NEWS OF INTEREST

It might not be a bad idea for people with overactive thyroids to supplement their standard treatment with Chinese herbal medicine, a new review suggests. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, causing problems that can mimic the effects of a shot of adrenalin, said Jeffrey Sandler, M.D., an endocrinologist with Scripps Mercy Hospital and Whittier Institute in San Diego. "It stimulates the heart rate, can raise blood pressure, breaks down muscle and can cause weakness and weight loss."

Increased thyroid hormones can lead to higher body temperatures and warm, moist skin as well. The cause of hyperthyroidism is typically Graves' disease, where cells of the immune system work against the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is most common among women and the drugs used to treat it have been around for about 50 years, Sandler said. In extreme cases, doctors turn to surgery and radiation. In this new Cochrane Library review, the researchers looked for studies that compared hyperthyroidism patients who took Chinese herbal medicine alone to those who took it in combination with Western treatments.

Visit the News-Medical Net website to read the rest of the article and the final decision about herbs and thyroid issues.