Smoking habits were evaluated in 128 normal women and 135 women with
primary hypothyroidism. Among those with overt hypothyroidism, the smokers
have a greater degree of hypothyroidism, and the heavier the smoking habits,
the worse this was. Both thyroid function and hormonal function were affected
by smoking. Muller B et al: Impaired action of thyroid hormone associated with
smoking in women with hypothyroidism. N Engl J Med 333(15):964-9, 1995.
17 patients diagnosed as hypothyroid were able to discontinue thyroid
replacement therapy after beginning a food elimination and replacement programme
free of sugar and refined foods. Thyroid function returned to or remained
normal. Borok G et al: Atopy: the incidence in chronic recurrent maladies. XVI
European Congress of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Madrid, 1995.
Selenium is required to convert the T4 thyroid hormone to the active T3 form,
a process which is frequently inefficient in the elderly, who often suffer from
hypothyroidism. Selenium supplementation in a group of elderly patients was
found to significantly improve selenium status and decrease T4 levels compared
with controls. Olivieri O et al: Low selenium status in the elderly influences
thyroid hormones. Clin Sci (Colch) 89(6):637-42, 1995.
In a group of 52 Down's syndrome patients suffering from hypothyroidism, 9
were found to be zinc deficient. When administered zinc supplements their
thyroid function improved. Napolitano G et al: Is zinc deficiency a cause of
subclinical hypothyroidism in Down's syndrome? Ann Genet 33(1):9-15, 1990.
T4 thyroid hormone requires conversion to the active T3 form for utilization
in the body. Nine out of 13 subjects with low T3 levels were found to have mild
to moderate zinc deficiency. After supplementation with zinc sulphate for 12
months, T3 and T4 levels normalized. The researchers conclude that zinc may play
a part in thyroid hormone metabolism in patients with low T3 levels and may play
a part in the conversion of T4 to T3. Nishiyama S et al: Zinc supplementation
alters thyroid hormone metabolism in disabled patients with zinc deficiency. J
Am Coll Nutr 13(1):62-7, 1994.
Selenium supplementation when administered to hypothyroid cystic fibrosis
patients resulted in an increase in T3 thyroid hormone levels, indicating that
conversion of T4 to T3 had improved. LDL cholesterol decreased, which was taken
as another measure of improved thyroid hormone efficacy. Kauf E et al: Sodium
selenite therapy and thyroid-hormone status in cystic fibrosis and congenital
hypothyroidism. Biol Trace Elem Res 40(3):247-53, 1994.
