Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry. “I have very hard and rough calluses on my feet, especially on the heel and outer side of the foot. I try rubbing oils and creams to soften them but nothing seems to work. Do you have any suggestions?” Betty L, Bismarck, ND A. Dear Betty: I have seen some research that your condition may be caused by less than optimal thyroid function, or even hypothyroidism. I am not a doctor, and you should consult with your health care practitioner to see if this might be a problem for you. In some medical textbooks, the symptoms associated with sluggish thyroid function are calluses and very rough skin. In fact, very rough skin on any part of their body can be a sign of this. It may even be that people who have psoriasis, which often exhibits as hard, scaly skin on the knees, elbows, and the hairline are affected by less than optimal thyroid function. In today’s society, we believe that we are well nourished, but in fact, the American diet is the leading reason that Americans are ranked 37th in the world overall in measures of health. Very rough, scaly skin is one of the symptoms associated with niacin deficiency, too. Severe niacin deficiency is called pellagra. So, you can experiment with nutrients and see if this helps your problem. Taking 100-250 mg of niacinamide three times a day should help reduce your calluses and rough skin. I would also recommend 12.5 mg of iodine once a day to support healthy thyroid function.