Aa
MTHFR and thyroid
can someone tell me what this is? DO i need to be tested for this, or do i care? This seems to be the latest trend on the other boards. "MTHFR"
haha… the very last sentence you wrote barb has me laughing inside.. I'm thinking "you can say that again". Mtherfkr thyroid!
COMMUNITY LEADER
From what I can tell, this would only be important if one has a working thyroid. Once a thyroid has been removed or "burned out", everything changes.
From a Mary Shomon interview:
Question: Is there a connection between thyroid health and MTHFR?
Dr. Ben Lynch: Yes there is. We all know how prevalent hypothyroidism is. If one is hypothyroid, meaning their thyroid gland is functioning slowly, then the individual will have a sluggish MTHFR enzyme as well – even if this person does not have the MTHFR polymorphism.
Why?
Because the thyroid produces what is called T4, also known as thyroxine. Thyroxine helps produce the body’s most active form of vitamin B2, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Vitamin B2 must be converted into active FAD by thyroxine in order for the body to effectively use vitamin B2.
The connection between FAD and MTHFR is that the MTHFR enzyme must have an ample supply of FAD in order to function. If FAD levels are low due to low levels of thyroxine, then the MTHFR enzyme slows down, causing low methylfolate levels. We now know from above that low methylfolate leads to low neurotransmitters and low SAMe.
Question: What can hypothyroid patients do, i.e. nutrition and lifestyle changes, to cope with MTHFR inhibition?
Dr. Ben Lynch: Hypothyroid patients must have their doctor monitor their TSH, T4, T3, and thyroid antibodies often in order to optimize thyroid function. If any of these values are off, then the thyroid function will be compromised and thus the MTHFR enzyme will be as well.
It is critical that doctors monitor all these markers and not just TSH. TSH measurement by itself is worthless. It is similar to someone asking you where the car keys are and you reply back, “Over there.” ‘Where?’ you ask again. They reply back, “Over there.” Not very helpful unless the person actually points where ‘there’ is or defines it better for you.
Key nutrients for thyroid function are magnesium, iodine, selenium, zinc and tyrosine - which comes from eating – and absorbing - enough protein. Methylfolate, produced by the MTHFR enzyme, is also needed to help convert tyrosine into active thyroid hormone.
A lifestyle change for optimizing your thyroid would be to limit exposure to chlorine, bromine (bromide), and fluoride- basically the other halogens. Why? Because these other halogens mimic the charge of the halogen iodine, and that prevents iodine from binding to the receptor on your thyroid gland.
If you have other halogens on your thyroid receptor, how is iodine supposed to be bound to it? Difficult – especially if one is iodine deficient and some American women are deficient in iodine. Talk with your doctor about how to monitor iodine levels and properly supplement when necessary.
I recommend installing chlorine shower filters for your shower, filtering your drinking water, limiting exposure to fluoride, and limiting or avoiding drinking soda, as many citrus sodas contain brominated vegetable oil.
Environmental changes to protect your thyroid would be avoiding heavy metals such as mercury. Mercury and other heavy metals are very toxic to the thyroid. Mercury amalgams are researched to be an aggravating factor in causing Hashimoto’s disease.
A pervasive food that negatively affects your thyroid is gluten. Removing gluten entirely from your diet may significantly improve your thyroid. This means 100% avoidance – not ingestion once a week or once a month – complete avoidance. This is especially important if you have celiac disease.
Question: Is there a connection between thyroid health and MTHFR?
Dr. Ben Lynch: Yes there is. We all know how prevalent hypothyroidism is. If one is hypothyroid, meaning their thyroid gland is functioning slowly, then the individual will have a sluggish MTHFR enzyme as well – even if this person does not have the MTHFR polymorphism.
Why?
Because the thyroid produces what is called T4, also known as thyroxine. Thyroxine helps produce the body’s most active form of vitamin B2, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Vitamin B2 must be converted into active FAD by thyroxine in order for the body to effectively use vitamin B2.
The connection between FAD and MTHFR is that the MTHFR enzyme must have an ample supply of FAD in order to function. If FAD levels are low due to low levels of thyroxine, then the MTHFR enzyme slows down, causing low methylfolate levels. We now know from above that low methylfolate leads to low neurotransmitters and low SAMe.
Question: What can hypothyroid patients do, i.e. nutrition and lifestyle changes, to cope with MTHFR inhibition?
Dr. Ben Lynch: Hypothyroid patients must have their doctor monitor their TSH, T4, T3, and thyroid antibodies often in order to optimize thyroid function. If any of these values are off, then the thyroid function will be compromised and thus the MTHFR enzyme will be as well.
It is critical that doctors monitor all these markers and not just TSH. TSH measurement by itself is worthless. It is similar to someone asking you where the car keys are and you reply back, “Over there.” ‘Where?’ you ask again. They reply back, “Over there.” Not very helpful unless the person actually points where ‘there’ is or defines it better for you.
Key nutrients for thyroid function are magnesium, iodine, selenium, zinc and tyrosine - which comes from eating – and absorbing - enough protein. Methylfolate, produced by the MTHFR enzyme, is also needed to help convert tyrosine into active thyroid hormone.
A lifestyle change for optimizing your thyroid would be to limit exposure to chlorine, bromine (bromide), and fluoride- basically the other halogens. Why? Because these other halogens mimic the charge of the halogen iodine, and that prevents iodine from binding to the receptor on your thyroid gland.
If you have other halogens on your thyroid receptor, how is iodine supposed to be bound to it? Difficult – especially if one is iodine deficient and some American women are deficient in iodine. Talk with your doctor about how to monitor iodine levels and properly supplement when necessary.
I recommend installing chlorine shower filters for your shower, filtering your drinking water, limiting exposure to fluoride, and limiting or avoiding drinking soda, as many citrus sodas contain brominated vegetable oil.
Environmental changes to protect your thyroid would be avoiding heavy metals such as mercury. Mercury and other heavy metals are very toxic to the thyroid. Mercury amalgams are researched to be an aggravating factor in causing Hashimoto’s disease.
A pervasive food that negatively affects your thyroid is gluten. Removing gluten entirely from your diet may significantly improve your thyroid. This means 100% avoidance – not ingestion once a week or once a month – complete avoidance. This is especially important if you have celiac disease.
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