Hillary Clinton’s recent medical episode has brought much attention to the presidential candidate’s health, and therefore much attention to medical records released by her campaign in July of 2015. What did these records reveal? Hillary Clinton has hypothyroidism. Clinton joins a long list of celebrities with thyroid disease, including Missy Elliot, Sofia Vergara, Oprah Winfrey, and Kim Cattrall.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid slows, making less thyroid hormone available to the cells, organs, and tissues that rely on it to remain functioning. Hypothyroidism is extremely common, with approximately 60 million people affected in the US alone. Hypothyroid can be treated with synthetic thyroid hormone replacement drugs, or in Clinton’s case, natural desiccated (dried) thyroid (NDT) medications.
NDT is made from the thyroid gland of pigs and fell out of favor within conventional medicine between the 1950s and 1990s, due to the introduction of the synthetic thyroid hormone, levothyroxine. It has since faced a resurgence with the increasing popularity of natural and holistic medicine.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include: lethargy, sluggishness, sensitivity to cold, hair loss or dryness, brittle nails, and constipation. If you or someone you know may be suffering from hypothyroidism, the experienced physicians at Palm Beach Diabetes and Endocrine Specialists, PA can help. To schedule an appointment at one of our convenient office locations, please call (561) 513-5100.