Here's Why You May Be Dealing With Thyroid Issues
Thyroid dysfunction is extremely common among women- it’s estimated that 1 in 8 will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime.
Yet the true numbers are likely much higher since most thyroid issues go completely undetected (especially because so many symptoms are normalized and thyroid testing often isn’t sufficient).
Whether you’re dealing with a known disorder or suspect you are, it’s important to understand the root causes of thyroid dysfunction.
This way, you can pinpoint and address the underlying factors impacting you, and have a clearer path to supporting your body and improving how this vital gland works to reduce and even eliminate your symptoms.
So why does thyroid dysfunction happen?
The thyroid is extremely sensitive to changes both in your body and in your environment- its job is actually to adjust the metabolism accordingly. Hormonal communications occur between your brain and thyroid as well as other endocrine glands in response to various stressors so that your metabolism produces energy as needed.
Dysfunction isn’t necessarily about what’s wrong with your thyroid or your body in general- it’s usually a very natural and even protective response to what’s occurring under the surface.
The most common root causes of dysfunction include:
1) Chronic under-eating
The thyroid gland is the metabolism’s thermostat- regulating energy production and usage. If energy and nutrient intake from food is low, the thyroid will slow metabolic activity in order to conserve energy.
Many women are led to believe that eating less is the answer to health, when in reality, it can actually be a huge driver of symptoms.
2) Persistent, unresolved stress
The thyroid and nervous system are closely connected, and cortisol imbalances due to chronic stress can directly interfere with thyroid hormone production. (In fact, this is a big reason why women taking thyroid hormone replacement don’t feel better or feel worse- if their adrenals are depleted, they can’t keep up with the energy demands of increased thyroid activity).
3) Nutrient deficiencies
Many different vitamins and minerals are required for proper thyroid hormone production as well as usage including selenium, iodine, potassium, zinc, and vitamin A. Especially if someone is intentionally restricting calories and/or eliminating certain foods, it’s easy to become depleted in these nutrients.
However, even if diet is sufficient, stress and gut dysfunction can also lead to nutrient deficiencies.
4) Mineral imbalances
Minerals exist and operate best in relationship with one another in the body, and certain imbalances directly impact how the body can use thyroid hormones. Most notable is the calcium to potassium ratio aka the “thyroid ratio” because it shows how sensitive the body’s cells are to hormones.
This means that even if the thyroid is producing sufficient hormones, if minerals are out of balance, the body isn’t able to best use them- leading to cellular hypo- or even hyper-thyroidism.
5) Sluggish gut and liver function
The thyroid hormone T4 must be converted to T3 which is 4x more active. Most of this conversion is done thanks to the gut and liver- which means impaired function like poor bile health, leaky gut, and dysbiosis (i.e. overgrowth of pathogens and/or low levels of healthy bacteria) can directly impact this conversion.
6) Autoimmunity
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is one of the most common causes of thyroid dysfunction, especially hypothyroidism. Postpartum thyroiditis is also common for new moms. Grave’s disease, although less common, is a primary cause of hyperthyroidism.
These all involve inflammation of the thyroid gland and are influenced by all of the above as well as toxic exposure.
For many women, a combination of one or more of these is at play- for example, under-eating often goes hand in hand with nutrient deficiencies. Chronic stress can cause gut dysfunction and lead to mineral imbalances.
This is why working with a functional practitioner who fully understands the complexities of the thyroid and how different factors impact its function is so helpful. Rather than guessing and wasting time and energy, you can get a proper assessment and personalized plan to improve how your body works holistically.