Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

GLP-1 agonists are a class of medications that everyone is talking about right now because of their beneficial effects on weight loss. And while they are effective at helping with weight loss, there have been multiple studies that suggest that there is a link between their use and the new onset of thyroid cancer. Let’s talk about this connection in more detail to see if it is something you should actually worry about. First off, where does this information come from? Studies like this one (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36356111/) suggest that there is indeed a real risk of thyroid cancer with long term use of GLP-1 agonists in diabetes. This study showed that there were about 2,500 new cases of thyroid cancer in a sample size of over 3.7 million. The incidence of thyroid cancer in these patients was small but still real. It’s important to note here that correlation does not equal causation but this is just adding to the pile of studies that suggest a link between these medications and thyroid cancer s

Maintaining optimal thyroid function should be priority #1 for thyroid patients. Unfortunately, the standard methods doctors use to track thyroid function are not as accurate as you might think. The good news is that you don’t have to rely solely on these thyroid lab tests to determine your thyroid function. You can track other metrics on top of your thyroid lab tests which will give you very valuable information. Let’s talk about 5 metrics that every thyroid patient should start tracking right now: 1. Basal body temperature. Very few things impact your basal body temperature and your thyroid is one of those. By tracking this metric you can determine if your thyroid medication dose is sufficient. 2. Resting heart rate. Your resting heart rate is tied to your metabolism and both are under the regulation of your thyroid. 3. Cholesterol level. Thyroid function controls and regulates your cholesterol and you should see your levels drop as thyroid function increases. 4. Blood sugar level. Blood sug

Is your thyroid contributing to an overall look of fatigue or tiredness on your face? If so, you aren’t alone. And today I’m going to teach you how to get rid of this look so you that you can wake up feeling and looking refreshed. The stereotypical thyroid tired look comes from a variety of things including the impact that thyroid function can have on your face and eyes. Due to changes in your sleep and even changes in your facial shape from swelling, your thyroid can make you look chronically tired. The good news is that it doesn’t have to last forever and there are things you can do to fix it right up. Step 1. Get more sleep! Here are 3 tips to help you get more sleep: - Tape your mouth shut. - Set a bed time and protect it. - Allow your body to wake up naturally and get out of bed immediately upon waking up. - Step 4 (treat your thyroid but more on this later). Getting more sleep is ALWAYS important if you don’t want to look tired. Step 2. Do facial yoga. Facial yoga targets the muscles of facial

I probably don’t need to convince you that not all thyroid medications are created equal. If you’ve been a thyroid patient for any length of time then you know that there are some thyroid medications that just seem to work better than others. The question is why? There are several reasons for this but one of the main reasons has to do with the inactive ingredients. Every single thyroid medication contains similar active ingredients but they differ dramatically in their inactive ingredients. And it is these inactive ingredients that can cause a lot of issues for patients. Here are the BEST and CLEANEST thyroid medications on the market by thyroid medication class: The cleanest T4-only thyroid medications: Tirosint Tirosint-sol The cleanest T3-only thyroid medications: Sustained release T3 (SR T3) The cleanest NDT thyroid medications: NP Thyroid by a slight margin (WP thyroid be the best if it were available) #thyroidmedication #thyroidmedicine #levothyroxine #thyroidawareness #thyroidproblems #hypoth

Are you struggling to keep your appetite under control? If so you aren’t alone as this is very common among people with thyroid problems. Never been diagnosed with a thyroid problem? That doesn’t necessarily mean you are out of the clear as there are many people walking around with undiagnosed thyroid conditions. The good news is that you can get your appetite under control and here are a few tips and tricks to help make that happen: 1. Make sure you are drinking enough water. 2. Make sure you are eating enough protein. 3. Make sure you’re actually hungry and not eating just because of emotions. 4. Still hungry after a meal? Fill up on veggies. 5. Make sure your thyroid is optimized. 6. Check your leptin level. 7. Try natural appetite suppressants. 8. If everything else fails, try prescription appetite suppressants. By taking advantage of these tips and tricks you will be able to get a hold on your appetite and keep yourself from sabotaging your health! #thyroid #hypothyroidism #appetitesuppr

Berberine is one of my favorite supplements out there and has been for several years. The reason is simple: berberine helps treat the biggest and most important conditions that people face including weight gain, insulin resistance, and gut dysfunction. It’s not only healthy for people who are already healthy, but it’s also amazing for people who want to stay healthy! You can use it to assist with weight loss, balance your blood sugar, build more muscle mass, or just optimize your physique. Let’s talk about the benefits of berberine and why you can make a strong case to use it. Many of the benefits we are going to be discussing today stem from Berberine’s ability to increase something called AMPK or AMP kinase. This is the same enzyme that is increased when you exercise. So when you think about the benefits, think about berberine as a tiny bottle of exercise. It doesn’t replace exercise but it’s helpful to wrap your head around how it’s working. Activating AMPK increases fat burning potential, mitochondr

Is there a connection between the use of artificial sweeteners and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis? Well, there’s at least one case study that showed an interesting connection: One woman was able to completely put her Hashimoto’s into remission by doing one thing: avoid artificial sweeteners. Does this mean that the use of these compounds cause Hashimoto’s or that they should be avoided by everyone? It doesn’t. But it does suggest that removing them from your diet is a VERY good idea if you have this condition for the following reasons: 1. There are very few treatments available for patients with Hashimoto’s so you might as well take advantage of the few that exist. 2. You won’t cause any harm by removing them from your diet. 3. The use of artificial sweeteners has been linked to other health problems in humans and animals. 4. There’s no need to consume artificial sweeteners given that there are more natural low-calorie sweet options available. 5. There are other, better ways for patients with Hashimot

Improving your gut health is one of the most important things you can do as a patient with Hashimoto’s. Targeting your gut can increase T4 to T3 conversion thereby providing your body with more T3, it can improve thyroid medication absorption, it can reduce inflammation, help you lose weight, and improve your overall health. Targeting your gut is a no-brainer and one of the easiest ways to do this is with the use of probiotics. But which probiotics are best? That’s exactly what we are going to be talking about today. #1. Soil-based organisms. These probiotic species come from the ground and we are no longer exposed to them due to the fact that we no longer drink well water and due to changes in our farming techniques. Soil based organisms have been shown to populate the intestinal tract which means they provide long-term benefit, they are long-lasting, they are heat stable, they can be used to treat conditions like SIBO, gas, distention, bloating, and more. Strains to look for: Bacillus coagulans, ba

Thinking about using high-dose iodine to "help" your thyroid? Think again. I can’t think of many good reasons to use high-dose iodine for one simple reason: The benefits don’t outweigh the risks. Are there benefits to using high-dose iodine? Sure, but those benefits can be obtained using other, less dangerous, therapies and treatments. Some people disagree with this idea by suggesting that high-dose iodine is not only beneficial but necessary. Let’s break apart their arguments to see if they hold water: Argument #1. High-Dose Iodine is Safe Because The Japanese Population Consumes 12.5 mg Per Day. This may be appealing if it were true, but it’s not. Data from the Japanese government shows that the Japanese consume, on average, 1 to 3 mg per day. Argument #2. High-Dose Iodine Helps Detoxify Harmful Compounds (Halogens). There is some truth to this argument but you don’t need high doses of iodine to detox out halogens from your body. You can do this with chloride and low doses of iodine. Argume

T4 is the most abundant thyroid hormone in the body by far. Roughly 80% of all thyroid hormone floating around in your body right now is in the form of T4. It may not be the most powerful, but it’s obviously very important to thyroid hormone regulation because your body can draw upon your T4 store to create various types of thyroid hormone as needed. If you are someone who is trying to optimize your thyroid function for better health or because you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, you should find this information on how to increase your T4 levels naturally very helpful: 1. Diet: Look for foods that are high in iron, tyrosine, and iodine as all 3 of these nutrients are needed for thyroid hormone production. #2. Food volume: Not only are the type of foods that you eat important but also the quantity or volume of food that you eat. Avoid calorie restricted diets if you are trying to increase your T4 level. You may paradoxically see an increase in T4 temporarily but this comes at the cost of low T3 which

You might have heard me say before that if your doctor is trying to convince you that your thyroid symptoms are from something other than your thyroid, then it’s time to see another doctor. While that is very often the case, there are absolutely other medical conditions that can mimic hypothyroid symptoms. These medical conditions can cause symptoms that are so close to that of hypothyroidism, that it’s actually really easy to confuse the two. The good news is that there are slight differences between these conditions and it is possible to tell them apart. But in order to do that, you have to be aware that they exist! Here are 8 different medical conditions that cause symptoms that are almost identical to that of hypothyroidism: 1. Hyperparathyroidism 2. Anemia and low ferritin. 3. Sleep apnea. 4. Menopause and perimenopause. 5. Fatty liver. 6. Adrenal fatigue. 7. Fibromyalgia. 8. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies. One of the BEST ways to tell these conditions apart is by getting a complete

Iodine is critical for overall health, especially thyroid health. But the question is, how much should you be getting each day? This is an incredibly contentious topic because everyone seems to have a different opinion. What I’m going to do today is break down iodine dosing in a simple and easy-to-understand way so you understand how much you should be taking to minimize negative outcomes while maximizing positive ones. When you look at the RDA for iodine you’ll see that the recommended dosing should be between 150 and 270 (~300) mcg per day depending on whether or not you are a lactating woman or a pregnant woman. Those who are lactating or pregnant require more than the average adult because they need to make up for what a developing child needs. What happens when you don’t get enough iodine? You will end up with a goiter and hypothyroidism which is not ideal. What happens when you get too much? You increase your risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease. How

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that provides benefits that just about every thyroid patient wants. Unlike vitamin K1, vitamin K2 has a much more broad-reaching impact on multiple systems in the body including calcium regulation, cancer prevention, hormone balance, and more. And unlike vitamin K1, vitamin K2 is more difficult to get and not as well known. This presents an awesome opportunity for thyroid patients to take more of this vitamin to get the benefits that it provides. Some benefits of vitamin K2 use include: 1. It balances calcium levels in the body. Vitamin K2 helps put calcium where you want it and keeps it from places that you don’t. This means it helps direct calcium away from your arteries and into your bones and teeth. It works perfectly with vitamin D. 2. It helps strengthen your bones and prevents pre-mature bone loss. Vitamin K2 also helps to prevent pre-mature bone loss which is a condition that thyroid patients suffer from! Whether you have hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidis

No matter how you look at it, your diet has the ability to negatively or positively impact thyroid function. Today I want to talk about what type of changes you can make to the foods that you eat to improve your thyroid if you have hypothyroidism. These tips and tricks will help your thyroid function more optimally so that you can not only produce enough thyroid hormone but also convert that thyroid hormone into its most active form. These tips are primarily targeted at those with hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, low thyroid, and a sluggish thyroid. Tip 1: Find a whole food-based diet and stick to it for at least 90 days. It doesn’t really matter which diet you use but here are some of my favorites and some that I have personally recommended to thyroid patients in the past: whole30, elimination diet, keto, carnivore, paleo, AIP, and gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free. Tip 2: Avoid calorie-restricted diets. It may be tempting to reduce your calories if you are trying to lose weight but it can be d

Thyroid nodules are incredibly common and impact up to 65% of people! The number of people who have thyroid nodules goes up as they age as well leaving a huge number of people with these bundles of joy toward the end of their life. Why should you care about thyroid nodules? Because sometimes (rarely) they may be cancerous. Luckily, 95% of the time they are benign and don’t do much except cause stress to the patient who has them but if they are present, you do need to keep an eye on them to make sure you aren’t one of the unlucky few who does end up with thyroid cancer over time. Because of this problem, many patients with nodules are looking for ways to shrink them so let’s talk about how that can happen right now. Here are 6 potential therapies that may help you reduce the size or eliminate your thyroid nodules but you should be aware that they don’t always work! But even if that’s the case, it’s still always a good idea to use these treatments because they won’t hurt and only have the potential to hel

Armour thyroid is one of the most popular natural desiccated thyroid medications on the market. For that reason, we are going to be taking a close look at both the inactive and inactive ingredients found inside of this thyroid medication to see what it’s actually made of. I plan to do this for all thyroid medications and if you’d like to see my previous video on levothyroxine ingredients you can find that here: When it comes to active ingredients, Armour thyroid contains the following: Standardized doses of T4 and T3 and non-standardized doses of T2, T1 (probably), and calcitonin. These are active hormones found inside of this medication. A non-standardized dose just means that it’s probably found in there but they don’t ensure any sort of level between lots. The inactive ingredients include calcium stearate, dextrose, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, and opadry white. If you are having issues with Armour thyroid it is almost certainly due to the inactive ingredients as opposed to

Is Hashimoto’s considered a fatal disease? Technically, yes, but the reality is that most people will not die directly from Hashimoto’s. In order for this to happen you must neglect your health and thyroid for decades which is very unlikely to happen in developed countries like the United States. But does that mean you are free from risk if you have Hashimoto’s? Not at all. We know from twin studies that patients with hypothyroidism have a 50% increased risk of mortality compared to the average population and we also know that Hashimoto’s leads to hypothyroidism so this risk is likely relevant to patients with autoimmune thyroid disease as well. But what causes this risk? It’s not from the thyroid itself but from comorbidities that are associated with hypothyroidism. These conditions include: 1. An increase in cancer risk. 2. An increase in cardiovascular disease. 3. And an increased risk of obesity which leads to metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and insulin resistance. This may

Is Hashimoto’s a genetic condition? The short answer is yes but what’s key here is that just because you may have the underlying genetics associated with developing Hashimoto’s doesn’t guarantee that that the disease state will manifest in your body. And this is key. Understanding this genetic component will allow you to live your life in such a way as to avoid certain factors which have the potential to trigger Hashimoto’s. This means you can either a) prevent Hashimoto’s or b) treat your condition upstream if it’s already present. The genes and endogenous factors associated with Hashimoto’s include: - HLA class DR3 and DR5 (there are many others but these are most common) - CTLA4 receptor - PTN22 - Female sex - Pregnancy - Skewed X Chromosome inactivation These by themselves are not enough to trigger the disease, though, as they must be combined with exogenous or environmental factors as well. The environmental factors that trigger these genes include: - High-dose iodine exposure - Infections - Cy

Ever wonder what is actually in levothyroxine? This medication is one of the most prescribed medications in the United States and yet so many people have no idea what they are actually consuming every day. Understanding what’s in this medication is important because some of the ingredients may be causing you problems. When it comes to thyroid medications there are two types of ingredients you should be aware of: 1. Active ingredients And 2. Inactive ingredients The active ingredients are usually not the problem for most thyroid patients because this component is dose dependent. You are either taking enough or you aren’t. But this isn’t true for the inactive ingredients. These ingredients can cause hypersensitivity reactions regardless of the dose and may lead to a host of symptoms. The active ingredients found in levothyroxine include: thyroxine. The inactive ingredients include: magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, colloidal silicone dioxide, sodium starch glycolate, and color additive

Many thyroid patients with autoimmune thyroid disease like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ don’t realize this but the antibodies that cause thyroid problems (that are associated with these disease states) also cause problems in other tissues in your body. These antibodies are like heat-seeking missiles that target various proteins and receptors in your thyroid gland which results in abnormalities in thyroid function as well as thyroid gland damage. We are also learning that these antibodies can cause harm and damage to other tissues as well depending on which antibody you have present in your body. Let’s go over each antibody and the problems they can cause: Thyroid peroxidase antibody: - Hashimoto’s encephalitis - Infertility - Vasculo-placental complications - Health in aged women - Increased cancer incidence in breast, colon, kidney, and uterus - Decreased survival rate in breast cancer patients Thyroglobulin antibody: - Infertility - Increased cancer incidence of breast, colon, kidney, and uterus - Decre