Alternative Health Practitioner on Subclinical Hypothyroidism

This is a comprehensive discussion of how the thyroid works, how to test for subclinical hypothyroidism, why it's often missed, why it sometimes should be treated and why it sometimes should not be treated. It gives a complex subject it's due.

From the blog:

The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism

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How prevalent is subclinical hypothyroidism, Amy?

Dr. Amy Nett: Well, some estimates are putting subclinical hypothyroidism somewhere in the range between 4 to 20 percent of the US adult population, and you mentioned that’s probably even more common than type 2 diabetes, which based on a 2012 estimate put it at around 9 percent of the US adult population—so type 2 diabetes around 9 percent and subclinical hypothyroidism up to as many as 20 percent.

Chris Kresser: Yeah, that’s a big range, and I imagine part of that is differences in how it’s detected and different definitions of subclinical hypothyroidism, but as I’ve written about in my thyroid eBook, the conventional ranges that are used to determine thyroid function are definitely inadequate, and I think if we use the tighter ranges, you’re going to see prevalence that’s at the higher end of that spectrum.

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About Chris Kresser:

[bimg=fright|no-lightbox]http://33q47o1cmnk34cvwth15pbvt120l.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/chris-kresser-about-320x457.jpg[/bimg]Chris has been studying, practicing, and teaching alternative medicine for more than fifteen years. He did his undergraduate work at UC Berkeley, and studied Chinese and integrative medicine at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College, also in Berkeley. He has trained with world-renowned healers and educators in a variety of disciplines throughout the U.S., Thailand, and Indonesia.

Chris’s work is informed by his own experience recovering from a chronic, complex illness which began while he was traveling in Southeast Asia in his early 20s. After seeing more than twenty doctors around the world and spending thousands of dollars in an effort to diagnose and treat his condition, Chris decided to take his health into his own hands.

Through extensive study and research, continual self-experimentation, and formal training in integrative medicine, he recovered from this debilitating illness and went on to share what he learned with others through his popular blog, podcast, and private practice.