Hyper experiments

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I've been experimenting on myself lately to try to determine what minerals

are essential to control hyperthyroidism. During my recovery from HyperT, I

was taking alot of different supplements, so it was difficult to say exactly

what led to my improvement. Now that I'm feeling confident that I have

control over the situation, I've been trying to determine what the minerals

are that are involved.

Although I talk about minerals most of the time, please be aware that I take

all the vitamins also. I took all the same vitamins before I got hyperT, so I

don't think my particular case was caused by any vitamin deficiency. Vitamins

and minerals work together and minerals probably need adequate levels of

vitamins to be absorbed and used properly. Make sure you're getting all the

vitamins you need, because it's possible your case occurred because of a

vitamin deficiency.

I am quite sure that copper and zinc are necessary for thyroid health. Some

people are trying copper only at the beginning of supplementation, under the

hypothesis that zinc may stimulate the thyroid and that is undesireable at the

start. I think everyone realizes that zinc is necessary and will be needed at

some point to balance and work with the copper. In September I tried not

taking zinc for two weeks to see what would happen, and I got symptoms of zinc

deficiency (prostate discomfort and white spots on my fingernails). I didn't

notice any effect on my thyroid function.

Lately I've been experimenting with chromium, selenium, and trace elements.

I'm pretty confident from my research and self-experimentation that the

chromium and selenium are essential to prevent hypothyroidism, but am not sure

of their role in affecting hyperthyroidism. Are one or more of the trace

elements necessary for healthy thyroid function? I think so, but am not sure.

Before this experimentation I noticed that occasionally I would not feel

well. I have a few bottles of a liquid colloidal mineral supplement which I

used to take before I started taking the Mezotrace tablets (trace elements).

Usually when I didn't feel well, I would take a big swig of the liquid

minerals and feel better within an hour. It seemed strange, but it worked.

About two weeks ago I stopped taking my 200 mcg chromium picolinate

supplement and greatly reduced the selenium, and cut back on my Mezotrace

tablets. A few days ago I started feeling some rapid heartbeat at night

(always my most sensitive indicator of hyperT symptoms). One night before I

went to bed I was feeling bad, but not with hyper symptoms. I took chromium,

selenium, and the liquid trace elements. Within an hour I felt fine, and the

nighttime rapid heartbeat I had been experiencing went away also.

Although we've been wondering if copper is sufficient to halt the hyper

symptoms, I now am more convinced that other minerals are involved. The

liquid trace elements has chromium and selenium along with many other

minerals. It's possible that chromium and/or selenium are essential; and it's

possible that something else in the trace elements is essential.

If it were possible to find multiple vitamin-mineral supplements without

iodine or manganese, then that would be a convenient way to get most of your

requirements satisfied. I think that hypers should get a good multiple

(tablet would be better) and try one tablet or a half of one tablet to see

what happens. I would think that it would benefit you to be getting as many

vitamins and minerals as possible, but you may not be able to take a multiple

until your copper (and possibly zinc) get built up. But as soon as you can

take a multiple, then add that. As I said, the iodine and manganese in the

multiple (and possibly something else) may be a problem, so start with a small

amount. If you are going to have a negative effect it should be within a few

hours at most.

Also, it would seem to be a good idea to experiment with chromium, selenium,

and trace elements to determine if those are tolerated. Introduce one at a

time so you can determine which one is responsible if you experience any

negative effects. As soon as you can tolerate a mineral, add it go your daily

schedule.

So it appears that copper alone will help, but is not sufficient to eliminate

all the symptoms. For those of you who have not tried copper, be aware that

most people feel pretty lousy for the first few days. I think that there is a

correlation between the seriousness of your deficiency and how bad you feel

the first week. The good news is that if you really feel bad, you will

probably feel really great once you get replenished.

Keep in mind that this is all experimental and I may not understand what's

going on. Your condition may be different from mine and other people's. Be

cautious when taking anything new.

Please remember that all essential nutrients are essential to complete

health. You have to make sure you get them all eventually. We're just trying

to develop a pathway so that you don't get devastating hyper symptoms from

some of the minerals which, though they are essential, may stimulate the

thyroid if taken too soon.

If you haven't written to me in awhile, please let me know how you are doing.

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