The Relationship between Thyroid and Mitochondria
This relationship is very interesting and concerning. It seems that The thyroid function is dependent on the efficiency of the mitochondria and the efficiency of the mitochondria is dependent of the health of the thyroid!
Basically:
-Mitochondrial Function (Phosphorylation) is dependent on two processes
1. The citric acid cycle (anaerobic - no oxygen needed)
2. Electron Transport chain (aerobic - oxygen dependent)
-The efficiency of these two cycles is regulation by RESPIRATION
-Respiration is determined by the Basal Metabolic Rate
-The Basal Metabolic Rate is regulated by the THYROID.
If you wish to read the full text:
http://www.ceri.com/mito2.htm
I can't help thinking about all the things I have been questioning about our kids. First of all, our kids tend to have a shallow breathing pattern combined with the phenotypical low tolerance to activity. Even the open mouth breathing, aside from congestion issues, can be a mechanism to increase oxygen intake. In addition, when we began studying Lucas's blood, his levels would dramatically drop as soon as we introduced a physically demanding activity. I mentioned in a previous post that I thought it was interesting that as soon as his Bun/creatine ration went up (a measure of how our kids' muscles eliminate waste), the thyroid level was off. When we provided nutrients in converted forms to take the stress off the mitochondria, the thyroid level returned to normal.
The above article makes the statement that it is a distinct possibility a positive feedback loop exists that healthy function of the thyroid is dependent on efficiency of the mitochondria.
Further- The following abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16366737
suggests poor mitochondrial function is responsible for neurodegeneration. (How long have we heard our kids' brains degenerate and fail to form dendritic and synaptic connections?) Further, it is thought that by introducing certain nutrients and antioxidants, neuroREgeneration is possible.
Strikingly, the list of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants are similar in both theories:
B Group vitamins
Vit. E
Vit. K
ALA
CoQ10 (instead of the common ubiquinone we had to give the converted ubiquinol to make it easier for Lucas's mitochondria to use)
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Iodine and Selenium
Many of these are in the commercial vitamin therapies for T21 (Nutrivene and Nutrichem).
When Lucas was 6 weeks old, my husband and I traveled to Baltimore to meet with a doctor who researched some of these issues. His opinion was that parents who wait and see will find the predictable problems, introducing this approach then will not yield the results it would have if the child's neurological and metabolic systems were allowed to develop with the supports. That was good advice - I have no way of knowing if it was the metabolic supports or if Lucas would have developed this way without them.
What I do know is that no one in my house can beat him in State and Capital memory! He soundly beat me 11 matches to 2. (Nevermind I am in love with the way he says Lanalulu!)
Are you guys using the glyconutrients powders? I was wondering if you had noticed any respiratory differences with or with out? I was just reading yesterday how nose breathing improves lung capacity which, in turn,helps develop nose bridge growth and can eliminate dark circles under the eyes. Since glyconutrients have also been shown to do some of these things, I was wondering if they were helping increase oxygen intake as well.
ReplyDeleteWe have not yet started them because of their cost but I was planning to order some next week. I have to admit, I am slightly nervous about giving them to her as she is only 15 months and I have read she might be too young. I am also not sure on her dosage, as the naturopath I went to sucked and doesnt seem to know anything about them. She weighs about 18 lbs. Any ideas? She has also been on Synthroid since birth.
Laura, sorry it took me so long to get back to you. We have never used glyconutrients, mostly because our naturopath does not support their use. I personally still think they are important and am learning more about them. Are you using a vitmain therapy? (Nutrichem or nutrivene?) Many children's thyroid levels balance out once they are supplemented with selenium, iodine and zinc. We started Mutrichem when Lucas was 6 months old and when he was 3 years old, his thyroid level was slightly off, we adjusted the aforementioned naturally and it pulled within range. Has she had blood levels drawn? I realized everytime Lucas's bun/creat. ratio was off (measure of mitochondrial efficiency) his thyroid function would be off too...fix one, fix the other.
ReplyDeleteOh, and yes the nose breathing is critical to bridge formation and strengthens respiration. For that reason, Lucas runs and we are starting a brachiation program, also the Institutes for the Achievemnt of Human Potential has a program called masking...we are trying to get that under way, but as you may have read, I've lost our naturopath who was working with us to get it started.
ReplyDeleteAlso, here is some great info
ReplyDeletehttp://www.healthresearch.com/downsyndromethyroid.htm
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