Your Thyroid Needs Minerals
I want to share my perspective on thyroid health, as almost EVERY one of my clients complain of low energy. AND almost EVERY one of them is already aware of their thyroid struggle being a factor. If they are not, they become aware through functional testing with me.
Assessing thyroid health from a cellular perspective is a key piece of information on the hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) - it might be my favorite piece of info! The Ca/K ratio (calcium to potassium) is referred to as the thyroid ratio and can help make a lot of connections to a person’s current health.
A serum (blood) thyroid test measures the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood, it does not take into account how well the thyroid hormones are getting from the blood and into the cells. This is where the HTMA can be such an insightful tool and tell the rest of the story. More on why I prefer a hair test instead of blood HERE.
We can see plenty of energy loss on this graph as a very high Ca/K ratio indicates thyroid hormone resistance = energy loss! This client also had blood labs show “normal” levels of thyroid hormones, but was still experiencing the symptoms of hypothyroidism (hair loss, weight gain, cold hands and feet, brain fog, low energy, constipation, poor immune response.) This is why looking at the uptake of thyroid hormones at the cellular level can be so helpful!
All of your body’s tissues are made up of cells, and your hair is an external extension of your internal tissue and cellular environment. When the sample is cut and then analyzed at a lab, you can get a snapshot of what is happening at the cellular level, with regards to minerals.
The Ca/K ratio is associated with the cellular response to the thyroid hormone and it is a measure of the impact of the thyroid hormone upon the cells.
The higher this ratio is, the slower the uptake of thyroid hormone can be at the cellular level, and the more likely the person is to be experiencing hypothyroid symptoms, or develop them if they continue in their current pattern.
The lower this ratio is, the more likely the person is to be experiencing hyperthyroid symptoms, or develop them, if they continue in their current mineral pattern.
If we provide the body with the right raw materials (restoring missing minerals) it can handle the rest! This is why medications will never fix the underlying problem. Many people that I work with have been on thyroid medications and still don't feel better, even after adjusting their dose.
I had normal blood labs for years, but still experienced all the hypothyroid symptoms. HTMA helped me understand the rest of my health picture and restore my energy so I can get done! If you need help reclaiming your energy, I can help. I'm accepting new clients for my 90 day Functional Nutritional Therapy Program. Program details HERE. You can also learn more on thyroid health in my previous blog post HERE.
Healthy Blessings,
Karri, FNTP