Hypothyroidism & Zinc

Hypothyroidism is a condition associated with an underactive thyroid gland. The condition can interfere with the function of insulin, which in turn can suppress the brain's levels of LH. LH controls how much testosterone the adrenal glands, testes and ovaries secrete. Low testosterone levels may lead to a loss of gender specific features and a low libido. Though the topic is still controversial, zinc may perhaps help increase testosterone levels and thus alleviate some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism can be hereditary, but in many cases, it is the result of treating the more immediately life threatening condition hyperthyroidism. In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormones. Occasionally, the gland can produce potentially lethal amounts of thyroid hormones. It can also lead to Graves' disease, a condition in which the eyes bulge. A common treatment of hyperthyroidism is to remove the thyroid gland surgically or destroy it with radioactive iodine. This results in hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can be controlled with synthetic thyroid hormone T3 and is not an immediately life threatening condition.

Insulin Resistance

Thyroid hormones help control the function of insulin. The pancreas secretes insulin in response to an increase in blood sugar, or glucose. Insulin then binds to cell receptors, which triggers the cells to embed glucose transporters into the cell membranes. The transporters carry glucose into the cells, where it can convert to energy or remain in storage for later use. When the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones, this can interfere with insulin's ability to bind to insulin receptors, resulting in insulin resistance and a low metabolic rate.

Testosterone

One of the consequences of insulin resistance is an imbalance in the production of LH. LH directly controls the secretion of testosterone from the adrenal glands and testes in men. It indirectly controls testosterone levels in women by triggering ovulation, which is associated with high testosterone levels. Low testosterone levels can lead to the development of feminine features in men and a loss of feminine features in women. It furthermore affects the libido. A low sex drive can result directly from the low metabolic rate that results from untreated hypothyroidism, but in many cases the culprit is a lack of testosterone.

Zinc

Zinc is essential to the function of several hundred enzymes in the human body. Zinc thus is vital to the proper function of the body's metabolic processes. Zinc can perhaps help increase testosterone levels, though the scientific evidence for this is inconclusive. To maximize your chances of increasing your zinc levels, add foods that are naturally high in zinc to your diet, including oysters, fish, red meat, nuts and seeds. Dairy products are high in zinc as well, but dairy comes from lactating animals whose high blood levels of estrogen could affect the estrogen level of the milk they produce. Foods high in estrogen levels could lead to a low libido in men, though more studies are needed to establish this claim.