Page 18 - Winter2017
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In effect,    make and release thyroxine.              have enough GSH, the unfettered ROS “sparks”
                                 Thyroxine or thyroid hormone (also called  will cause damage to the cell itself, eventu-
               the body         T4) is made in the thyroid gland from four  ally damaging neighboring cells and tissues as
             recognizes       molecules of iodine added to tyrosine, an amino  well. Selenium is not only the mineral cofactor
           the fact that      acid. T4 is what’s in Synthroid, but this is the  necessary to convert T4 to its active T3 form.
            if there isn’t    inactive form of thryoid hormone. T4 is con-  Selenium is also necessary to produce GSH (glu-
                              veyed through the bloodstream to cells where it  tathione). If it doesn’t have the necessary GSH,
                 enough       is converted to T3 , the active form of thyroxine,  the cell either shifts to “emergency generator
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            selenium to       to get those cells working. In some ways T4  mode,” so at least it can stumble along until
               make the       converted to T3 is like an accelerator: its role  there’s enough GSH to keep it up and running,
                              is to turn the cell’s machinery on. To do that, a  or it undergoes apoptosis. Apoptosis is deliber-
              protective      specific iodine molecule needs be “chipped” off  ate cell death, whereby the cell sacrifices itself,

           GSH, there’s       of the tyrosine template. Under stress, especially  dies and lets its parts be recycled for reuse. By
             no point in      elevated cortisol, and other adverse conditions,  taking damaged cells out of function, the tissue
                              the “wrong” iodine molecule is removed, lead-
                                                                       can keep operating (assuming the remaining
              converting      ing to rT3, which occupies the site but cannot  cells have enough GSH) and not “burn the body”
            T4 to active      complete its mission of activating the cells’  down by giving off unhindered free radicals.

            T3 because        functions; in other words, it’s a dud.       The possible nexus here is that if a cell

                                 TSH is typically the hormone measured  doesn’t have enough selenium to make the GSH,
         the cells can’t      when thyroid problems are suspected, but it is  it probably also does not have enough selenium
                 respond      only a small part of the whole picture. Elevated  to convert T4 to active T3. In effect, the body
                 anyway.      TSH means there is inadequate response from  recognizes that if there isn’t enough selenium
                              the cells when the thyroid summons T4 and T3  to make the protective GSH, there’s no point
                              to work harder.                          in converting T4 to active T3 because the cells
                                 Nutrient deficiencies can underlie inad-  can’t respond anyway.
                              equate response. Tyrosine can be derived from     In addition, when a cell metabolizes fats
                              another amino acid, phenylalanine; one or the  (as fatty acids) to generate energy as ATP,
                              other must come from the diet, as the body can-  the process is much more efficient than using
                              not make them from bodily resources. The net  glucose or sugar. It’s the difference between
                              effect is that without phenylalanine or tyrosine,  generating heat and light from a large log that
                              the material from which we generate thyroxine  burns for hours, and depending on scraps and
                              is missing. Adequate protein and robust di-  twigs that flash and dissipate in the moment. Fats
                              gestive capacity are both necessary to ensure  are also necessary for vitamin A to be absorbed.
                              adequate amounts of this important substance.  Again, iodine  and vitamin A need each other
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                              Vitamin A  has a mutual relationship with  for optimal absorption and use in thyroxine
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                              iodine for generating thyroxine. In addition to  production. One could speculate that when the
                              iron and iodine, selenium is a necessary mineral  body recognizes a situation where it doesn't have
                              cofactor for thyroid hormone synthesis, activa-  all the materials necessary to function well, it
                              tion and metabolism. When TSH is elevated and  doesn’t set itself up for a process it can’t sustain
                              cells still fail to respond sufficiently, it’s quite  properly.
                              likely that selenium is inadequate.          A complete discussion of thyroid function
                                 There’s an interesting nexus here. Assum-  warrants volumes. Succinctly, when thyroid
                              ing all other factors are in place, a cell will func-  dysfunction is suspected, because the thyroid
                              tion as long as it has glutathione, abbreviated  gland is part of a complex web of interacting
                              GSH, to capture free radicals given off when  tissues, the problem is not solely in the thyroid.
                              a cell is actively metabolizing. Glutathione is  An overall endocrine axis imbalance is highly
                              the body’s major antioxidant, the key agent to  likely, with autoimmune issues present as well.
                              capture free radicals or ROS—reactive oxygen  A complete thyroid panel is necessary to under-
                              species. When a cell operates, it gives off ROS.  stand where and why the body’s homeostatic
                              If a cell continues to operate when it doesn’t  efforts are bogging down. 18

         18                                         Wise Traditions                              WINTER 2017
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