P03.01. Acupuncture's Effectiveness at Treating Subclinical Hypothyroid Disease via the HPA/HPT Axis: A Multiple Case Series

Purpose: Subclinical hypothyroid disease (SHypo) is defined as having serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration above the normal reference range while serum free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) are within reference range. It is estimated that 4% to 10% of the general population has subclinical hypothyroidism, increasing to 20% in women over 60 years of age. The current treatment recommendation for SHypo with TSH levels between 3 MIU/L and 5 mIU/L is to monitor levels every 6 to 12 months. Studies have shown that levothyroxine is not effective for this TSH group. Based on Hans Selye’s general adaption theory (GAS), it is known that acute and chronic stress can affect thyroid function via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes. Acupuncture can reduce the body’s stress response and therefore should improve thyroid function. This research was conducted to determine if acupuncture is a viable treatment option for SHypo.