Holtorf Medical Group

"Chronic fatigue" is a symptom, referring to continuing significant fatigue that lasts for months. It can be the result of a variety of ongoing or chronic conditions and illnesses (for example hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, anemia), nutritional deficiencies, sleep disorders like apnea, chronic pain, depression, and other health issues. Ongoing fatigue lasting at least six months […]

Magnesium Deficiency One of the most common causes of leg cramps and pain is magnesium deficiency. In fact, a key symptom of magnesium deficiency is cramps, spasms, pain and aches in the legs and feet. If you notice aching in the legs and/or feet at night, ask your physician to check magnesium levels via a blood […]

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), 50 to 70 million Americans are affected by chronic sleep disorders as well as periodic sleep problems — issues that that can significantly impact health, alertness, and safety. The NSF also says that studies show that healthy adults have a "basal sleep need of seven to eight hours […]

Facebook Chat on Sleep If you missed thyroid advocate and bestselling author Mary Shomon's Facebook chat about the effects of sleep disorders on our health, it took place on Friday, April 25. You can read through all the Q&As and the full chat transcript online here.

Melatonin is produced — primarily at night — by the pineal gland, a tiny gland located in the brain. The pineal acts as a controller of our body's clock, including the day-to-day 24-hour clock that tells us when to sleep and when to wake. It also controls our lifetime biological clock that decides on bigger […]

Over at the Very Well Thyroid site, patient advocate Mary Shomon has reported on new research, just published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, that shows that larger doses of supplemental thiamine (vitamin B1) were shown to substantially help resolve fatigue in Hashimoto's patients who were on thyroid hormone replacement medication. Check out […]

Your immune system's job is to protect you against infections, toxins, and invaders — everything from bacteria, to viruses, to allergens. When the immune system encounters something that could be potentially harmful, it mounts a defense to help kill or overcome the "invader," and protect the body. For a number of reasons — many which […]

"Yep," said the doctor, chuckling. "Looks like an overactive thyroid to me. Every one of you practically go airborne!" He had reviewed her chart and latest symptoms, and suspected correctly that she had an overactive thyroid. While his diagnostic method is not one Holtorf Medical Group doctors would use, we still consider this patient luckier […]

Let's talk about PMS, which is for some women, the next key mood-hormone link. For a variety of reasons — nutrition, genetics, hormone balance, etc. — some women sail through monthly cycles with few symptoms, while others struggle every month with debilitating depression, anxiety, and fatigue. While PMS may be a favorite joke of comedians, […]

Guest post by Dr. Tracy Thomas Back in January, I shared with you my personal story about working with Holtorf Medical Group to heal my thyroid issue. Now, I'd like for someone very special to me to share her story, as well. She's in her 60's, works out 5 times a week, and hardly a […]

While your symptoms resemble a mental health issue, they could be signs of Hashimoto's disease, one cause of hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's disease, also known as autoimmune thyroiditis or simply "Hashimoto's", is caused by an autoimmune disorder. In this case, the body's immune system sees the thyroid gland as a foreign body and begins to attack, damaging […]

What is PCOS? PCOS, also called Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, is the most common endocrine disorder among women, affecting as many as 5% to 10% of all women. And while many of its symptoms are externally visible, PCOS can involve multiple organ systems within the body. It is the most common cause of infertility in women, and […]

Our adrenal glands produce hormones that help balance blood sugar levels, manage our energy levels, and help us handle stress. If a person is under constant physical or emotional stress, their adrenals may become weak and unable to produce adequate amounts of critical hormones, especially a hormone called cortisol. This creates an illness commonly known […]

Brief periods of mental or physical exertion left them exhausted. And while their pains might migrate from one area of the body to another at any given time, there were 11 points on the body that were always more tender than other areas. This illness has been studied since the 1800's, and identified by a […]

The microflora in the gut form a barrier that protects against invaders by competing with harmful bacteria and viruses. These microflora actually communicate with the immune system, prompting it to attack bad bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites, and to prevent more bacteria from taking up residence. When microflora aren't thriving, these harmful agents are left […]

The immune system also plays a role in restricting tumors and cancerous growths inside the body. It's important to keep your immune system strong and healthy. Here are eight things that can make your immune system weaker. Stress Stress can have a major negative impact on your immune system. When you experience continued stress, the […]

If you had asked me ten years ago whether I thought I would still be alive today, I would have responded with "absolutely not." That's how surely I was convinced that I was slowly dying — emotionally, socially, intellectually, spiritually, and physically. The most frightening thing about it was that I perceived I was powerless […]

What is the Immune System Made Of? The immune system is composed of a network of cells, tissues and organs that work together like a well-trained army. Its major components include the lymph nodes, the spleen, bone marrow, the thymus, lymphocytes and leukocytes. The lymph nodes are the most commonly recognized part of the immune […]

This new number was derived from a survey of seven national laboratories, a national patient survey, and a review of insurance information. It is the CDC's most comprehensive attempt at a better estimate. But the numbers are estimated to be much higher when you include the vast number of patients who are told they don't […]

If Lyme disease is not diagnosed and treated early, the Lyme spirochete can spread, and can go into hiding in the body, causing health problems months or even years after the infection occurs. Perhaps this is why there is so much confusion and difficulty in getting proper treatment for Lyme disease. It Starts With an […]

This new estimate suggests that the total number of people diagnosed with Lyme disease is as much as ten times greater than the number of cases reported to the CDC annually, at 30,000. With such large numbers, you might think that diagnosing Lyme disease is fairly simple. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Why is […]

Contrary to popular belief, Lyme disease is not limited to the northeastern United States, but is seen in every state across the country. It is often called "the great imitator" because Lyme can mimic virtually any disease, including multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou […]

For many, seeing is believing, and this 10 to 15 minute thyroid exam sees what is otherwise hidden and can measure and detect issues that do not reveal themselves anywhere else. Lab work can indicate key thyroid related hormone levels, such as T4, T3, Reverse T3, Free T4 and Free T3, but do not indicate […]

Don't blame yourself for failure. Sometimes there's a medical reason for weight gain or the inability to lose weight! Here is a list of key tests that can determine if there's a physiological cause for your weight problems. Thyroid hormone imbalance An imbalance of thyroid hormones, specifically hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone conversion disorders, can make […]