ABOUT THIS BOOK

This is an auto-narrated audiobook edition of this book.

In this primer for patients, their families, and their doctors, a leading physician and scientist explains why the standard treatment for hypothyroidism fails many—and offers an empowering call for change.

Hypothyroidism, also commonly referred to as Hashimoto’s disease, affects millions in the United States alone. It occurs when the thyroid—the butterfly-shaped gland that sits in your neck right above the front of your shirt collar—malfunctions or after thyroid surgery, causing thyroid hormone levels in circulation to drop below normal. Thus, treatment is aimed at bringing these hormone levels back to normal. This is done with daily tablets of thyroxine or T4. Because hypothyroidism is so common, we likely know someone who is on this type of medication. While most patients respond well to this standard treatment, about ten to twenty percent (some two to three million individuals in the United States) are far from living a typical life. They exhibit “foggy brain”—low energy, confusion, and poor memory. Many doctors have shrugged off their complaints, believing these symptoms to be unrelated to the thyroid disease. In Rethinking Hypothyroidism, Dr. Antonio C. Bianco, a physician and a scientist who has studied hypothyroidism and thyroid hormones for decades, offers an accessible overview of the disease’s treatment and the role of big pharma in shaping it, making the case that the current approach is failing many patients. But more than this, Bianco calls for alternatives to improve lives, and he equips patients and their families with the tools to advocate for other treatments.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Antonio C. Bianco, MD, is professor of medicine and a member of the Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition at the University of Chicago, where he runs a laboratory funded by the National Institutes of Health to study thyroid hormones. Bianco is also a former president of the American Thyroid Association.

REVIEWS

“A true ‘whodunit’—a famous scientist discovers we have it all wrong and offers a primer on the contrarian thinking at the heart of scientific discovery.”

— David A. Ansell, MD, author of "The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills"

“Rethinking Hypothyroidism validates what many patients knew, but the science was not confirming before. It will open the door for all to consider alternate treatments.”

— Philip James, patient advocate, creator and host of "Doctor Thyroid"

"Written by one of the leading experts on the topic, this book is a must-read for both healthcare providers and patients who struggle with hypothyroidism. Dr. Antonio C. Bianco is a clinician-translational scientist who has established his career exploring the pros and cons of different thyroid hormone replacement options. In this work, he provides his unique perspective on the diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism, toward the goal of improving the health of those with one of the most common chronic medical conditions globally."

— Angela M. Leung, MD, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

"The book is important because it is based on solid documentation and emphasizes that it is necessary to actively listen to the patient and recognize their symptoms. Take the book to your doctor and let him read it (or keep it!). It is a good starting point for a renewed review of your medical history."

— stofskiftesygdom.dk

“Dr. Bianco reviews the replacement treatment of hypothyroidism in a historical perspective. The book is superbly written. . . . The review of the literature as well as of documents of, and personal participation in, the debate give the arguments a solid foundation. . . . In trying to explain the need of adding T3 to the treatment of some patients, Dr. Bianco invokes state-of-the-art science, to a good part of which he has made outstanding contributions. Rethinking Hypothyroidism is a book that should be on the bookshelf of every clinical endocrinologist, as well as physician-scientists specialized in the thyroid, and concerned patients.”

— J. Enrique Silva, MD, FACP

"Rethinking Hypothyroidism . . . offers an accessible overview of the treatment of hypothyroidism, and makes the case that the current approach is failing many patients. . . . Bianco's book goes to exhaustive lengths to help readers understand why some recommendations in the clinical guidelines are flawed; it details the history of the clinical characterization and treatment of hypothyroidism, starting with Napoleon Bonaparte and leading all the way up to the present; and provides scientific evidence supporting the claims and complaints of millions of patients over the past fifty years."

— Endocrine News

"A landmark book [that] offers comprehensive hypothyroidism information for all. . . . Importantly, this book is not a textbook, rather it is a source meant for patients, patient advocates, and physicians. . . . I will encourage my patients to read this book, and I wouldn’t be surprised if patients start asking their clinicians about its text."

— Elizabeth A. McAninch, Stanford University Medical Center, Clinical Thyroidology

“Bianco explains why treating hypothyroidism isn’t always as simple as it seems. . . . About 15 to 20 percent [of patients] continue to suffer despite treatment. Some feel infuriated when the doctor tells them that their normal TSH levels mean they are fine. They don’t feel fine. They still feel exhausted, confused, and miserable. Researchers, including Bianco, have begun to recognize that people who do not convert T4 to T3 efficiently may suffer from residual symptoms of hypothyroidism. . . . For too long, patients have heard that their residual symptoms are psychological in nature."

— Terry Graedon, People's Pharmacy

"A former president of the American Thyroid Association and a consultant to pharmaceutical companies, Bianco’s a longtime member of the medical establishment, so it was a surprise to find that this book—a combination of detailed medical science history, patient user manual, and professional memoir—is unflinching in its analysis of why hypothyroidism now needs to be rethunk."

— Deanna Isaacs, Chicago Reader

"This book, released recently, has been highly anticipated and celebrated in the thyroid world. Rethinking Hypothyroidism: Why Treatment Must Change and What Patients Can Do looks to address why the standard treatment for hypothyroidism, T4-only synthetics, is letting many thyroid patients down, as well as why using the TSH test alone is contributing to this issue. Bianco calls for change, as a traditionally trained doctor who sees ‘the error of his ways’ and now promotes the use of more comprehensive thyroid testing as well as a wider range of treatment options. . . . It is a very informative book and confirmed what a lot of us are already feeling, but coming from a doctor in the thyroid field, it feels very refreshing and I do think it’s a valuable book. Many thyroid patients appreciate that a doctor has announced 'We may have got thyroid treatment wrong' with this book."

— Rachel Hill, Invisible Hypothyroidism

"In Rethinking Hypothyroidism Bianco meticulously documents the history of thyroid therapy from its inception in the nineteenth century to the enthronement of dogmas that currently limit patients’ access to more nuanced treatments. . . . With the practical and theoretical evidence so convincingly summarized by Bianco in Rethinking Hypothyroidism, I’ll be fortified in my decades-long resolve to provide my patients with the best thyroid care—with synthetic or natural formulations as appropriate, heeding all necessary precautions until new options arise to address the crucial role of T3."

— Dr. Robert Hoffman, Intelligent Medicine

TABLE OF CONTENTS