Thyroid issues are slowly becoming better understood by the general public. You may have heard friends talk about how they think low thyroid function is the reason they can’t lose weight, or may know people who are already diagnosed with some form of hypothyroidism. While the thyroid’s role in weight is well understood, the fact is that less than 10% of people who are considered obese are actually hypothyroid.
That being said 10% is still a large portion of the population. The most common form of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s. For all the non-autoimmune patterns of hypothyroidism, they typically fall into 6 different patterns, therefore, it is very important to have a doctor who is well-versed in thyroid disorders. Recognizing these patterns requires a doctor to go beyond looking at your blood test and for them to also look at your health history, symptoms, prescription medication use, adrenal function (discussed in a blog post coming soon!), hormonal status and so forth.
Determining which pattern(s) you have matters because different patterns require different treatment plans. Not all forms of hypothyroid are equal and they shouldn’t be treated as such. For example, some types of hypothyroidism respond really well to medications such as Synthroid (aka Levothyroxine) and others do not.
Thyroid hormones are involved in the function of every cell in our body and that is why the presenting symptoms can be very broad. From a weight loss perspective, when your thyroid function is low it makes it harder for you to access your fat stores. This means that it is harder for you to burn fat and it makes it harder for your body to use fat for energy. Low thyroid function also hinders your growth hormone, therefore, muscle growth is harder and muscle loss can occur.
Perhaps one of the reasons hypothyroidism is so common is because there are a lot of ways it can arise. Most experts agree that thyroid conditions are most often secondary to something else.
Things that can impede your thyroid function include:
- Stress, anxiety and depression
- Nutritional deficiency
- Inflammation
- Gut dysbiosis
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Allergies
- Low-grade acute/chronic infections
- Other hormonal imbalances
- Anemia
- Liver or kidney dysfunction
- Household/environmental chemicals and heavy metals
Because thyroid hormones affect almost every cell in the human body it can be complicated trying to determine the root cause of your low thyroid function. An example of this is: when your gut host more ‘bad’ bacteria than ‘good’ bacteria it can lead to low thyroid function. This occurs when the ‘bad’ bacteria release what are called ‘exotoxins’ and these ‘exotoxins’ down-regulate the enzymes necessary to convert inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into active thyroid hormone (T3).
In cases such as these, it would be worthwhile focusing on the health of your gut to further help improve your thyroid hormone efficiency and prevent the progression of the problem. This is why finding out the root cause of your thyroid dysfunction is so crucial and why going straight to medication is not always the best option. Treatment plans should be created with an individual’s specific circumstances in mind.
Treatment can include:
- Giving nutrients needed for thyroid gland function (Iodine, tyrosine, iron, zinc, selenium, etc.)
- Optimizing the conversion to active thyroid hormone (Managing stress, inflammation, toxins, liver or kidney dysfunction, supplements, etc.)
- Improving cellular sensitivity to thyroid hormone (Vitamin A, iron, exercise, etc.)
- Pharmaceutical replacement of the hormones (Levothyroxine, Desiccated thyroid extract, Liothyronine)
If you feel like low thyroid function may be hindering you from achieving your healthy weight goals please book in with a qualified healthcare practitioner. If you would like to learn more about why getting a diagnosis with lab work alone can be tricky please see my new blog (release date March 11th, 2020).
Disclaimer
Information can be empowering, but we all have unique health profiles and needs. The health-related information contained in this article is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for a visit with a licensed naturopathic doctor. The advice in this article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
References
- Gaby A. Nutritional Medicine; 2017.
- Kharrazian, D. (2010). Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?: When My Lab Tests are Normal. Morgan James Pub.
- Wardle, J., & Sarris, J. (2014). Clinical naturopathy: an evidence-based guide to practice. Elsevier Health Sciences