A question that is often raised by patients is “Why doesn’t my doctor know all of this?” The reason is that the overwhelming majority (all but a few percent) of physicians (endocrinologists, internists, family practitioners, rheumatologists, etc.) do not read medical journals. When asked, most doctors will claim that they routinely read medical journals, but this has been shown not to be the case. The reason is multi- factorial, but it comes down to the fact that the doctors do not have the time. This is especially true for endocrinological conditions, where physicians are very resistant to changing old concepts of diagnosis and treatment despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary because it is not what they were taught in medical school and residency. At Holtorf Medical Group, we specialize in treating thyroid disorders. Although the research is clear, there is still controversy around testing thyroid function. The general use of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) as the sole screening test is outdated and has been shown repeatedly in research to be an unreliable marker of thyroid disorders. Dr. Holtorf has published two separate peer-reviewed studies confirming that TSH is not an accurate marker of tissue levels of thyroid hormone as the result of stress, chronic fatigue, infection, depression, extreme dieting, obesity, diabetes, and aging. The TSH also misses up to 80% of thyroid disorders in some conditions.
