The Thyroid Blog

Study Finds High Arsenic Levels in Herbal Kelp Supplements

A study of herbal kelp supplements led by University of California/Davis public health expert Marc Schenker concludes that its medicinal use may cause inadvertent arsenic poisoning and health dangers for consumers, especially when overused. Schenker and two researchers evaluated nine over-the-counter herbal kelp products and found higher than acceptable arsenic levels in eight of them.

Kelp supplements are frequently used by thyroid patients as a source of iodine, and as a nutritional supplement that is supposed to help thyroid function.

Shedding Pounds from Diet or Exercise—Take Your Pick

People looking to lose those extra pounds have been told for decades that dieting together with exercise will bring about the best results. Not so, says new research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, which reveals that dieting alone is as effective as dieting plus exercise. The key is in the calories and the study shows that calories can be lost effectively by either dietary restrictions or exercise.

100% Juices Found as Beneficial to Health as Fruits and Vegetables

When it comes tosome of today’s health issues, 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices do help reduce risk factors related to certain diseases. This conclusion is the result of a European study designed to question traditional thinking that 100 percent juices play a less significant role in reducing risk for both cancer and cardiovascular disease than whole fruits and vegetables.

Don't Care For Broccoli? A Receptor Gene's Variation Suggests An Evolutionary Excuse

By testing the bitterness perceived by individuals possessing different versions of the same taste receptor, researchers have obtained new evidence supporting the idea that evolution of the receptor gene has shaped avoidance of certain vegetables that can inhibit thyroid function. The findings are reported by Mari Hakala and Paul Breslin of Monell Chemical Sciences Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and appear in the September 19th issue of Current Biology, published by Cell Press.

Compounds known as glucosinolates are present in a variety of vegetables included in the human diet (especially Cruciferous vegetables), but these compounds can block the formation of organic iodine and the transport of iodine into the thyroid. Iodine is necessary for proper thyroid function, and in geographic regions where inorganic iodine levels are low, endemic goiter (enlarged thyroid) can arise in response to the need to maintain levels of thyroid hormone. In such circumstances, thyroid toxins such as glucosinolates can exacerbate problems with thyroid function. Deficiencies in thyroid function can result in retarded sexual maturation and mental retardation in low-iodine regions (typically, remote areas far from the sea).