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Broda Otto Barnes (April 14, 1906 – November 1, 1988) was an American physician who wrote extensively on the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism. He spent more than 50 years of his life researching and treating endocrine dysfunctions, specializing in the thyroid gland. Barnes' views were never widely adopted in mainstream medicine, yet they continue to be vigorously supported by some practitioners of alternative medicine.

Barnes and hypothyroidism

In the 1940s, Barnes described a test of thyroid function which relied upon basal body temperature. Though the test was not widely adopted by the medical profession at the time, and has since been superseded by more accurate blood tests of thyroid function, Barnes' methods continue to be endorsed by some practitioners of alternative medicine. Barnes claimed in the 1980s that hypothyroidism had risen to affect more than 50% of the American population. This claim is considered incorrect; modern research has estimated the prevalence of hypothyroidism in the U.S. at less than 5%.

Barnes used desiccated thyroid extract (Armour Thyroid) almost exclusively, arguing that patients experienced much better improvement of symptoms with the natural extract rather than synthetic drugs. This perspective is not shared by the modern medical community. During his years of practice, Barnes also began to conclude that virtually all his hypothyroid patients had a concomitant adrenal insufficiency. Following this discovery, he routinely gave an accompanying physiological dose of prednisone

Barnes also claimed that coronary artery disease and heart attacks were related not to diet or cholesterol, but to hypothyroidism. He also identified hypothyroidism as a major culprit (along with polyunsaturated fats) in the development of cancer. He alleged a conspiracy to cover up the harms of polyunsatured fats, saying that when their link to cancer was exposed, it would "make Watergate look like a church social." Other common illnesses which Barnes attributed to hypothyroidism included hypertension, arthritis, diabetes (as well as hypoglycemia), migraine headaches, most common infections, virtually all menstrual disorders, infertility, acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

Publicatons

• Barnes, Broda Otto (1976). Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness. HarperCollins. ISBN 069001029X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Barnes, Broda Otto (1989). Hope for Hypoglycemia: It's not your mind, it's your liver. Fries Communications. ISBN 0913730262. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Barnes, Broda Otto (1976). Solved: The Riddle of Heart Attacks. Robinson Press. ISBN 0913730270. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Barnes, Broda Otto (1972). Heart Attack Rareness in Thyroid-treated Patients. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas. ISBN 0398025193. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

• Official website (Broda O. Barnes, M.D. Research Foundation, Inc.)

References

1. Alan Gaby (2004). ""Sub-laboratory" Hypothyroidism and the Empirical use of Armour Thyroid". Alternative Medicine Review. 9 (2): 157–179. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
2. ^ Barnes, Broda (1976). Hypothyroidism: the Unsusptected Illness. HarperCollins. ISBN 069001029X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
3. Hollowell JG, Staehling NW, Flanders WD; et al. (2002). "Serum TSH, T(4), and thyroid antibodies in the United States population (1988 to 1994): National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 87 (2): 489–99. PMID 11836274. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

• American medical researchers