- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
Todd Nippoldt, M.D.
Dr. Todd Nippoldt is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and endocrinology and metabolism. He has special expertise in the area of hormone disorders affecting the pituitary and adrenal glands as well as the testes and ovaries. He has been a member of the Mayo Clinic staff since 1988.
He's a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition and works with patients who have disorders of the hormone-producing glands. Common disorders include diabetes, thyroid problems, osteoporosis and elevated cholesterol levels.
He's also involved in andrology, the study of male hormonal disorders, male infertility and male sexual dysfunction, and is an assistant professor of medicine at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Nippoldt, a St. Paul, Minn., native, has also contributed to "Mayo Clinic Health Letter," the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and a Mayo Clinic CD-ROM. He's a fellow in the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American Society of Andrology, The Endocrine Society, The Pituitary Society and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
"I have found that those patients who have gone to the Internet and obtained accurate medical information come to their appointment with me very well informed, and the discussions regarding the evaluation and management of their condition are very productive and satisfying," he says.
"The key, however, is obtaining accurate medical information. As a medical editor, I hope to be able to ensure that accurate, relevant and up-to-date information is available for patients and their families."
Definition (1)
- Wilson's syndrome: An accepted medical diagnosis?
Symptoms (2)
- Thyroid disease: Can it affect a person's mood?
- Hypothyroidism: Does it cause joint pain?
Complications (1)
- Hypothyroidism symptoms: Can hypothyroidism cause eye problems?
Treatments and drugs (5)
- Hypothyroidism diet: Can certain foods increase thyroid function?
- Hypothyroidism: Should I take iodine supplements?
- Coconut oil: Can it cure hypothyroidism?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Alternative medicine (1)
- Coconut oil: Can it cure hypothyroidism?
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Question
Wilson's syndrome: An accepted medical diagnosis?
Is Wilson's syndrome a legitimate ailment?
Answer
from Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
No, Wilson's syndrome, also referred to as Wilson's temperature syndrome, isn't an accepted diagnosis. Rather, Wilson's syndrome is a label applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms in people whose thyroid hormone levels are normal.
Proponents of Wilson's syndrome believe it to be a mild form of thyroid hormone deficiency (hypothyroidism) that responds to treatment with a preparation of a thyroid hormone called triiodothyronine (T3). However, the American Thyroid Association has found no scientific evidence supporting the existence of Wilson's syndrome.
In a public health statement, the American Thyroid Association concluded:
- The diagnostic criteria for Wilson's syndrome — low body temperature and nonspecific signs and symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, hair loss, insomnia, headaches and weight gain — are imprecise.
- There's no scientific evidence that T3 performs better than placebo in people with nonspecific symptoms such as those described in Wilson's syndrome.
Hypothyroidism can be diagnosed by blood tests that detect insufficient levels of thyroid hormone. Wilson's syndrome shouldn't be confused with Wilson's disease — a rare, inherited disorder that causes too much copper to accumulate in certain organs.
Although it's frustrating to have persistent symptoms your doctor can't readily explain, it could be worse to accept an unrecognized diagnosis from an unqualified practitioner. Unproven therapies for so-called Wilson's syndrome may leave you feeling sicker, while a treatable condition — such as fibromyalgia or depression — goes undiagnosed.
Next questionThyroid disease: Can it affect a person's mood?
- American Thyroid Association statement on "Wilson's syndrome." American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/publications/statements/99_11_16_wilsons.html. Accessed Aug. 25, 2011.
- Hypothyroidism. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/Hypothyroidism. Accessed Aug. 25, 2011.
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