Explore our collection of articles on hormones, thyroid health, and wellbeing—written with care and backed by research.
Doctor Richard Shames, MD & Acupuncturist Georjana Shames, LAc, Dipl. OM
As a doctor known for treating difficult thyroid conditions, a colleague recently inquired of me, "Dr. Shames why have an acupuncturist as part of your practice? What can she offer thyroid patients that you––that we––cannot?" The short answer is "Plenty!" But here is what I actually told him.
There is evidence available that links the two together. Those that are tired and depressed may find that their thyroid is actually behind the problem.
By Richard Shames, M.D. & Karilee Shames, Ph.D., R.N.
In recent weeks, it has come to my attention that a great many women are still confused about the interactions between their thyroid hormone and their female hormone balance. The good news is that the estrogen panacea is winding down. The bad news is that a great many women don't know how to proceed with female hormone balance.
The more progressive gynecologists are using bioidentical hormones instead of Premarin & Provera. Nevertheless, estriol and micronized progesterone may still not be yielding the results you would like, unless potential thyroid situations are taken into account. This can be difficult if your gynecologist—like many—is still not using the new TSH guidelines (remember that a TSH level over 2.0 is suspicious for low thyroid, and above 3.0 is diagnostic for it).
When we first wrote our book THYROID POWER, we took the position (for simplicity) that an additional thyroid balance would be available by adjusting female hormones, if needed, then adjusting adrenal hormones, if needed. The reverse of this posture is also quite valid. Further adjustments of the thyroid (whether you are being treated for a diagnosed thyroid problem or not) can be of great benefit in your reproductive hormone balance. The interaction between these two hormonal systems is extremely significant. Anyone who has taken birth control pills, or estrogen, needs to keep in mind that one additional effect of that maneuver is to increase thyroid-binding proteins in the blood.
This means that almost any thyroid blood test result is quite suspect, because the regular tests will show plenty of thyroid hormone in the bloodstream, but you may still not have sufficient thyroid hormone in the tissues. In other words, estrogens will make thyroid blood tests even more unreliable than they already are.
What this means is that you can be told you don't have a thyroid problem when you really do. In addition, if you are taking thyroid medicine, you could be told that you're taking plenty when, in reality, your tissue levels (not measured on blood tests) need more.
This is not a minor subtlety. It is of critical importance to you. A lack of proper thyroid hormone levels has been implicated in everything from bad PMS to irregular cycles, low libido, infertility, miscarriage, endometriosis, polycystic ovary, uterine fibroids, dysfunctional bleeding, severe menopause, and osteoporosis. With a long list of possible gynecological problems such as this, you are well advised to optimize your thyroid function as much as possible.
So once again I return to a recurrent theme in my office & coaching practice: if there has been any thyroid, diabetes, migraine, colitis, rheumatoid, or other autoimmune problems in your family, then you are likely to have some degree of thyroid involvement yourself. This is especially true approaching and during the menopause years. The Journal of Epidemiology in 2001 had a compelling article revealing that as much as 26% of menopausal women were hypothyroid, making their menopause years worse.
Therefore, you owe it to yourself to take extra diagnostic measures for revealing low thyroid, such as obtaining thyroid antibody testing in addition to the routine T3, T4, and TSH. In addition, make sure the T4 determination is the Free T4, and your T3 testing is for both Free T3 and Total T3. Consider asking for a clinical trial of thyroid medicine if you are in the low normal area on these results. Perhaps even more important is for the person who is already diagnosed and being treated for low thyroid to make sure that your treatment protocol is optimal.
This innovative combination is recommended by Dr. Richard Shames, MD, who is a specialist in endocrinology hormones. Dr. Richard Shames practices as a Consulting Physician and Personal Health Coach, focusing on thyroid and adrenal disorders and their many related conditions, offers a more cost-effective assessment of the major hormones produced by the thyroid, adrenal, and gonad glands, along with an evaluation of Vitamin D levels. This consolidated approach streamlines the testing process offering greater value
In my coaching practice, where I speak with women from all over the country, I frequently find someone who is experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of female hormone imbalance due to an inadequate dose of thyroid medicine. Often these symptoms completely disappear without further female hormone intervention, simply through proper thyroid care alone.
Keep in mind there are at least five (5) different kinds of synthetic thyroid and five (5) different kinds of natural thyroid, in addition to Armour. Sometimes it's not just the dose of your medicine; it's the type or brand—and don't forget that many women need a mix of thyroids rather than just one type.
By Drs Richard and Karilee Shames
A Breakthrough in Comprehensive Home Testing
I watched my dog's cough worsen over several months. The vet couldn't find a reason as to what could be causing such a condition. Scooter's favorite place was in his bed at my feet while I worked at the computer. I had purchased the pet bed only a few months before, and, one day, as he went to bed, the cause finally became obvious. His coughing would spike when he was sitting in his bed. He was being exposed to higher levels of toxic chemicals coming from the materials in the bed.
Like a canary in the coal mine, my best friend was telling me there was danger in my home.
Was I exposing my family and friends to chemicals known to be irritating and harmful? The question plagued me so much that I began researching some of the toxins known to cause health problems. I was shocked to learn how many of these toxins surround us.
When you hear the words “toxic chemicals”, chances are good they conjure specific images. Perhaps you remember the town of Hinkley, California, poisoned by PG&E’s chemical leeching pools1. Or maybe you think about oil spills, like the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico2. Those certainly qualify, but the truth is that toxic chemicals are all around us, every day.
They’re in the foods we eat, the water we drink, and even in the surfaces that we touch. These toxic chemicals, are known by many names. Heavy metals like lead and mercury are familiar names, and the not quite so every day names of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are a persistent, ever-present threat to your health, as well as that of your children.
You can test for levels of many of these toxins in your body through several of our available test profiles for Heavy Metals and Essential Elements.
Today EWG is releasing a dramatically expanded and improved version of our popular cosmetics and personal care products database, Skin Deep. The site has been redesigned top to bottom, and we've added ratings for nearly 10,000 more products.
Social media apps, such as TikTok, know Gen Z women are interested in health, fitness, and aesthetics—so their algorithms feed endless “hacks” that promise to control hormones: seed cycling, detox teas, and miracle supplements. The problem? Most of these trends are not backed by solid science. They often overpromise and underdeliver, especially when it comes to hormone health.
Hormone testing provides clarity. Lab-based hormone testing (under CLIA standards) shows whether levels are high, low, or within expected ranges for your age and cycle. That knowledge lets you understand why your body is reacting a certain way.
Your hormones aren’t a math problem to solve. They’re meant to ebb, flow, and vibe with your lifestyle. The real game-changer? How you eat, sleep, and manage stress.
