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Weight-Reducing Herbal Medicines Damage the Thyroid Gland
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Hidemi Ohye, MD; Shuji Fukata, MD; Maki Kanoh, RN; Sumihisa Kubota, MD; Kanji Kuma, MD; Akira Miyauchi, MD; Masahiro Sugawara, MD. Thyrotoxicosis Caused by Weight-Reducing Herbal Medicines. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:831-834.
ABSTRACT
The weight-reducing herbal medicines "Dream Shape" and "Ever Youth" became available in Japan in 2000. Herein, we describe 12 patients who developed thyrotoxicosis after taking them.
The thyroid hormone content of 1 capsule or tablet of herbal medicine, measured following Pronase digestion and ethanol extraction, was approximately 1 µg of triiodothyronine and 3 to 4 µg of thyroxine. Two of us took 10 capsules or tablets of Dream Shape or Ever Youth, and changes in thyroid hormone levels were observed during the first 24 hours.
Serum free triiodothyronine levels began to rise 2 hours after ingestion and reached peak levels at 4 to 8 hours; changes in free thyroxine and thyrotropin levels were small during the first 24 hours.
Similar herbal medicines may have been distributed to other countries via the Internet. Resultant factitious thyrotoxicosis can create diagnostic and therapeutic confusion, particularly in patients with thyroid disease.
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/165/8/831
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COMMENT: The thyroid gland controls the rate at which your body uses energy and increasing thyroid hormones increases the rate at which energy is used. But the thyroid also controls a wide range of other body hormones and functions. Playing about with the body's hormone system is not without risk.
Drugs may be effective in controlling infectious diseases, but they are rarely the best option in non-infectious conditions such as overweight. The safest way to lose weight and maintain a normal weight is with a low-carb, high-fat diet based on natural foods.
Last updated 30 April 2005
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