Methylation: hypothyroid to hyperthyroid?

[Pea]

Can better methylation cause somebody to go from hypothyroid to hypERthyroid? I am wondering if that has happened to me.

In helping my friend - I started taking extra B12/folate, added a couple antioxidants, reduced my calcium, took some GABA. I've been getting very nervousy, anxious, my heart is racing, unexplained bruising. I've gone back to what I took before. The one day after a nervousy day, I skipped my levothyroxine altogether and felt better that day.

I'm going to get it retested but would like to calm down a bit and get back to normal first - I don't want them to to take away my levo if I still do need it and then I gain 15 pounds overnight again.

I know some of you mention thyroid in various threads so can anybody provide insight to this?

 

[richvank]

Hi, Pea.

Yes, this is possible, and a few other PWMEs have reported it as well. According to my hypothesis, the hypothyroidism in ME/CFS is due to glutathione depletion in the thyroid gland. This causes a buildup of hydrogen peroxide in the thyroid cells. Hydrogen peroxide is normally produced by the thyroid as part of the process of synthesizing the thyroid hormones. The reaction involving hydrogen peroxide normally occurs outside the cells, but some of it is able to leak back into the cells. Normally glutathione quenches it by means of glutathione peroxidase. However, when glutathione becomes depleted, it is not available to do this, and then the hydrogen peroxide damages proteins in the cells. This can lead to Hashimoto's thyroiditis, when the immune system responds to the damaged proteins. Hashimoto's hypothyroidism is the most common hypothyroidism, and it is common in ME/CFS. Wikland reported that 40% of the PWMEs on which he did needle biopsies had Hashimoto's. Dr. Byron Hyde in Canada has also reported high rates of Hashimoto's in his ME patients. The mechanism I have described here is based on work by Duthoit et al.

Some others have worked with their physicians on this, and have lowered or eliminated their thyroid hormone supplementation, after having the same experience you reported. I would encourage you to coordinate with your physician on this.

I think that this is evidence that your methylation cycle partial block has been lifted to some degree, and your glutathione has come up, closer to normal. Hopefully you will experience other benefits as well, since this vicious circle mechanism is the cause of many of the aspects of ME/CFS, in my hypothesis.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[Pea]

Thanks, Rich! I thought once thyroid died, that was it; good to know that's not the case. Have to be careful 'working with' physician though - he looked oddly at me when I even mentioned vitamins the last visit but I will get the levels re-checked.

 

[Ema]

You might consider running your labs yourself through directlabs.com (which has the best pricing I've found for thyroid labs; no affiliation) so that you can decide what you want to share with your doctor in terms of having your prescription changed against your will. I think the FT3/FT4/TSH panel is around $125. And the results show up the next day in your email which is SO much easier than trying to pry them out of receptionists who have no clue.

 

[Pea]

I know what you're saying!! I already made an appointment though. Just wanted to make sure it isn't something else, my heart, stroke, etc. But I hear of people that can't seem to get the optimal amount of thyroid med that they need so that does worry me. I know, you call for the results and they say "everything was fine" even though often it isn't.