Metabolism.com Website Review

THE AMERICAN THYROID AS*OCIATION CLARIFIES PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION WITH TREATMENT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM. For decades doctors have recognized synthetic thyroid hormone known as levothyroxine or brand name Synthroid, as the undisputed choice for treating hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). By virtue of hypothyroidism being extremely common levothyroxine has been the most prescribed medication in the U.S. According to key medical organizations in this country, the only acceptable treatment of hypothyroidism is the use of levothyroxine alone. Using any other form of therapy is not recommended.  Pointing to a significant number of patients receiving levothyroxine who continue to complain of symptoms of hypothyroidism health advocates have been calling for recognition of alternative treatments. One such alternative with a small but enthusiastic following  is extract of pig thyroid (desiccated thyroid extract).  All of the major organization of endocrinologists fail to recommend this form of treatment but in particular the American As*ociation of Clinical Endocrinologist or AACE in the US has flatly stated this form of therapy should never be used. Physicians and their Weight management is a key component of a healthy lifestyle although keeping one’s weight on track is often a frustrating and perplexing task. To get the whole family involved in the weight management effort may seem almost impossible. Simply identifying a younger member of the family as overweight can be a challenge. A 2015 study from the U.K. found that 31% of parents underestimated their child’s weight status. For a child who is “very overweight” per government guidelines there was an 80% chance the parent would clas*ify the child as healthy weight. Te*ns themselves are not very good at identifying themselves as overweight as 80% of overweight te*naged boys and 71% of overweight te*naged gi*ls perceived themselves as normal weight. Recognizing that a child is overweight is crucial to preventing the progression to ad*lt obesity. 72% of overweight kindergartners were obese by the time they