Dr. Friedman Explains the connection between TSH, Hypothyroidism & Cardiovascular Disease.

The Most Common Problem From Hypothyroidism

More than three quarters of the people suffering from an underactive thyroid don't know it and have never been treated — and this means some 8 million Americans.

If you are running on too little thyroid hormone, your whole metabolism is "low." You may feel run down, slow, depressed, sluggish, cold, and tired. Your hair may be brittle, your skin dry and itchy, your muscles crampy.

The most common cause of low thyroid production is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's thyroiditis in which your lymphocytes make antibodies which slowly and gradually disable the hormone-producing cells in your thyroid gland.

Diagnosis is easily made with a simple blood test, measuring the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from your pituitary gland. A high TSH shows that the pituitary is trying to tell your thyroid to raise your hormone level—and that it needs to be raised. If your TSH is high, other tests measuring thyroxine (T4) and other thyroid levels can sort out the severity of the condition.

MORE ON DR. FRIEDMAN

Theodore C. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D. has opened a private practice, specializing in treating patients with adrenal, pituitary, thyroid and fatigue disorders. Dr. Friedman has privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Martin Luther King Medical Center. His practice includes detecting and treating hormone imbalances, including hormone replacement therapy. Dr. Friedman is also an expert in diagnosing and treating pituitary disorders, including Cushings disease and syndrome.

Dr. Friedman's career reflects his ongoing quest to better understand and treat endocrine problems. With both medical and research doctoral degrees, he has conducted studies and cared for patients at some of the country's most prestigious institutions, including the University of Michigan, the NationaI Institutes of Health, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and UCLA's Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science.

Visit Dr. Friedman on the web: http://www.goodhormonehealth.com