RT3-Adrenals Depression

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Depression and thyroid

Depression can be a hypothyroid symptom and hypothyroidism can

cause depression. The best way to address it is to optimize thyroid.

Even when low thyroid is not the root cause of depression, optimizing

thyroid hormones is therapeutic.

T3 therapy for depression

In various trials, T3 has been shown to be effective as primary or

adjunct therapy for depression, even when antidepressants or

cognitive therapy were not successful. In one trial, a dose of 50 mcgs

of T3 was 50 percent more effective than the usual antidepressants

with significantly less side effects.

Antidepressants affect the HPA axis

Depressed individuals have been found to have increased HPA axis

activity, i.e., excess production of cortisol. The method of action of

antidepressants is now understood to be related to changes they cause

in the receptors for corticosteroids, which attenuate this exaggerated

cortisol response. Since we know low thyroid function pushes the

adrenals to increase activity in order to pick up the slack -- sometimes

to the point of causing adrenal fatigue -- it is not surprising that

correcting low thyroid function can reverse depression.