MLB Weekly Digest September 3rd Edition - NGSC Sports

Hypoglycemia And Hypothyroidism: How These Two Impact Each Other

Both thyroid and blood sugar issues involve a complex interplay of hormones in the body. If you have a condition like hypothyroidism, it can make managing your blood sugar levels more difficult.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck. It produces hormones that are essential to growth, development, and metabolism. For this reason, impaired thyroid function may impact a person's blood sugar levels and is closely linked to type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Hypothyroidism is the term doctors use for low thyroid function. Hypoglycemia is the term doctors use for low blood sugar.

Keep reading to learn how these two conditions are linked, as well as how other related conditions and medications may affect your blood sugar.

While hypothyroidism does not directly lower a person's blood sugar, it may contribute to low blood sugar episodes.

This is because the thyroid gland produces hormones that affect metabolism, which is how the body converts food into energy. With hypothyroidism, a person's metabolism decreases. When this process slows down, excess insulin hormone circulating in your body may cause blood sugar levels to drop and result in symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia in people without diabetes is rare. But when it's related to hypothyroidism, low blood sugars may result from:

A person with both diabetes and hypothyroidism may experience even more challenges.

As a result, people on diabetes medications who also have hypothyroidism may experience hypoglycemia from the slow metabolism of these glucose-lowering drugs.

It's important to note that the reverse is also true. Having diabetes may increase a person's chances of developing thyroid disease — either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune thyroid condition in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. This condition is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.

Researchers share that glucose intolerance affects up to 50% of people with autoimmune-related thyroid issues like Hashimoto's. This condition can lead to issues with low blood sugar as well.

In one study, researchers explain that autoimmune-induced hypothyroidism leads to hypoglycemia by decreasing the body's insulin requirement and increasing insulin sensitivity. When the body is more sensitive to insulin, blood sugar levels can drop too low and cause symptoms.

On the other end of the spectrum, hyperthyroidism is a condition where the body produces too much thyroid hormone. This may lead to symptoms like increased appetite, weight loss, reduced cholesterol, and insulin resistance.

Having hyperthyroidism increases a person's chances of developing hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). This situation may also increase a person's chances of developing diabetes or make existing diabetes more difficult to manage.

Levothyroxine is a drug used to treat hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer. It's a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine or T4, and it's a generic drug for the brand name medication, Synthroid.

This medication may actually raise blood sugar levels and is used to treat severe hypothyroidism or myxedema coma.

That said, older research suggests that levothyroxine may lead to hypoglycemia in people with existing liver issues. Depending on your health history, your doctor may want to monitor your blood sugar while taking this drug.

Also, speak with your doctor if you take diabetes medications, whether they're oral drugs or insulin. Levothyroxine may change how these medications work, and your doctor may need to adjust your dosages.

Hypothyroidism and hypoglycemia are related health conditions that impact the endocrine system. Research has shown a link between thyroid conditions and blood sugar levels, including diabetes. Likewise, people with diabetes may be more likely to have coexisting thyroid issues.

If you're experiencing symptoms that concern you, make an appointment with your doctor. You may be referred to an endocrinologist (a specialist who treats conditions of the endocrine system) who can diagnose thyroid disorders and blood sugar issues using blood tests.

Appropriate treatment can help stabilize your thyroid function and blood sugar levels, allowing you to feel your best again.

Research Reveals Aloe Vera Juice Can Speed A Slow Thyroid And Much More — Here's Why

Trusty aloe vera is best known for its skin-soothing abilities: Women use the plant topically to ease and heal burns and sunburns, calm red skin and erase wrinkles. But in addition to these beauty perks, aloe vera juice benefits the whole body when you drink it — either straight or added to a smoothie.

Indeed, "Aloe boasts compounds that reduce inflammation, soothe pain and improve muscle contraction in the GI tract," says Gary Null, PhD, author of The Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing. Read on for more health benefits of this tasty sip.

How Aloe Vera Juice Benefits the Thyroid

For starters, aloe vera juice soothes the gut. Why is this important? When the gut is inflamed, as it is for so many women, it can't absorb proven thyroid-supporting nutrients from our diet, like selenium, iodine, zinc and vitamin C. As a result, we often wind up with the classic symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, such as fatigue, brain fog, low energy and brittle hair. Experts note that when folks eat in a way that reduces gut inflammation, they increase their intake of thyroid-healing nutrients by up to 1,000%.

Women who struggle with the symptoms of a sluggish thyroid — depression, tiredness, and thinning hair — might have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition where the body's immune-fighting messaging system — rooted in the gut — is overrun by inflammation and attacks the "master gland" critical for energy, mood, digestion and weight. In fact, "more than 90% of women with low thyroid have Hashimoto's," confirms 'Thyroid Pharmacist' Izabella Wentz, PharmD, who wrote Hashimoto's Protocol after curing her own thyroid disease. She's a fan of drinking naturally anti-inflammatory aloe vera juice to benefit thyroid health.

"The best way to stop an autoimmune attack on the thyroid is by following an anti-inflammatory diet to heal the gut damage that triggers the attack," agrees Emi Hosoda, MD. She healed her thyroid condition and lost 100 pounds eating and drinking anti-inflammatory foods.

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What's more, "aloe vera juice also feeds the 'good' bacteria in our gut that support immunity and proper thyroid function," explains Taz Bhatia, MD. In this way, the juice functions as a "prebiotic" food for gut bugs. Indeed, in a study published in the Journal of Clinical & Translational Endocrinology, subjects drinking 1 to 2 oz. Of food-grade aloe vera juice first thing in the morning reduced thyroid-damaging antibodies by 58% over nine months. Lead author Daniela Metro, PhD, stumbled on the cure when dealing with her own subclinical case of Hashimoto's. Metro says, "The drink decreases the burden of thyroid autoimmune inflammation."

In addition to healing the thyroid, aloe vera juice benefits the body in countless other ways. Keep reading to learn how.

Aloe vera juice eases heartburn.

Aloe vera drinks can help nip heartburn in the bud, according to Chinese researchers. They credit the 200+ compounds in the sip that prevent inflammation in the esophagus and supercharge the production of reflux-fighting enzymes, which can reduce heartburn flare-up frequency.

Aloe vera juice soothes sore joints.

Aloe vera juice is rich in two plant compounds (salicylic acid and sterols) that suppress joint inflammation and stop fluid buildup in the joints. And according to an animal study in Central European Journal of Immunology, sipping just 1 oz. Daily can slash joint pain and swelling.

Aloe vera juice balances blood sugar.

Plant compounds in aloe vera juice (phytosterols) improve cells' ability to absorb and utilize sugar. The payoff: Researchers found this effect helped subjects given a daily dose of aloe vera reduce their fasting blood-sugar levels more than those taking a placebo.

How To Consume Aloe Vera Juice

It's easy to experience the skin perks of aloe with a topical cream (or, in some cases, by breaking a leaf off the plant and rubbing the gel directly on your skin), but you need to drink aloe juice to get the full-body perks. For best results, top doctors like Vincent Pedre, MD, recommend sipping it in the morning on an empty stomach. "Aloe vera juice is powerful," assures Dr. Pedre. "Many of my patients add a tablespoon of store-bought aloe vera juice to their smoothies or just drink a shot of it."

Where To Get Aloe Vera Juice

You can buy food-grade aloe vera juice (like Dynamic Health Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller Juice, $12.99 for 32 oz., Vitacost.Com) in health-food stores or online, or you can stir a spoonful of aloe vera powder into 8 oz. Of water or tea. Dr. Pedre suggests looking for powder blends with gut-supportive nutrients, such as slippery elm, herbal licorice root or cat's claw. His product, Enhance (available at HappyGutLife.Com), fits the bill.

You can also make your own aloe vera juice. To do: Slice off a 1" section from an aloe houseplant or from an aloe vera leaf (found in the produce department in some grocery stores) scoop out the raw pulp (the inner gel or "meat") and thoroughly rinse or soak to eliminate bitterness. Then blend it into 8 oz. Of water.

Even better, you can mix food-grade aloe vera juice into a number of drinks. Here, deliciously sweet sips made with aloe vera juice to help you look and feel your best. Try one today! (Note that aloe has a mild laxative effect, so doctors recommend you start slowly, sipping 1 Tbs. A day, and slowly building up to 1⁄2 cup a day.)

3 Delicious Recipes To Get You Started Blueberry Smoothie Blast

Two blueberry smoothies

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 banana

4 oz. Aloe vera juice

1 Tbs. Honey

In blender, puree all ingredients with 1 cup of water.

Makes 2 servings

Cucumber Mojito Mocktail

Liliya Kandrashevichf/shutterstock

1 ⁄4 cup mint leaves

1 ⁄4 cup sugar

1 cucumber, sliced

1 ⁄ 2 cup lime-flavored sparkling water

4 oz. Aloe vera juice

Cook mint, sugar and 1 ⁄4 cup of water 5 min.; let cool. In blender, puree syrup with remaining ingredients and 2 cups of ice until smooth.

Makes 2 servings

Watermelon Lime Slush

Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

2 cups diced watermelon

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 ⁄4 cup sugar

4 oz. Aloe vera juice

In blender, puree watermelon until smooth; add remaining ingredients with 2 cups of ice and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth.

Makes 2 servings

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, First For Women.

Study Finds Link Between Environmental Chemical Exposure And Thyroid Problems In Women With Fertility Issues

A study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, reveals multiple associations between the presence of phenol biomarkers and altered thyroid hormone measurements among women seeking fertility care. Their results are published in the journal Toxics, and provide additional insights into how exposure to environmental chemicals and lifestyle choices may affect reproductive health.

Many women nowadays experience thyroid problems. Therefore, we aimed to identify some predictors of thyroid hormone levels in order to help women improve their health. In this context, a woman's health is more than just her well-being, but also her fertility and her knowledge of dangers."

Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, PhD, MPH, senior author, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, reproductive epidemiologist in the Brigham's Channing Division of Network Medicine and co-investigator of the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) study

Repeated exposure to specific phenol chemicals found in everyday items like toys, sunscreen, dental products, food packaging, and food preservatives can disrupt hormonal balances within the body, leading to adverse health effects. Previous studies have evaluated these individual chemicals and their effects on the thyroid. However, the combined impact of these multiple phenols on the endocrine system, particularly in relation to female fertility, is not yet fully understood.

Fertility relies crucially on maintaining a steady harmony of hormones within the body. Disruptions to these levels can occur from external sources, particularly exposure to environmental hazards. Brigham researchers sought to assess the impact of some of the most common environmental chemicals that have been shown in animal models to affect thyroid hormones.

Their study looked at 339 women seeking care at a fertility clinic. The team evaluated urinary concentrations for phenol biomarkers and serum samples for molecular markers of thyroid function and thyroid autoimmunity. Various statistical methods were then used to gauge the combined influence of these biomarkers on thyroid levels.

By evaluating the simultaneous combinations of chemicals, the researchers were able to more accurately capture real world effects as humans are exposed to hundreds of chemicals at the same time, not just one by one. The researchers observed that the presence of urinary bisphenol A, methylparaben and triclosan were also associated with altered thyroid hormonal levels, and some of them were suggestive of thyroid diseases, including hypothyroidism. All of these phenols can be found in consumer products, regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

The researchers acknowledged that some of their measured associations diverged from findings in previous publications. This could be due to different study populations, phenol biomarker concentrations, or other phenols that were not measured in this study. Future studies should repeat these tests and consider the long-term consequences of altered thyroid function.

"This study is particularly unique in its focus on women whose fertility is sub-optimal, who have been shown to be at higher risk for thyroid disease," said Mínguez-Alarcón. "In previous research with the same study cohort (EARTH), we found that women with altered thyroid hormones had lower ovarian reserve, measured as diminished antral follicle count. Thus, while more longitudinal studies will be needed to corroborate these results, preventing significant fluctuations in thyroid hormonal levels could be crucial for maintaining a women's fertility potential."

Glenn Mcgee at University of Waterloo was the lead author of this paper. Other coauthors included Maximilien Génard-Walton, Paige L. Williams, T. I. M. Korevaar, Jorge E. Chavarro, John D. Meeker, Joseph M. Braun, Maarten A. Broeren, Jennifer B. Ford, Antonia M. Calafat, Irene Souter, Russ Hauser (PI of EARTH).

Source:

Journal reference:

McGee, G et al. "Associations of Maternal Urinary Concentrations of Phenols, Individually and as a Mixture, with Serum Biomarkers of Thyroid Function and Autoimmunity: Results from the EARTH Study" Toxics DOI: 10.3390/toxics11060521.

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