THYROID SERIES: PART FOUR

WHAT’S CAUSING YOUR THYROID TO PLAY UP??

Maybe you’ve had your thyroid tested and your results have come back as abnormal, rather than just masking the symptoms with medication, I recommend addressing the root cause.  

So what might be causing your thyroid function to be out of whack?

  • STRESS - Chronic stress is associated with elevated levels of reverse T3 (the inactive thyroid hormone which blocks your active T3)

  • PERCEIVED STRESS - It’s also important to note that stress might not be the obvious financial, family, relationship stress. It can also be factors such as overtraining, extended fasts and chronic calorie deprivation. Women of menstruating age are particularly sensitive to these perceived stressors, the body will attempt to slow your thyroid so that you still have adequate nutrients to procreate (slowing your metabolism). Your body doesn't know you’re not actually running from a sabre tooth tiger when you’re smashing the HIIT training everyday. 

  • LOW CARB/KETO DIETS - insulin plays a role in the conversion of T4 to T3 so chronic low carb diets can hinder this conversion over time.

  • AUTOIMMUNE FACTORS - If you have raised levels of thyroid antibodies this is a sign of autoimmune thyroiditis (where your immune system is attacking your thyroid causing it to be inflamed), this can also occur postpartum.  This can result in hashimoto's (low thyroid) or graves (high thyroid), some people can actually fluctuate between the two. The question is WHY is your immune system on high alert, this is where food intolerances (particularly gluten, soy and dairy), leaky gut, bacterial/fungal overgrowths, parasites, viral infections, toxic metal overload and moulds should be ruled out.  

  • POOR LIVER HEALTH -  the liver plays an important role in the conversion of inactive T4 to active T3 so a congested liver can hinder this process. 

  • NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES - the key minerals for healthy thyroid function are idoine, iron, zinc and selenium. The amino acid tyrosine (a protein) is another important building block for both T3 and T4 hormones. So a deficiency in any of these nutrients can obviously hinder thyroid function. It’s important to note that over consumption of iodine can also cause thyroid symptoms, particularly in those with underlying thyroid dysfunction such as hashimotos. 

As you can see, there’s multiple potential triggers for impaired thyroid function and it isn’t going to be a case of one size fits all. 

Next week we’ll be digging a little deeper, covering nutrition and lifestyle hacks to support the thyroid.

Any questions, please get in touch!

Harri

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The content in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health.