The more we find out, the more beneficial T3 therapy appears to be.
At the end of this blog post, I will give you the link to an article written by fellow thyroid patient advocatem Dr Tania S. Smith. The article discusses the work of scientists who have been studying the effect of thyroid hormones and cancer proliferation. Aleck Hercbergs and Paul J. Davis and colleagues have been at the forefront of this research.
It appears that normal levels of the T4 hormone and reverse T3 (rT3), both act on receptors on the cell wall called Integrin αvβ3 (these receptor are also referred to as ‘Integrin alpha-v beta-3 receptors’, or as ‘Vitronectin receptors’). Through these receptors, T4 and rT3 can cause many types of cancers to grow.
However, T3 may come to the rescue.
In a clinical study, cancer patients who were dying had their survival extended by the addition of T3 thyroid hormone, which significantly reduced their circulating T4 and rT3 levels.
Hercbergs and Davis et al. call this therapy “euthyroid hypothyroxinemia”.
By using T3 in this way, the research team basically did for the cancer patients what those thyroid patients on T3-Mostly or T3-Only do when they find that they cannot get well on T4.
In 2019, the research team published a review of their therapy and the history of it:
Hercbergs, A. (2019). Clinical Implications and Impact of Discovery of the Thyroid Hormone Receptor on Integrin αvβ3–A Review. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10. Here is the link to the research paper:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00565
Here is the article that Dr Smith wrote about this. You will find far more detail here:
https://thyroidpatients.ca/2020/02/05/cancer-scientists-point-finger-at-t4-rt3-hormones/
Enjoy!
If only the medical profession and endocrinologists would see the numerous benefits of using the biologically active hormone T3 for those patients who require it!
Best wishes,
Paul
