on the first count, you're now talking about a very specific phenomenon, and to point in that direction on the basis of one "symptom" which the OP even considers quite possibly a personality trait is decidedly looking at a zebra, assuming there is even a "pathology" to this situation in the first place.
For me to offer the idea that anger might be more than a simplistic "personality trait", that anger can have biochemcial components which are affected by multiple systems, and that anger can at least be, in some people, lessened by the proper diet, was a completely reasonable suggestion. If you have suffered through hypoglycemia, you'll understand that a "personality trait" isn't so simple a thing.
Additionally, the manifestations of hypoglycemia and hypothyroidism function on different biological rhythms. Glucose levels most obviously fluctuate with diet and exposure to stress, while thyroid levels have a fairly reliable circadian rhythm. Hypothyroidism most commonly manifests as depression, while hypoglycemia should manifest with decreased cognitive function and confusion, regardless of the particular mood it induces.
I suggested that the two conditions can have a third cause -- not that hypoglycemia is causing hypothyroidism.
"Thyroid levels have a fairly reliable circadian rhythm" is true in people with a properly function thyroid. Not so true in people with screwed up thryoid.
This post is about anger. Hypoglycemia in many people causes anger. That's kind of an important consideration.
On the second, that's definitely news to me; there are instances of antidepressant augmentation with thyroid hormone in the absence of hypothyroidism, but that doesn't necessarily mean that individuals who respond have hypothyroidism; you can give testosterone to people with normal T levels and they may still "benefit" from it, though potentially with long term detriment.
True. And neither did I make the full leap of logic. Maybe a couple steps, but not a leap. I'm suggesting, though, that having complete faith in blood tests or doctors for complex systems that we're only starting to learn about stifles an understanding of those systems. Notice also my suggestion for treatment: iodine and not thyroid hormones.
I'll reiterate this: technicalities aside I think it's a zebra to look at these factors for somebody simply talking about a hot temper.
As someone who had a hot temper (a defining "personality trait" for me) for decades and then eradicated it with diet and iodine when thousands of dollars in psych docs and drugs and supplements didn't quite do the trick, I'd say we still have more to learn. And some of what we can learn is what has helped people in similar situations.
Diet and iodine do sound hokey, so I understand your reaction against them. But we're starting to learn how damaging some diets are. I resisted the idea for decades and was growing weaker and more unstable. Diet fixed about 75% of my anger and anxiety and mental energy issues, and about 50% of my physical energy issues. Iodine fixed the remaining 25% of the anger and anxiety and seems to have fixed my physical energy issues. Exactly what parts of my body improved isn't clear. But the connection is absolutely there.
Edited by imarobot, 03 July 2009 - 03:32 PM.