Does PM affect TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)? I've done a quick web search, and haven't found anything.

I'm asking because I just got some lab results back, and my TSH level is high. I'm setting up an appointment with my doctor, but wanted to see if this could be involved. I've had high TSH previously, but it's been under control once I started taking prescription thyroid extract. So, I'm freaking out a little.

Thanks!

Michelle

I could be wrong here, but it is my understanding that when one takes thyroid medication, eventually the thyroid down-regulates until at some point the thyroid stops working completely and all thyroid hormone comes from an external source (pills).

The bigger question is what are your Free T3 and T4? High TSH would imply those other two are lower than ideal. Thyroid medication interacts with just about anything you ingest. Are you waiting at least an hour after taking it before eating or drinking anything other than water? Do you wait 4 hours before and after taking it before consuming calcium? It is ok if you don't. It just means you need a higher dose to get the intended benefits. I'm not sure if the same restrictions apply to synthetic thyroid, but I prefer to take the natural stuff.

While not an expert in this, I no longer have a thyroid due to thyroid cancer and am currently taking a large dose of Synthroid daily to keep my TSH levels to almost zero while taking 2000mg PM daily. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland telling the thyroid gland to make more hormones, and could be a primary indicator your thyroid is not functioning correctly.

I asked the same questions about PM affecting thyroid hormones after reading an article on the web about it possibly doing such, but did not get much. My last endo visit had my TSH levels near where he wanted them, but I don't recall my T3 or T4 levels or if he even checked them. But again, I also have no thyroid, so my situation is completely different.

There's a blurb here that says PM may decrease free thyroxine levels

http://www.drugs.com/npp/pueraria.html

and on the Ainterol forum wflynn stated there was no thryoid effect...

http://www.ainterolherbs.com/forums/Thread-How-does-Pueraria-Mirifica-effect-the-Thyroid

and on this site, Dr Northrup states this about woman, estrogen and thyroid function (note the comment about balancing estrogen with progesterone):

Thyroid problems are intimately intertwined with menopause. According to the late John R. Lee, M.D., a noted clinician and author, there appears to be a cause-and-effect relationship between hypothyroidism, in which there are inadequate levels of thyroid hormone, and estrogen dominance. When estrogen is not properly counterbalanced with progesterone, it can block the action of the thyroid hormone, so even when the thyroid is producing normal levels of the hormone, the hormone is rendered ineffective and the symptoms of hypothyroidism appear. In this case, laboratory tests may show normal thyroid hormone levels in a woman’s system, because the thyroid gland itself is not malfunctioning.
It is no surprise, then, that this problem is compounded when a woman is prescribed supplemental estrogen, leading to an even greater imbalance. In that circumstance, a prescription for supplemental thyroid hormone will fail to correct the underlying problem: estrogen dominance.

http://www.drnorthrup.com/blog/2013/07/estrogen-dominance-a-true-balancing-act

While not an expert in this, I no longer have a thyroid due to thyroid cancer and am currently taking a large dose of Synthroid daily to keep my TSH levels to almost zero while taking 2000mg PM daily. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland telling the thyroid gland to make more hormones, and could be a primary indicator your thyroid is not functioning correctly.

I asked the same questions about PM affecting thyroid hormones after reading an article on the web about it possibly doing such, but did not get much. My last endo visit had my TSH levels near where he wanted them, but I don't recall my T3 or T4 levels or if he even checked them. But again, I also have no thyroid, so my situation is completely different.

There's a blurb here that says PM may decrease free thyroxine levels

http://www.drugs.com/npp/pueraria.html

and on the Ainterol forum wflynn stated there was no thryoid effect...

http://www.ainterolherbs.com/forums/Thread-How-does-Pueraria-Mirifica-effect-the-Thyroid

and on this site, Dr Northrup states this about woman, estrogen and thyroid function (note the comment about balancing estrogen with progesterone):

Thyroid problems are intimately intertwined with menopause. According to the late John R. Lee, M.D., a noted clinician and author, there appears to be a cause-and-effect relationship between hypothyroidism, in which there are inadequate levels of thyroid hormone, and estrogen dominance. When estrogen is not properly counterbalanced with progesterone, it can block the action of the thyroid hormone, so even when the thyroid is producing normal levels of the hormone, the hormone is rendered ineffective and the symptoms of hypothyroidism appear. In this case, laboratory tests may show normal thyroid hormone levels in a woman’s system, because the thyroid gland itself is not malfunctioning.
It is no surprise, then, that this problem is compounded when a woman is prescribed supplemental estrogen, leading to an even greater imbalance. In that circumstance, a prescription for supplemental thyroid hormone will fail to correct the underlying problem: estrogen dominance.

http://www.drnorthrup.com/blog/2013/07/estrogen-dominance-a-true-balancing-act

Thanks for this, and Monika for your reply!

For reference, I currently take 30 mg of Armour thyroid each morning. I actually set my alarm an hour early, get up and take it, and then go back to bed for an hour, just to make sure that I don't take anything else. Also, I'm allergic to dairy (and eggs), so for breakfast I usually have a soy protein shake. I take a dose of Citracal Max at dinner, and another at bedtime (for my osteopenia), to keep it away from the Armour thyroid.

Now, given that quote above, it sounds like it's possible that the elevated TSH might be due to estrogen dominance, and PC might clear things up, right?

Update: my doctor is upping my Rx from 30 mg of Armour thyroid a day to 45 mg. I'd guess I'll have TSH checked again in 4-8 weeks to see if it's back into the normal range.

I'm thinking of maybe trying some PC too anyway, in case it was possibly caused by E dominance. Are there signs that I might be running into E dominance? Would there be any significant downside of trying some PC?

Thanks!

Michelle

Update: my doctor is upping my Rx from 30 mg of Armour thyroid a day to 45 mg. I'd guess I'll have TSH checked again in 4-8 weeks to see if it's back into the normal range.

I'm thinking of maybe trying some PC too anyway, in case it was possibly caused by E dominance. Are there signs that I might be running into E dominance? Would there be any significant downside of trying some PC?

Thanks!

Michelle

I can't answer that question; hopefully someone will. I intend to pic some up and start it in my routine.

As for thyroid meds, I'm taking 224 mg of Synthroid daily. I started at 125 mg several months ago and the doc keeps upping it every 6 weeks. This all was before I even considered & started NBE, so I'm truly thinking PM has had no effect on it, as my TSH levels were less than 3 four weeks ago (which tells me my other levels are good).

Just keep in mind that PM is not E and never will be. At best, it is similar to estriol, the weakest of estrogens. If it were more like estradiol, the strongest estrogen, I might see how there could be estrogen dominance. Unless a male's T level has dropped to the point of near non-existence, I fail to see how PM could have much, if any, effect on things like thyroid levels unless PM somehow blocks things. I seriously doubt it is the weak, estrogen-like activity that is affecting things. Btw, I take 150 mg of Armour at the moment.

Thanks, Scotti and Monika! It's sounding like the answer to my original question is "no"; that it's unlikely that PM had anything to do with this.