Is soya bad for women's health?

Soy's isoflavones have oestrogenic properties — and have been blamed for raising the risk of breast cancer (as well as prostate cancer for men). But is this really the case?

• By Jessica Brown

19 August 2019

Consumed in many traditional Asian populations for millennia, soya has only been a common part of the Western diet for around 60 years. Now, many of our supermarkets are full of soy milk alternatives, soy burgers and other soya-based meat replacements – not to mention traditional soy-based products like tofu, tempeh, soya milk, miso and soya sauce.

In the meantime, soya has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease compared to other diets. As a good source of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, fibre, iron, calcium and zinc, it is becoming increasingly popular in the West as a healthy substitute for meat. But despite more people associating soya with health over the last decade, one fear has come to the fore: the idea that soya can disrupt our hormones.

The controversy around soya comes down to its uniquely high content of isoflavones. These compounds have oestrogenic properties, which means they act like oestrogen, the primary female sex hormone, and bind to oestrogen receptors in the body – and oestrogen can fuel the growth of some types of breast cancer.

But while scientists have extensively researched the compound’s effects in the body over the last few decades, the answer about whether isoflavones themselves can contribute to cancer risk isn’t straightforward.

And often, it seems soya protects against cancer risk – rather than making it worse. But exactly why that is isn’t certain.

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To start, there are the observational findings. High soya intake among women in Asian countries has been linked to their 30% lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to US women, who eat much less soya. (The average person’s intake of isoflavones in Japan, for example, is between 30 and 50mg, compared to less than 3mg in Europe and the US.)

High soya intake among women in Asian countries has been linked to their 30% lower risk of developing breast cancer (Credit: Getty Images)

 

Soya also has been correlated with reducing breast cancer’s severity. Fang Fang Zhang, associate professor at Tufts University in Massachusetts, carried out population research among 6,000 women with breast cancer living in the US and found a 21% reduction in mortality among those who consumed more soya. 

Population research among 6,000 women with breast cancer found a 21% reduction in mortality among those who consumed more soya

Its benefits were strongest in women with hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer, a more aggressive type of breast cancer where tumours lack oestrogen and progesterone receptors, and therefore doesn’t respond well to hormone therapies.

“Our findings suggest that, for women with hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer, soya food consumption may potentially have a beneficial effect to improve survival,” Zhang says.

Not soy easy

Even so, it’s difficult to conclusively isolate soya’s benefits – if there are any.

Soya is often consumed as part of a healthy diet and as a substitute for red meat, which is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and cancer.

Soya products often replace foods like red meat, which could be why soya intake is associated with healthier outcomes (Credit: Getty Images)

“No one has given people soya foods, then looked at whether they’re more or less likely to get breast cancer over time than those not given soya,” says Leena Hilakivi-Clarke, professor of oncology at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington DC.

One review of evidence into soya’s effect on breast cancer risk found that studies that adjusted for body mass index (BMI), a common marker of health, showed a weaker association for soya than those that didn’t.

This means a reduced risk of breast cancer could have been due to lower BMI, not to soya consumption.

If soya does lower breast cancer risk, it may be because its isoflavones can enhance apoptosis: a genetically programmed mechanism that tells cells to self-destruct when they get DNA damage they’re not able to repair. Without this process, damaged cells can form into cancer.

If products like soya milk lower breast cancer risk, it may be by bolstering the mechanism that tells cells to self-destruct when they get DNA damage (Credit: Getty Images)

 

So where did the concern that soya causes cancer come from?

It’s true that soya has been found to fuel the growth cancer cells in lab research. In one experiment from 2001, mice with inhibited immune systems and with cancerous tumours were fed isoflavones. Their tumours were measured for 11 weeks. The researchers found that the isoflavones resulted in increased cell growth. The mice were then switched to an isoflavone-free diet – and their tumours regressed over the following nine weeks. Meanwhile, in a study from 1999, researchers implanted human breast cancer cells into mice, and some were fed isoflavones. They also found that dietary isoflavones enhance the growth of cancerous tumours.

But a more recent, 2010 review of more than 100 studies concluded that, overall, lab experiments have shown no significant increased risk of breast cancer.

One reason there isn’t a more definitive answer is because isoflavone either acts like oestrogen in the body, or its opposite

One reason there isn’t a more definitive answer is because isoflavone either acts like oestrogen in the body, or its opposite. When we eat soya, isoflavone either binds to the alpha oestrogen receptor in the body, which stimulates a tumour’s growth rate, or the beta receptor, which decreases growth rate and induces apoptosis.

Isoflavone prefers to bind to beta receptors, says Bruce Trock, professor of epidemiology and oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland in the US. That makes it more likely to reduce potential cancer risk.

The impact of soya on breast cancer risk may depend on when we start eating it.

Most studies on Asian populations included women who have eaten it since early childhood and were probably also exposed to it in the uterus, says Trock, compared to Western studies involving women who mostly didn’t eat soya until later in life. 

Starting to consume soya products at an earlier age may make soya more beneficial (Credit: Getty Images)

 

“Giving soya to animals at the equivalent of middle age doesn’t seem to reduce risk or growth rate of tumours,” he says.

“But if researchers feed mice [soy] prior to puberty, then expose them to carcinogens, they get fewer and smaller tumours than if you don’t give them soya.”

Soya cycle

Meanwhile, clinical and population data shows daily soya intake can halve the frequency and severity of hot flashes even when the placebo affect is taken into consideration, says Mindy Kurzer, professor of nutrition at the University of Minnesota. (Taking oestrogen medication, on the other hand, brings hot flushes down by 75%.)

Some research has found that these benefits are largely determined by a woman’s ability to produce equol, a bacteria that around 30 to 50 percent of adults produce in their intestines after eating soy. One study found that giving equol supplements to menopausal women who don’t produce it themselves significantly lowered the incidence and severity of hot flushes.  

It could be that a person’s ability to produce equol, rather than the equol itself, is responsible for the benefits of soya. One paper argues that Chinese populations, for example, may be better able to digest and extract nutrients from soya because their ancestors have been eating it for thousands of years.

This could explain why research has found that, while people who move from Asian countries to the US have an increased risk of breast cancer by the second generation, their risk remains lower than Westerners even when they adopt a Western diet.

Soya intake could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (Credit: Getty Images)

 

Early soya intake has also been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In fact, population studies suggest isoflavone intake could be responsible for the different rates of cardiovascular disease between Asian and Western countries. This is because soya has been found to reduce levels of harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, which is a risk for heart disease.

But may have nothing to do with soya, per se – it could simply be because diets higher in soya are lower in unhealthier foods.

“Soya foods are normally eaten in place of other higher saturated fat foods, such as fatty meat and full-fat dairy products,” says JoAnn Pinkerton, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Virginia Health System. “Whereas most soya foods are naturally low in saturated fat.” 

There are also concerns soya could be linked to prostate cancer. However, a review of evidence last year found that regular soya food intake was associated with an almost 30% reduction in risk of developing prostate cancer. Soya doesn’t affect testosterone levels in men, so how this happens isn’t yet known – except that a diet containing more soya is often healthier overall.

We maintain the current conclusion that soya is beneficial in preventing prostate cancer – Catherine Applegate

“Throughout the years and despite the constant emergence of new research that could contain potentially conflicting results, we maintain the current conclusion that soya is beneficial in preventing prostate cancer,” says the study’s author Catherine Applegate, a predoctoral fellow from  the University of Illinois's Tissue Microenvironment Training Program.

Unprocessed soya, like edamame beans, has higher isoflavone levels than processed versions, like soya milk (Credit: Getty Images)

 

Soya’s benefits also depend on the type we consume. Isoflavone content varies in unprocessed soybeans, such as edamame beans, compared to processed soya foods – and the closer the food is to the soyabean, the higher its isoflavone levels. Edamame has around 18mg of isoflavones per 100g, while soya milk has between 0.7 and 11mg.

“The only thing we can say is that women should be safe to consume soya foods in amounts consistent with Asian diet, including tofu, fermented soya foods and soymilk, but studies shown that the more soya is processed, the lower the level of isoflavones, which we think are protective elements,” says Trock.

Soya has been extensively researched over the last few decades. No single study has been perfect, and as with other nutritional research, findings often show correlation – they don’t prove causation.

Even so, the consensus clearly indicates health benefits from eating soya – even if that’s simply because it replaces unhealthier foods.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190816-is-soy-bad-for-womens-health

Testosterone Can Help Female Sex Drive

Testosterone, a hormone usually associated with being male, can be used to treat reduced libido in menopausal women.

This post is on Healthwise

January 02, 2008

Testosterone, a hormone usually associated with being male, can be used to treat reduced libido in menopausal women. 

Testosterone supplements restored libido in some premenopausal women whose surgically removed ovaries forced them into early menopause. 

Testosterone is normally produced in small amounts by the ovaries and adrenal glands in premenopausal women. But during menopause, the ovaries' production of hormones falls off -- and that includes testosterone output. Some researchers believe that this decrease in testosterone affects the menopausal woman's sex drive. 

Testosterone treatment has drawbacks women should consider testosterone as a last resort. 

There are few long-term studies of the use of testosterone in women, and the potential side effects include acne, unwanted facial hair, oily skin, depression, irritability and irreversible deepening of the voice. 

Testosterone in pill form has been associated with lowered HDL cholesterol (the good" cholesterol), and liver damage is also a potential side effect. 

Natural progesterone cream should be initially tried as that will frequently restore libido levels after several months.

Prevention (July 1997), Maturitas (April 1995)

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/02/female-sex-drive.aspx

Go to Healthwise for more articles

Don't Overlook Your Thyroid

Life Extension Magazine August 2012

LifeExtension® Book Excerpt

 

Too often, uninformed physicians diagnose fatigue, difficulty concentrating, unwanted weight gain, and hair loss in their patients as the inevitable results of aging. This blanket diagnosis may be flat-out wrong. In fact, your lack of energy and inability to focus may have nothing at all to do with your age! You may simply need to adjust a thyroid malfunction. The thyroid affects every cell in your body and is a key regulator of your energy, metabolism, heart, and bones. In her new book, The Fatigue Solution, Eva Cwynar, MD, urges readers to have their thyroid checked with a simple blood test. Check Your Thyroid When was the last time you went to the doctor and he checked your thyroid? You would know if he did, because to manually examine the thyroid, you have to step behind the patient and put your hands around the patient's neck as if you were going to choke her. That's the only way you can feel for the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland, which is located at the front of the neck near the collar bone (right where a man would wear a bowtie). When I introduce this examination to my patients, I always get the same reaction: "Why are you doing that? No doctor has ever done that to me before!" You can't breathe without the thyroid, you can't think without the thyroid, you'd constantly be constipated without a thyroid, and yet it's way down at the bottom of the list of possible causes of some very common symptoms. Are you losing your hair? It could be your thyroid. Is your voice getting hoarse and raspy? It could be your thyroid. Are you always cold? It could be your thyroid. Are you having trouble concentrating? It could be your thyroid. And if it is, it's something that is easily fixed. That's why I get so angry and excited at the same time about the subject. People are suffering needlessly, some for many years, when they could be leading much more energetic, productive lives with the right diagnosis and treatment. The Thyroid: What, Where, and How One woman in eight will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime. And by the time they reach age 60, more than 20 percent of American women will have a thyroid disorder. I personally believe the numbers may be even higher because so many women haven't been officially diagnosed. The simplest way to describe your thyroid and its function is to compare it to a furnace that is run by a thermostat (the pituitary gland). Together, they regulate how much energy and stamina you have on a daily basis. The amount of thyroid hormone you have affects how well you have slept, how you feel when you get up in the morning, and how effectively you will make it through your day. Thyroid function affects every cell in the body. It is the main regulator of basal metabolism, which is the amount of energy needed to maintain essential physiologic functions when you are at complete rest, both physically and mentally. If your thyroid gland is not producing optimally, your cells cannot properly take in the nutrients they need, receive the right amount of oxygen, or get rid of waste materials efficiently. Thyroid hormones also affect your heart, muscles, bones, and cholesterol, to name just several of its jobs. Introducing the 3s and 4s There are two main hormones produced by the thyroid: Triiodothyronine, known as T3 Tetraiodothyronine, known as T4 You may have noticed a portion of the word "iodine" in each of the hormones above. That's because the function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, found in many foods, and convert it into thyroid hormones. Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that can absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. There is one more factor we have to mention to complete this process, and that is Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), which is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and gives that gland its thermostat-like function. So the thyroid is the furnace that provides "heat" in the form of the T3 and T4 hormones and the pituitary gland is the thermostat that goes on and off according to the amount of heat in the body. TSH tells the thyroid to raise or lower the heat. The process goes like this: T3 and T4 travel through the bloodstream, producing heat The pituitary gland senses the heat; the thermostat shuts off; TSH production slows down The body cools as the level of thyroid hormones decrease The furnace produces more heat When your body temperature drops, your metabolic rate drops, too. You produce less energy, and you store more calories as fat—in other words, you gain weight. You also suffer from fatigue, irritability, and the inability to concentrate. Too Few Hormones The most common form of thyroid disorder is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is not producing enough of its hormones. Approximately 25 million people suffer from hypothyroidism, and about half of them are undiagnosed. It is usually found in women, particularly older women; the percentage of patients with hypothyroidism is greater for women for each decade of age after age 34. That is because thyroid hormone production decreases with age. One of the reasons that hypothyroidism often goes undiagnosed is that symptoms usually appear slowly over time, and they may appear to be signs of normal aging. Symptoms include: Anxiety and nightmares Difficulty losing weight Dry skin Easy weight gain Impaired concentration and memory Menstrual irregularities Mood swings Severe fatigue Thinning eyebrows Thinning hair Yellow skin from poor conversion of beta carotene to vitamin A There are many women who have no symptoms and feel perfectly healthy, and yet, when tested, are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. These women need to be treated as well as those who have symptoms, because their slowed metabolism will result in adverse effects down the line. If you are not treated for hypothyroidism, you may have a heart attack because of the metabolic dysfunction that your thyroid has produced over the course of many years. That's the reason testing is so important, especially as you get older and the likelihood of hypothyroidism increases. In the United States, the most common cause of hypothyroidism is called Hashimotos's thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune disorder—in other words, the body's immune system attacks thyroid tissue. The tissue eventually becomes so inflamed that the gland can't make enough thyroid hormone. The pituitary gland, noticing the lack of these hormones, reacts by turning up the thermostat and sending out TSH to raise hormone production. But that's no longer possible because of the inflammation of the gland. Thyroid cells start to enlarge and multiply, which will eventually cause nodules and swelling. Hashimosto's disease, like many other autoimmune diseases, is most often inherited, usually from mothers to daughters. Too Many Hormones When everything is functioning properly, the thyroid and pituitary work together to produce just the right amount of hormones. But there are times when the thyroid malfunctions and produces either too many or too few hormones. When the thyroid becomes overactive and produces too many hormones, you end up with a condition called hyperthyroidism. This condition affects 10 times more women than men, and usually occurs in women under 40. Here are some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism: Being nervous, moody, weak, or tired Excessive sweating Fine hair that is falling out More bowel movements than usual Rapid heartbeat Red, itchy skin Shaky hands Shortness of breath The most common form of this disorder is Graves' disease, which was made "famous" when first lady Barbara Bush was diagnosed with the illness in 1989 (coincidentally, her husband, President George H. W. Bush, was later diagnosed with the same disease, as was their dog, Millie). One of the stranger symptoms of Graves' disease is known as "frog eyes" where the eyeballs get pushed forward and protrude because fat builds up behind them. Graves' disease can be life threatening and can lead to heart problems if left untreated. This type of hyperthyroidism is an autoimmune disease that is genetically inherited. It causes mood and body changes when the immune system "mistakenly attacks" the thyroid gland, causing overproduction of the thyroid hormones. People who have hyperthyroidism are often confused when they hear the diagnosis. My patients tell me, "I thought if I had hyperthyroidism, I'd be full of energy and losing weight and able to multitask like crazy! How come I'm so tired all the time?" Although this line of thinking is correct in most situations, the answer in other situations is that the overactive thyroid is burning out your body. It's affecting other organs (such as the adrenal gland) that are being compromised. It's like an engine that is constantly revving at a very high speed and going nowhere. Eventually, the parts will burn out and the engine will stop going. Another type of hyperthyroidism is subacute thyroiditis, which involves swelling (inflammation) of the thyroid gland and is thought to be produced by a virus that usually follows an infection of the upper respiratory tract. It is often treated with anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen to decrease both the production and the release of thyroid hormone. A beta-blocker (usually given for heart disease or hypertension or even tremor or anxiety) is also given to slow down the heart rate and make the patient more comfortable until the situation spontaneously resolves itself. This disease usually lasts for only a few months and heals itself naturally, but if left untreated can be life threatening.

Testing Your Thyroid

The good news is that there is a simple blood test that can measure thyroid function to determine whether or not your hormone production is normal (the "gold standard" is to test one of many thyroid functions, which is the production of thyroid stimulating hormone). The bad news is that if you get five doctors in a room, you'll get five different opinions on what is "normal" and what is not. In my practice, I don't rely on blood tests alone because over the years I have found that what is normal for one person, and even normal for the population at large, may be abnormal for someone else. I use other tests as well (such as one that tests for particular antibodies) and palpation (examining with my hands) of the thyroid to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location to check for abnormalities. Internists may do this as well, but since they do not palpate the gland as frequently as endocrinologists do, they may miss the diagnosis. Some doctors may recommend an ultrasound of the thyroid as well.

Here's where the tricky part comes in. As of 2010, at most laboratories in the United States, the official normal reference range for the thyroid stimulating hormone blood test runs from approximately .5 to 5.0 (measured in micrograms per deciliter). Reference range is what determines—for the vast majority of physicians, who rely on blood tests almost exclusively—whether or not thyroid disease is even diagnosed at all, much less treated, and when diagnosed, how it is treated. In January of 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommended that doctors "consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.0." Even though many years have passed since the new range was established, some doctors use it and some don't. The issue that it raises is this: One study found that using a TSH upper normal range of 5.0, approximately 5 percent of the population is hypothyroid. However, if you use 3.0 as the top of the normal range, approximately 20 percent of the population would be hypothyroid. That means that millions of patients with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and untreated.

There are now more effective blood tests that provide a complete picture of how well the thyroid produces T4, how well the body converts T4 into T3, how much of the active form T3 is created, and whether there are significant anti-thyroid antibodies present. A complete panel would also include levels of free (unbound) T3 and T4. You might want to suggest to your doctor that she use the free T3 and T4, as the "regular" T3 and T4 totals may not be as accurate.

One of the problems with thyroid testing is that they are typically not on the list of things that are regularly checked in a standard or even a more comprehensive blood test panel. Just like the guidelines we have established for testing for colon cancer, for instance, beginning at age 50 and not before, it's not until you reach the age of 65 that your doctor will routinely request thyroid testing.

When you complain to your doctor about putting on weight, losing a little hair, fatigue, lack of libido—most of the time you get the same response: "Well, you are getting older, it's to be expected." If you are suffering from any of these symptoms and your doctor doesn't suggest testing, bring it up yourself. Most doctors, even though they may be skeptical, will order the testing if you insist.

I Keep Forgetting What You Said About Thyroids…

Here is a frightening thought: many doctors have diagnosed patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, when in reality what they had was a thyroid disorder. A 2008 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that older women who had levels of TSH that were either too high or too low had more than twice the risk of Alzheimer's disease than those with more moderate levels (the same was not true of men). This is another reason that testing your thyroid become part of your standard testing routine as you get older!

Your Numbers, Your Doctor, and You

Here's an important point to remember if do get tested and your numbers are not "normal." Hypothyroidism has a huge range, from very mild to quite severe. Not only that, one person whose TSH tests result in a reading of 2.5 may feel perfectly fine, while another person with the same reading may be suffering a battery of symptoms. The numbers and the symptoms don't always correlate. Most of the time, taking thyroid medication will cure your symptoms and you will feel better within a matter of days; by six weeks on the medication you'll have a very good idea of how it's working. Unless you tell your doctor how you're feeling, he or she has nothing to go on but your test results. You need to share with your doctor if your symptoms are getting better (or worse), and you need to be consistently retested to see how your medication is working. Your numbers may go back to normal, but if you're still not feeling well it's your responsibility to tell your doctor so that more tests can be taken or your medication can be tweaked until you find what works best for you.

It is possible, however, to go overboard with thyroid medication. Some of my patients have the "if some is good, more is better" attitude. However, too much thyroid medication can stress out the adrenal glands, which will then overproduce cortisol as well as dysregulate (impair) the ratio of cortisol and DHEA and epinephrine and norepinephrine. This will leave you more fatigued than you were in the first place, because the rest of your body's systems will not be able to produce the energy needed to keep up with your now revved-up thyroid.

Iodine Deficiency and the Thyroid

Since iodine is needed for the production of thyroid hormone, and the body does not make iodine, we have to get through what we eat. It is commonly found in foods such as saltwater fish, seaweed, sea vegetables, shellfish, bread, cheese, and iodine-containing multivitamins.

Iodized salt is now the main source of iodine in the American diet, but only about 20 percent of the salt America eats contains the micronutrient. Increasingly popular "designer" table salts, such as sea salts and Kosher salts, usually do not have much iodine. However, the majority of salt intake in the United States comes from processed foods, and food manufacturers almost always use noniodized salt in processed foods. Add to that the ubiquitous warnings against using too much salt because of our ever-pressing issues of hypertension, congestive heart disease, and other coronary artery diseases, and iodine deficiency becomes a real threat for some people in the United States. Whereas, just a few years ago iodine was mandated by the FDA to be included in salts (and was for decades), now most medical advice states that, due to the large variety of food sources available from all over the world, iodine in salt is no longer necessary in the United States and other Western countries. Iodization of salt is now voluntary in America. It appears that iodine intake has declined by 50 percent in North America in the past 30 to 40 years and the anticipated rate of future hypothyroid cases has risen dramatically.

Before the 1920s, iodine deficiency was common in the Great Lakes, Appalachian, and Northwestern regions of the United States and Canada; however, the introduction of iodized salt has virtually eliminated the problem in those areas. Iodine deficiency can lead to goiter, hypothyroidism, and even to mental retardation in infants and children (the term "cretin" comes from the fetus not getting enough iodine while in the mother's womb).

Worldwide, the number one cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency, which remains a public health problem in 47 countries, and about 2.2 billion people (38 percent of the world's population) live in areas with iodine deficiency. An article in The Lancet in 2008 stated that, "According to WHO, in 2007, nearly 2 billion individuals had insufficient iodine intake, a third being of school age. Thus iodine deficiency, as the single greatest preventable cause of mental retardation, is an important public health problem."

There are many different types and brands of iodine supplementation available over the counter. It's important, however, that you get guidance from your doctor or health professional before taking any iodine supplementation. If you take too much, you can develop hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid Treatments

One of the first thyroid treatments that was commercially available was Armour Thyroid, which was a natural product made of desiccated pig and cow thyroid glands put into pill form. It is still available today. It contains both T3 and T4 hormones. It fell out of favor over the years because quality control of this medication was difficult. In recent years, however, production has become much more stable and it is back in use again. Your doctor may prescribe Armour Thyroid if you have had problems with a synthetic therapy, or if you or your doctor prefer natural products.

The most commonly prescribed synthetic drug for hypothyroidism is called levothyroxine, known under the brand names Synthroid, Levothroid, Levoxyl, and Unithroid. A more recent addition is a drug called Tirosint, which is made in Switzerland and distributed in the United States. It has fewer additives and preservatives than the other synthetic medications, so it may be a good choice for you if you find you're allergic to any of the other brands.

Another popular drug is called Cytomel, which contains only T3. Synthroid contains only T4, which must be converted to T3 by the body. Some people respond better to T3 preparations because they have trouble converting T4 into T3; those people fare better with either a combination of T3/T4 or T3 alone.

The mineral selenium decreases the antibodies that form in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thereby decreasing the inflammation, which is why I recommend selenium to everyone who has hypothyroidism. It is also useful as a messenger in the brain helping with the communication between the thyroid and the adrenal gland.

How to Take Thyroid Medication

Although thyroid problems are usually easily treated with medication, it can be tricky to take because of how thyroid hormones react with other substances. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use because there are many other medicines that can affect thyroid medications. This includes vitamins, minerals, and herbal products. There are also some substances that block the absorption of thyroid medications (e.g., soy, calcium, iron, some mood altering prescription medications), which is why some patients don't see the results they'd like.

• Do not take thyroid medication within two hours of eating as food may delay or reduce its absorption.
• Do not take estrogen, birth control pills, or hormone replacement therapy in the pill form at the same time you're taking thyroid medication (you can take them in the same day, just not at the same time of the day). Any form of oral estrogen may be a problem if taken at the same time as thyroid because both estrogen and thyroid hormone share the same binding globulin (a protein to which thyroid hormone binds in the blood and from which it is released into tissue cells) in the liver. If you take them both at the same time, you're not absorbing as much of either one. This does not apply if you are taking other forms of birth control, such as the patch or the NuvaRing; transdermal (through the skin) hormone replacement; or sublingual (dissolving directly into the bloodstream from drops or lozenges into the mouth) hormone replacement. That's another reason why I treat my menopausal women who have hypothyroidism with a hormone CREAM instead of the standard oral prescription pill.
• Calcium also prevents absorption of thyroid medication, so they should not be taken at the same time.
• Iron, whether alone, or as part of a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin supplement, interferes with thyroid hormone absorption. You should not take your iron supplements or your vitamins with iron at the same time as your thyroid hormone, and should allow at least two hours (four being the optimal time frame) between taking them.

Your Thyroid and Menopause

Although it is very rarely mentioned, your thyroid and your reproductive cycle are closely related. Thyroid problems can cause irregularities in the menstrual cycle, and even infertility in extreme cases. As you get older, these problems can become exacerbated. In fact, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a woman to be in an artificial premature perimenapause or even throw her into menopause.

It's important to remember that the thyroid is part of the overall endocrine system, and when any of this system's hormones get out of balance, all of the parts suffer. So when you go through times where hormonal imbalance is more than likely—such as pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause—your thyroid is also more than likely to get out of whack as well.

That is why women over 50 should be tested for thyroid problems every few years (earlier if you have a family history) and woman over 65 should be tested annually. Any woman of any age should be tested at any time and as frequently as needed if she has symptoms of hypothyroidism. Your doctor will then be able to determine whether you need thyroid hormone medication, and/or iodine or other supplementation.

In dealing with thyroid problems, it's important to find a doctor who will listen to your symptoms and be open to the newest research, the latest reference range recommendations, inclusive testing, and who understands that each patient will react differently to various treatments. You may need to see an endocrinologist, someone who is trained in the art and science of working with hormones, to get the results you need and deserve.

It makes me frustrated to know that there are so many women who suffer unnecessarily for so many years. I hear it over and over again, how finally being diagnosed and treated for thyroid problems has changed women's lives. They have accepted their "lot in life" for so long that they have almost forgotten what it's like to have energy and focus and fun in their lives. I'm here to tell you, don't just accept it. Get tested. Check your results. Ask for a copy of your labs. See a specialist. Don't settle—if you don't agree with your doctor, go somewhere else. You know your body better than anyone else. Listen to it and get your life and your health back in your hands.

The "Check Your Thyroid" Jump Start Tip

Taking Matters into Your Own Hands—or Armpits. If you suspect you're having thyroid problems and you want to check yourself out at home, there is a simple test you can do called the basal temperature test. Here are the steps:

• Get a basal thermometer (the kind you can use under your tongue). Leave it overnight on your bedside table.
• First thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, tuck the thermometer under your armpit and lay completely still for 10 minutes. Set a timer before you begin so that you don't have to move around to look at the clock.
• Record your temperature for there to five days. If your temperature is consistently below 97.8°F, you may have a thyroid problem, and you should have yourself evaluated by a health professional.

Remember, thyroid disease is not just about fatigue, it can ultimately affect your morbidity as well as your mortality. Take control, but do it with the assistance of an expert.
Excerpted with permission from The Fatigue Solution by Eva Cwynar, MD, published by Hay House. For more information on Dr. Eva Cwynar, visit www.dreva.com.   To order The Fatigue Solution call 1-800-544-4440. Item # 33847 Retail price $24.95 Member price $18.71   If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension® Health Advisor at 1-866-864-3027.



http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/aug2012_Dont-Overlook-Your-Thyroid_01.htm

Acrylamide: Primary Hazard of Processed Foods

Heat-Induced Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food

July 17, 2013         
         

Story at-a-glance

• Acrylamide is a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical and is created when primarily carbohydrate foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, grilled or toasted
• Acrylamide can form in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C), but carbohydrate-rich foods such as potato chips and French fries, are the most vulnerable to this heat-induced byproduct
• Pet foods also contain acrylamide and heterocyclic amines—both potent carcinogens—courtesy of commercial pet food processing methods
• Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a "probable human carcinogen”
• Ideally, consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better

            

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By Dr. Mercola

Approximately 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed foods, and food marketers do a masterful job at making it seem like fast foods and junk foods are the obvious choice.  

Some even manage to make you believe such foods are a healthy option. But not only are these processed foods “dead” and devoid of any natural nutrition, they can also be loaded with potentially carcinogenic substances.  

Just over a decade ago, researchers discovered that a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical called acrylamide is created when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, grilled or toasted. 

The chemical is formed from a reaction between sugars and an amino acid (asparagine) during high-temperature cooking. The answer, of course, is to limit or eliminate processed foods and increase the amount of whole, raw foods in your diet. I typically aim for 80-85 percent raw food in my own diet.

Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food 

Acrylamide can form in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C), but carbohydrate-rich foods are the most vulnerable to this heat-induced byproduct. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is heated enough to produce a fairly dry and “browned” surface. Hence, it can be found in:

• Potatoes: chips, French fries and other roasted or fried potato foods
• Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals and various processed snacks
• Coffee; roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based on chicory actually contains 2-3 times more acrylamide than real coffee

Acrylamide is not the only hazard associated with heat-processed foods, however. The three-year long EU project known as Heat-Generated Food Toxicants¹ (HEATOX), identified more than 800 heat-induced compounds in food, 52 of which are potential carcinogens... For example, the high heat of grilling reacts with proteins in red meat, poultry, and fish, creating heterocyclic amines, which have also been linked to cancer. 

Humans are not the only victims here. As discussed by holistic veterinarian Dr. Barbara Royal, pet foods also contain acrylamide and heterocyclic amines, courtesy of commercial pet food processing methods.

Exposure to Acrylamide Increases Your Cancer Risk 

Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a "probable human carcinogen." According to a 1988 study²:

“The data show that acrylamide is capable of inducing genotoxic, carcinogenic, developmental, and reproductive effects in tested organisms. Thus, acrylamide may pose more than a neurotoxic health hazard to exposed humans.

Acrylamide is a small organic molecule with very high water solubility. These properties probably facilitate its rapid absorption and distribution throughout the body. After absorption, acrylamide is rapidly metabolized, primarily by glutathione conjugation, and the majority of applied material is excreted within 24 hours... Acrylamide can bind to DNA... which has implications for its genotoxic and carcinogenic potential.”

A study³ published in 2007 linked higher dietary acrylamide intake with an increased risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women, particularly among non-smokers. It has also been linked to nerve damage and other neurotoxic effects, including neurological problems in workers handling the substance.  

While the EPA regulates acrylamide in drinking water and the FDA regulates the amount of acrylamide residue in materials that may come in contact with food, they do not currently have any guidelines limiting the chemical in food itself.

How Much Acrylamide Are You Getting from Your Diet? 

In drinking water, the federal limit for acrylamide is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of acrylamide—about 500 times the allowable limit! A 2002 food analysis published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry⁴, found moderate levels of acrylamide (5−50 μg/kg) in heated protein-rich foods and higher levels (150−4,000 μg/kg) in carbohydrate-rich foods. Unheated or boiled foods showed undetectable levels (<5 μg/kg) of acrylamide, leading the researchers to conclude:

"Consumption habits indicate that the acrylamide levels in the studied heated foods could lead to a daily intake of a few tens of micrograms."

Potato chips in particular are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the state of California actually sued potato chip makers for failing to warn California consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 2008⁵ when Frito-Lay and several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.  

Still, that’s a far cry from the allowable limit of 0.5 ppb in drinking water!
The 2005 report⁶ "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips," issued by the California-based Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), spelled out the dangers of this popular snack. According to their analysis, ALL potato chip products tested exceeded the legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Interestingly, baked chips, which are often touted as a healthier chip, can contain more than three times the level of acrylamide in regular chips, according to US Food and Drug Administration data⁷.

How to Avoid Heat-Induced Toxins in Your Diet 

Acrylamide levels vary greatly among processed foods, even among different batches of the same food item. The chemical has so far only been found in foods heated above 250 F/120 C, which includes most processed foods. Basing your diet on whole foods, with the majority or a significant portion eaten raw or only lightly cooked is therefore one of the best ways to avoid this cancer-causing cooking byproduct. Aside from creating potentially toxic byproducts, cooking and processing also depletes the food of valuable micronutrients, which is another reason for eating as much raw food as possible.  

Another important aspect of raw foods is the energetic aspect. Dr. Johanna Budwig from Germany has stated that live foods are electron rich and act as high-powered electron donors and “solar resonance fields” to attract, store, and conduct the sun's energy in your body. The greater your body’s store of light energy, the more energy you’ll have available for healing and the maintenance of optimal health. For the times when you do cook your food, keep the following tips in mind:

• Frying, baking and broiling appear to be the worst offenders, while boiling or steaming appear to be safer
• Longer cooking times increase acrylamide, so the shorter the duration of cooking, the better
• Soaking raw potatoes in water for 15-30 minutes prior to roasting may help reduce acrylamide formation during cooking
• The darker brown the food, the more acrylamide it contains (for instance, dark brown toast compared to light brown toast)
• Acrylamide is found primarily in plant-based foods, such as potatoes and grain products (not typically in meat, dairy or seafood)

According to the findings by the HEATOX project, you're far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of acrylamide when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods. And when you do eat at home, the best advice they could give was to avoid overcooking your food. For more in-depth information about acrylamide, I recommend reading the online report: "Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization"⁸  

Take Control of Your Health with Whole, Raw Food 

While many foods – from coffee and breakfast cereal to bread – contain acrylamide, the highest levels have been detected in starchy plant-based foods, particularly French fries and potato chips. As a general rule, just remember that cooking food at high temperatures is ill advised, and that most processed foods will contain acrylamide as a side effect of high-heat processing.  

Ideally, consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better. My nutrition plan emphasizes the need for at least one-third of your foods to be consumed raw. Personally, I consume about 80-85 percent of my food raw, which I believe is one of the most important factors that help keep me healthy. For a step-by-step guide to make the transition to a healthier diet as simple and smooth as possible, simply follow the advice in my optimized nutrition plan. 

Remember, eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really enjoying your food. Once you get used to it, you'll find you can whip up a healthful meal from scratch in the same amount of time it would have taken you to drive down the street to pick up fast food. The main difference will be greater satisfaction, both physically and mentally, and perhaps even financially, as processed foods typically end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch.

[-] Sources and References

• ¹ Heat-Generated Food Toxicants (HEATOX)
• ² Mutation Research 1988; 195(1):45–77
• ³ Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev November 2007 16; 2304
• ⁴ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry July 17, 2002
• ⁵ SF Gate August 2, 2008
• ⁶ Environmental Law Foundation June 2005, How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips (PDF)
• ⁷ U.S. FDA, Survey Data on Acrylamide in Food, December 2002, Updated July 2006
• ⁸ The HEATOX Project, Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization (PDF)

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