding
and identifying the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), secreted by
the head of the pituitary gland, is the gold standard for diagnosing
hypothyroidism, which is linked to cardiac risk factors including:
- Plasma homocysteine
- C-reactive protein (CRP)
- Cholesterol levels
Researchers conducted a study to discover the relationship between
these risk factors and the suppression of TSH. The study involved
400 patients divided into three groups. All groups were given Free
T3 and Free T4, hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The groups
were divided by:
- Group 1: TSH level less than 2.0
- Group 2: TSH level ranging from 2.0 to less than 5.5
- Group 3: TSH level ranging from 5.5 to less than 20.0
The study found that normalizing TSH with a target TSH level of
less than 2.0 is necessary to lower CRP, homocystene and possibly
cholesterol levels.
Mary Shomon, author of Living
Well With Hypothyroidism, a book detailing the mystery and symptoms
behind the disease, was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis in
1995. Shomon was able to turn her experiences with thyroid complications
into a tool in order to help others struggling with similar issues.
Aside from running the top thyroid Web site on the Internet, Shomon
researches and writes about autoimmune disease, hormones and weight
loss.
Mary
Shomon September 30, 2004
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