Looking for thyroid advice for my spouse--
 

--and figured I'd get the expert opinions here.

A number of you know my wife is the ultramarathoner who runs 50-60 miles each week. (Back in her major competitive days 3-7 years ago, when she ranked in the top 20 in North America, she used to run even more, up to 80 miles/week.) she is now 45, and over the last two years or so, even on this running schedule, she's gained about 15 pounds. She also feels more tired and logy than when she was training even more.

Now albeit she is older, and she has a demanding job (although the latter has always been true). But we've been noticing in her checkups that her TSH levels have been climbing upward--they recently been in the 2.5 area. I know that optimally they should be in the 1's, and that the American Academy of Endocrinology has urged a changing of the TSH normal range guidelines down from 0.5-5.5 so that the upper limit is around 3, with people near there watched for signs of subclinical reduced thyroid function. Unfortunately, many physicians, including endos, don't seem aware of this recommendation. My wife's physicians are among them, and therefore have never ordered any measures of T3 and T4. (I'm working on them, and many of you know what a pain I can be, faxing/e-mailing clinical papers. My wife finds this embarrassing.)

The other thing that's gotten me suspicious is that my wife's menstrual cycles have gotten shorter than they used to be--down from about 33-35 days to 27-29 days--and she absolutely has the periods from hell, much greater in flow and duration than several years ago. It's been enough that she fights a chronic low-grade iron deficiency anemia--and THAT would never have been noticed if I hadn't insisted on iron/Ferritin/TIBC testing. (She is on slow Fe 65mg/day, which keeps her in lower normal ranges.)

I should also mention that she has been an asthmatic for a dozen years, and takes Asmanex 220mcg/twice a day, Singulair 10mg/day and Albuterol 2 metered puffs before her training runs. Her asthma is not perfectly controlled--she still has intermittent problems, and has been on varied other meds in the past, including Advair diskus, with pretty much the same moderate control.

What I'm looking for advice on--until I can get her a full thyroid work-up, are there any foods/supplements that she could take that would help to naturally upregulate her thyroid function, without interfering much with other meds? I've always wondered whether the long-term usage of asthma meds may be having endocrinologic effects . . .I do suspect she's perimenopausal, but the weight gain, given all that running, is worrisome. (It's hard to imagine she has insulin resistance problems given her activity level . . .)

Any advice would be appreciated.

the wheels of time...
 

move on regardless sometimes no matter what we do.:o

TSH of 2 is not a huge issue. The recommendations of below two, are I believe suggestions for people already diagnosed hypothyroid.

Some doctors believe that EVERYONE has some level of insulin resistance
over 40 yrs old.

Women entering menopause often have estrogen dominance (anovulatory cycles) and hence heavier bleeding.

One of the best resources out there for women's issues is:
http://www.drnorthrup.com/
This author has some very good books out there.

I know it is frustrating. We have been over this turf before, so I am not
going to repeat myself again. (I recall that thread on the Gluten board at OBT before the crash).

It is possible that long term steroid inhaler use, is having an effect. Although "they" say not, it could still be, and we are not privy to the data. The thyroid is right there in the neck, where the steroid passes by. Passive diffusion may occur as it does in the head (eye side effects from those types). But it is difficult to say for certain.

You may be interested in reviewing this web site for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) at.
http://roundearth.stores.yahoo.net/hometshtestkit.html

and

Iron in hemoglobin (Hb)and red blood cells at.

http://roundearth.stores.yahoo.net/homeirontest.html

I have no connection to this site but I like the information provided at Round Earth Publishing.

Asthma,

I here that some people im my community helped improve their asthma through the intake of
Himalayan Goji Juice. Take a look at this site:

http://www.go-go-goji.com/

the site says not found in stores, however I find it in most local health food stores.