Low body temperature - MS related or just a quirk?

[MattB]

My mother had hyperthyroidism and had to have a thyroidectomy. It was one of the few things I had to say about my family's health that any of my neuros were even slightly interested in.

[CureOrBust]

It should be the first suspect. And the first levels tested. Mine were tested and found to be normal.

In Australia, when you ask for a Thyroid hormone test, they don't actually test for your thyroid hormones. They test for Thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH), and only if these are outside of normal, do they actually test for the thyroid hormones themselves.

I had mine tested, as I read somewhere (on a post here I think) that the thyroid hormones helped remylination or neurogenesis. So i questioned why my body temp was low.

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/99/5/3258

Thyroid hormone activates oligodendrocyte precursors and increases a myelin-forming protein and NGF content in the spinal cord during experimental allergic encephalomyelitis
Remyelination in the adult central nervous system has been demonstrated in different experimental models of demyelinating diseases. However, there is no clear evidence that remyelination occurs in multiple sclerosis, the most diffuse demyelinating disease. In this article, we explore the possibility of promoting myelination in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, a widely used experimental model of multiple sclerosis, by recruiting progenitors and channeling them into oligodendroglial lineage through administration of thyroid hormone (T4). A large number of proliferating cells (BrdUrd uptake and Ki67-IR) and the expression of markers for undifferentiated precursors (nestin) increased in the subventricular zone and spinal cord of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis animals. T4 administration reduces proliferation and nestin-immunoreactivity and up-regulates expression of markers for oligodendrocyte progenitors [polysialylated-neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), O4, A2B5] and mature oligodendrocytes (myelin basic protein) in the spinal cord, olfactory bulb, and subventricular zone.

[DIM]

The problem is that "normal" TSH levels according to last researchers are usualy below 2-2.5 uU/ml, whereas everything between 0.6-6uU/ml in most labs is accepted as completely normal!
I would say for every PwMS and TSH below 2,5uU/ml worth another test for T3-T4 preferably FT3-FT4 in order to be sure he hasn't thyroid problems!
For example my wife has 3,5 TSH but her T3-T4, FT3-FT4 levels are normal.

[DIM]

http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyr ... gnosis.htm

[notasperfectasyou]

When Kim is taking her Flagyl (7 straight days), she feels more easily chilled. Her walking is also impacted. After about a week her walking is improved and she has a more normal body temp. We think this is associated with inflamation caused by celular die-off reactions in the CNS.
Ken

[jimmylegs]

they tested all my t-blah this and that when i was dxd, i will go back through the file and see what those numbers were... then examine nutrition for thyroid function if needed cool
mind you with all this supplementing since, still think i'll get my temp properly checked too, wonder if it's still low??

[Wonderfulworld]

Never expected so many of us to have low body temperatures...must really be some common cause for all of us...how peculiar!
Been testing all day out of curiosity now and it's 35.1 - 35.5. Hubbie is 36.3 - 37, far more normal.
I remember throughout my teens I was always warm. Then glandular fever hit me at 19 (mono), and after that I always seemed to feel the cold badly. Yet I overheat really easily too - as a previous poster said it must be the autonomic nervous system controls that are slow to respond. My thyroid is normal, been tested many times. My iron levels are always on the low side, even as a child, but I have no desire to increase them because of the link with excess iron and MS.

I wonder if a super-brain out there can pull all these replies together to make a unifying reason behindn all this?..........Now THERE'S a challenge

[Lyon]

.

[daisy]

My husband's body temp was also routinely in the range of 95.6 to 96.7 F (36.3 to 35.9 C) degrees.

Had his thyroid checked multiple ways and at multiple times with results always solidly in normal range. Numerous physicians consulted could offer no explanation for this phenomena which is also apparently frequently observed in CFS/ME patients.

After undergoing anti-infective treatment empirically to determine if his version of MS could be bacterial in origin, in addition to improving on numerous signs and symptoms, his body temperature has steadily remained in range 97.7 to a high of 98.7 F (36.5 to 37 C) . Most days he is now in low 98's.

Could this improvement in body temperature be antibiotic induced fever ? Possibly.

It's not likely in my husband's case though because so many signs and symptoms including MRI studies would not be improving.

My husband's treating physician says that scientist (among whom he is one) researching several cell wall deficient (CWD) gram negative bacteria have found that many of those bacteria prefer lower temperatures.

Believe the rationale is that lower temperature is favored by some of these CWD's as it keeps their DNA coils more tightly bound and therefore more resistant and able to survive the normal immune system. Pulled some info off PubMed on this once but can't find this AM. Several scientist also have numerous hypothesis and early research including that on CWD's effects on cellular ATP as a plausible method that CWD's induce mild hypothermia.

So do I think that low body temperature is a sign that you are infected with something bacterial and may improve using anti-infectives, not necessarily, but I do think it creates an additional possiblity and avenue to pursue that may prove fruitful for some.

MS bites leave no stone unturned.

[anneanne]

I just want to point out that I too have had low body temp my whole life - as a child docs always commented on this (in light of the ccsvi it is also interesting to note that as a child docs also commented on my unusually low blood pressure). But all blood tests always came back as "normal". Anyway, I went to a doctor wondering about my thyroid stuff, and brought with me a study I found out of Spain in a Neuro journal in Europe from 2007 or so (cant find it at this moment) that states that TSH levels for people with auto-immune diseases must be measured at a different number.

I write all this without quoting th study because at this moment I don't have access to it, maybe someone here does? anyway, my doc did the temp read for 6 weeks, which was low as usual, and though the TSH came back "normal" put me on low dose, and later regular dose, armour thyroid (armour is natural instead of the synthetics). I cannot tell you how different I feel! I've been on this about 6 months, now taking 90 mg per day.

I just joined this board, and feel the need to tell everyone to advocate for the temp test, find that 2007 article with the quoted numbers, and try regulating things with a little porcine assistance.

Let there be Love.

Anne

[Talisker]

I think there is a problem with our bodies ability to synthesis ATP from creatine. Leaving our cells low in energy for producing work/heat. I say sythesis of ATP because suplements of creatine are know to have benefits but not for people with ms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine_triphosphate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrion
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/conten ... 156&db=all

I also found this abstract but don't have access to the full article so don't know how relevent it is.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1736849.

[shye]

Inthis:
http://www.hdfoster.com/sites/hdfoster. ... usesms.pdf (starting at p. 61)
Foster makes a case that thyroid hormone is needed for proper development of CNS, especially its myelination. An iodine deficiency (which can cause hypothyroidism) accelerates the loss of myelin from nerves.

My comments:
hypothyroids typically have low body temp

Magnesium is involved in regulating body temp

'Magnesium aids during bone growth and is necessary for proper functioning of the nerves and muscles, including those of the heart. Evidence suggests that magnesium is associated with the regulation of body temperature. Sufficient amounts of magnesium are needed in the conversion of blood sugar into energy." from http://www.snac.com/res_magnesium.htm

"Magnesium is an essential mineral that has a hand in many vital body functions: releasing energy, regulating body temperature, building protein, and stabilizing bone. It is also one of several nutrients that helps keep blood pressure within a healthful range." from http://nutritionservices.upmc.com/Nutri ... nesium.htm

I have had low body temperature for years, am hypothyroid (take thyroid extract), and recently got two magnesium venous injections, and now take high dose Mg (Albion chelated form),and my long standing Raynaud's Syndrome is clearing up and don't react at all as much to the cold as have done for years!! (have yet to take my temperature since the Mg).

[mak_goel]

Hi Anne,

This is mak from India. I am also facing same problem as described by you. My body temperature is always from 96-97F. Always I am having fatigue also. Althgough I have consulted to many doctors yet no result is there. I always having a great attention towards my diet also.

Kindly guide me to kill this problem.


Regards
Mak

[chrishasms]

I'm 1 degree colder than normal every day

[Loobie]

Instead of 98.6, my thermometer reads 97.1 when I don't have a fever.