The thyroid often goes under the radar until problems arise.
In this article, we discuss two common health conditions, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, and consider various treatments.
There may also be effective treatments for individuals diagnosed with either disease.
We’ll also discuss some of these treatments, including red light therapy, which is a valuable addition to your doctor-prescribed treatment protocol.
What is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid is overactive. This results in the constant dumping of thyroid hormone into the system, causing the following symptoms:
- Anxiety and irritability
- Muscle weakness
- Sleep disturbances
- Thinning skin
- Increased appetite
- Weight loss
- Rapid and Irregular heartbeat
- And others
Hypothyroidism is more common than hypothyroidism, with 1 out of 20 Americans suffering from this condition, according to the NIH.
A variety of potential treatments are available for this, including pharmaceuticals, surgery and other non-invasive forms of treatment like red light therapy.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid is underactive and as a result does not produce enough thyroid hormone.
Symptoms include the following:
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness/stiffness/aches
- Cold sensitivity
- Dry skin
- Weight gain
- Slow heartbeat
- And others.
Hypothyroidism is sometimes treated with hormone replacement. In some cases, diet may also help boost thyroid hormone levels.
In the following section, we go into more detail about thyroid health and provide some tips for maintaining it.
How to Improve Thyroid Health
It’s worthwhile to consider ways of optimizing your thyroid health.
If there’s an imbalance in the hormones produced by the thyroid, the body uses too little or too much energy. In addition to the side effects mentioned above, long-term thyroid imbalances can lead to cancer with further health complications.
The thyroid is part of the endocrine system. It controls digestion as well as a variety of essential bodily functions relating to metabolism (how your body converts food to energy).
It also regulates nerve functions, fertility, skin and bone health, brain development, mental activity, heart rate, and breathing.
Key Hormones
The thyroid produces several types of hormones, each with different functions that require a balanced ecosystem to work properly:
Triiodothyronine (T3) is the thyroid hormone with the greatest effect on your metabolism.
Thyroxine (T4) is the primary thyroid hormone produced by the thyroid and it is the precursor to T3. T4 converts to T3 once it enters the bloodstream, and T3 regulates your metabolism.
T3 and T4 levels don’t just affect digestion. They affect every single cell in the body. Having the right balance of these hormones is critical to good health.
The thyroid gland helps by carefully measuring and releasing hormonal supply based on the body’s requirements at any given time.
Reverse triiodothyronine (RT3) regulates the balance of T3. The thyroid also produces small amounts of RT3.
Parathyroid hormone helps maintain the right concentrations of calcium in the blood and tissues. Calcium is an important mineral that is essential for proper nerve, muscle, and cardiovascular functioning.
Calcitonin is a hormone that decreases calcium in the blood. It works in tandem with parathyroid hormone to regulate blood calcium levels.
Thyroid Health Factors
To work properly, the thyroid requires iodine, which is found in iodized table salt, seafood, and dairy products including yogurt. Too much or too little iodine is just one of the causes of thyroid dysfunction.
The thyroid is also affected by the hypothalamus which secretes thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH). This in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
If this delicate balance is thrown off, you will experience a host of unwanted effects depending on whether your thyroid becomes over- or under-active.
Hypothyroidism is sometimes treated with levothyroxine, an artificial thyroid hormone. It can also be treated with medications that lower thyroid hormone levels.
In the next section, we’ll introduce red light therapy as a potential solution for treating the root cause of the condition.
What is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy is a natural treatment that uses specific wavelengths of visible and invisible light to stimulate the mitochondria.
The light is delivered using LED devices. There are quite a few different types of red light therapy panels on the market.
Ideally, the panels would emit optimally therapeutic wavelengths. However, unfortunately, quite a few brands have rushed into the market with red light panels that don’t necessarily meet that standard.
Some of the maximally effective wavelengths are the following, as found in the BIOMAX Series:
- 480nm (traces of blue)
- 630nm (R+)
- 660nm (R+)
- 810nm (NIR+)
- 830nm (NIR+)
- 850nm (NIR+)
- 1060nm (NIR+)
The simultaneous blending of these wavelengths has additionally therapeutic benefits.
Unlike natural sun therapy, red light therapy does not contain UV light so it’s safe for the skin.
One of its key benefits, which has been demonstrated in numerous studies, is that red light therapy stimulates cellular energy production and optimizes cellular function. This has a positive ripple effect on the body. When one system functions better, the others benefit as well.
Red light absorbs into all layers of the skin to promote skin health through better cell function, reduced inflammation, improved blood flow, and increased collagen production.
Near-infrared light absorbs deeper in the body, including glands such as the thyroid which is located at the base of the neck.
Red light therapy has been clinically proven to be an effective treatment for anti-aging, joint pain, muscle recovery, neuropathy, hair regrowth, and many other conditions.
How Does Red Light Therapy Affect the Thyroid Gland?
The direct effects of red light therapy on the thyroid are just now becoming more widely studied and they include significant benefits for patients with thyroid dysfunction.
Red light therapy has been deemed safe for the thyroid, which is also notably within range of exposure to red light therapy wavelengths.
Does RLT Reduce Time on Thyroid Medication?
In one study, researchers found that red light therapy allowed 50% of study participants to completely stop taking levothyroxine medication for chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAT). This autoimmune condition is the primary cause of hypothyroidism in people whose diets supply them with adequate iodine.
Those same researchers also suggested that red light therapy improved thyroid function, partly due to its anti-inflammatory effects, its ability to support tissue regeneration, positive circulatory effects (including increased blood flow), and improved cell function.
In another study on patients with CAT, the patients were either treated with 830nm near infrared light or a placebo. After the light treatment, their levothyroxine treatments were halted for 30 days and thyroid function was evaluated. The red light therapy group showed a significant 30% decrease in the doses of levothyroxine required to continue treating the condition.
Does RLT Help Protect the Thyroid Gland?
Red light therapy also appears to have a protective effect on the thyroid, safeguarding the gland against autoimmune disorders caused by an imbalance in the body’s lymphocytes (or “killer cells”) that cause the lymphocytes to attack the body. Its protective effect begins with the anti-inflammatory properties of red light treatment.
One suggested cause of autoimmune disorders is hormonal imbalance. If lymphocytes in the thyroid are imbalanced, they may cause the thyroid to overproduce hormones, resulting in hyperthyroidism.
A lymphocyte imbalance can also cause the thyroid to slow or halt production of hormones, resulting in hypothyroidism.
Therefore, balancing hormones may be an essential part of helping the body reset its immune system and prevent an imbalance of hormones… which contributes to a vicious cycle of inflammation and potential damage to the thyroid.
RLT Thyroid Treatment with the BIOMAX Series
The BIOMAX Series can help treat the thyroid as well as systemic inflammation throughout the body that could be causing hormonal imbalances.
These devices feature a broad array of therapeutic wavelengths, including the following:
- 480nm (traces of blue light)
- 630nm (R+)
- 660nm (R+)
- 810 (NIR+)
- 830 (NIR+)
- 850nm (NIR+)
- 1060nm (NIR+)
At-home treatment with RLT panels is convenient, affordable, and it can be just as effective as in-clinic treatment.
Before starting red light therapy, consult with your doctor to come up with a thyroid treatment program that incorporates red light therapy, and check out the BIOMAX series to see which one is best for your health needs.