Thyroid Health

A small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck, the thyroid is a key regulator of metabolic function and thus plays a significant role throughout your body.

Recognizing the symptoms of thyroid disorder.

When abnormal, the thyroid can either be underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism). While hyperthyroidism is rare, hypothyroidism is unfortunately more common. People with hypothyroidism typically experience fatigue, cold hands and feet, constipation, weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, depression, and poor immune function among many symptoms.

Prevalence and under-treatment in the United States.

It is estimated that 30 million people in the U.S. have a thyroid disorder, yet more than half go undiagnosed. Proper lab testing should include TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies. Standard reference ranges for TSH often cause many with hypothyroidism to be undiagnosed. TSH should be below 2.0 mU/L, although most labs consider a level up to 4.5 mIU/L normal. Physicians need to be discriminating when evaluating thyroid function.

Clinical expertise and proactive treatment.

The doctors at Marin Natural Medicine Clinic are highly experienced in the innovative diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disorders. We can order the proper tests – including environmental impacts and heavy metal toxicities which can cause thyroid dysfunction – and know how to evaluate the results and establish proper, safe, state-of-the-science treatment protocols for you.