Overview

Please see conventional, complementary, and alternative medical treatments for important background information regarding the different types of medical treatments discussed on this page. Naturopathic, Complementary, and Alternative treatments that may be considered include:

Differential Diagnosis

Pathophysiology

It is observed that disturbed liver function is significantly higher among untreated hypothyroid patients than among those patients who have been properly treated. This disturbed liver function is manifested in elevated liver enzymes and dyslipidemia [Barnes], [Starr2005, pg 139].

In addition, since the liver is primarily responsible for the conversion of T4 to T3, impaired liver function is magnified by further decrease in thyroid function [Kharrazian2010, pg 11].

Hypotheses

The liver is very metabolically active and consumes large amounts of ATP energy. As a result, the liver is sensitive to mitochondrial dysfunction such as occurs in hypothyroid conditions. In addition, myxedema in the liver may interfere with the liver's secretion of bile into the canaliculi by compressing the canaliculi [Hertoghe1914], [Starr2005, pg 139].

References