Let's take a look at your thyroid, why its important, what happens when things go wrong, and what you can start to do to support it.
Understanding Thyroid Health
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, it produces hormones that control many vital functions in the body, including heart rate, body temperature, and of course metabolism. Thyroid health can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures.
When Thyroid Health is Impacted
Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid):
An underactive thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone. This leads to symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, depression, cold intolerance, sore joints, dry skin, constipation and more. One of the causes of an under active thyroid is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland.
Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid):
An overactive thyroid is when there are an excess in thyroid hormones, this leads to weight loss, anxiety, tremors, rapid heart rate, diarrhoea and oily skin. The autoimmune condition that can cause this is Grave's disease.
Thyroid Nodules:
Nodules on the thyroid are growths or lumps in the gland. Whilst most nodules are benign some do produce excess hormones or can be more serious.
Medications
While I am here to support you through diet and lifestyle changes and natural medicine, I know that many with thyroid conditions require medication. Therefore, its important to know what these medications do so that we can support the thyroid alongside them.
Hypothyroidism - Under Active Thyroid
Medications include: Levothyroxine or Liothyronine (uncommon) - these are the synthetic forms of the thyroid hormones.
These medications replace or supplement thyroid hormones, helping to normalise your hormone levels and alleviate symptoms like fatigue, weight gain and depression.
Hyperthyroidism - Over Active Thyroid
Medications include: Methimazole or Propylthiouracil
These medications help to reduce the production of thyroid hormones, addressing symptoms such as weight loss, anxiety and heart palpitations.
Factors that impact Thyroid Health
Gut Health:
There is more and more emerging research that sheds light on the importance of the gut-thyroid connection. Specifically how a healthy gut microbiota has beneficial effects on the activity of the immune system and thyroid function. The gut microbiota regulates homeostasis or balance as well as the development of the immune cells, modulating innate and adaptive immune system. The gut microbiota also has an impact on neurotransmitters such as dopamine, and dopamine can inhibit thyroid stimulating hormone [1].
Gluten:
Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity and Celiac disease often co-occurs with thyroid autoimmune diseases. This could be explained by the damaged intestinal barrier and therefore the increase of intestinal permeability, which allows antigens to move through more easily and activate the immune system [2]. This is why often holistic health practitioners recommend removing gluten from the diet with autoimmune thyroid conditions.
Environmental Exposures:
Environmental factors can be wide and various. But lets take a quick look at chemical contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which bind to thyroid transport proteins and displace thyroxine therefore disrupting thyroid function [3]. PCBs have been used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment (such as transformers and capacitors), hydraulic fluids, additives in paint, carbonless copy paper, plasticisers and dye carriers. PCBs were used as they do not burn easily and are good insulators. This is just one chemical found in our environment and what we know in how it impacts the thyroid.
Halogens such as chlorine, fluoride and bromine, are considered inhibitors of the iodine binding sites within the thyroid. this means they can act as a trigger for the onset of autoimmune thyroiditis [5]. Filtering your tap water sounds like a really good idea right about now.
Nutrition:
There are key nutrients required by the thyroid for optimal thyroid hormone conversion such as iodine, selenium, iron and more.
- Iodine is a mineral found in seaweed, iodised salt, fish and dairy. Iodine is essential for thyroid function and iodine deficiency can increase risk of hypothyroidism [4]. However, iodine excess can also contributes to autoimmune thyroiditis [4]. This is why its important to supplement under guidance or a health practitioner that can find what is right for you.
- Selenium found in brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, fish and eggs, protects the thyroid gland from oxidative damage and supports hormone metabolism.
- Iron. The thyroid peroxidase enzyme (TPO) plays a crucial role in the initial stages of thyroid hormone synthesis. As a heme-containing enzyme, TPO relies on iron for its activity. Consequently, iron deficiency leads to decreased TPO activity and, subsequently, reduced production of thyroid hormones [6].
Recap: Ways to Support Your Thyroid Health
- Reduce the load on your system by reducing plastics, synthetic materials, filter your water, choose natural cleaning and skin care products and choose organic produce where possible.
- Focus on a nutrient-dense diet in whole foods, not macronutrient diets, get your pathology done so you can rule out deficiencies or work with your practitioner to do testing.
- Eliminate foods that have the potential to cause an immune response, heal your increased intestinal permeability, including pre and probiotic foods into your diet for microbiome diversity.
If you have questions or need individualised support please reach out.
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7353203/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7353203/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357628/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357628/
5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368726376_Halogens_as_Potential_Thyroid_Disruptors
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6166193/