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highly dependent on thyroid hormones (thus iodine) for their very existence. Thyroid
hormones are like the “signal” to make more mitochondria. Thyroid hormone (T3) has a
profound effect on mitochondrial biogenesis; without T3 there will be less or no
mitochondria. On the other hand, if mitochondria are damaged or depleted due to some
reason other than too little T3, then existing T3 has “nothing to act on.” You can have all
the T3 in the world, but without mitochondria, there will not be any energy. Again, you
can see the the occurrence of a circular downward spiral of both host cell and
mitochondria if either 1) too little or no T3 exists, or 2) too little or no mitochondria exist.

Summing it up we see that the total number of mitochondria in cells, and thus the total
number of rechargeable ATP/ADP batteries, is dictated by the amount of functional
thyroid hormone present in cells. If normal levels of thyroid hormone are reduced, the
body develops hypothyroidism and the number of mitochondria in individual’s cells is
restricted. Hypothyroidism is a very common condition implicated in what is called
metabolic syndrome (formerly known as syndrome X).

What is the basic cause of hypothyroidism? Iodine deficiency! Without iodine, the thyroid
gland is unable to produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. This leaves cells
unable to function normally. In response, the body develops hypothyroidism.

Metabolism

Metabolism is defined as "taking food and converting it to energy.” Our bodies need
oxygen on a moment to moment basis. The higher the metabolism the more oxygen is
needed. Cells begin to rapidly deteriorate without an adequate supply of oxygen or when
metabolism, due to iodine deficiencies, goes south. Efficiency of oxygen conversion into
cellular energy is a key to the use of energy; therefore oxygen has, in effect, its own
metabolism. The necessity for oxygen makes it the body’s most important nutrient.

Nutrients that are commonly used by animal and plant cells in respiration include sugar,
amino acids and fatty acids. The most common oxidizing agent (electron acceptor) is
molecular oxygen (O2). Note that the amount of energy produced for the four types of
food is roughly proportional to the amount of oxygen use, so that the metabolic rate can
be measured by measuring the rate of oxygen consumption. Almost every process in the
body that uses energy gets it from ATP, and in the process converts it to ADP.

The thyroid gland is like a building thermostat sending a message to a furnace to produce
heat. Unlike a thermostat, the thyroid does not send its message to a single furnace.
Instead, it sends the message to zillions of mitochondria via the chemical thyroxin that
they should burn more fuel to create more biochemical energy.

In order for the thyroid to send this “make more energy” message, the body needs ample
amounts of iodine. There must be four atoms of iodine in each molecule of thyroxin (T4),
the chemical that transmits the message to the mitochondria. Unfortunately, many people
are deficient in iodine (because it is not in their food) with the result that the “make more
energy” command is not communicated from the thyroid to the mitochondria. The
consequence of this is low energy, low production of endorphins, and fat gain (because
food energy is not converted to energy, but is instead stored as fat).

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