There are two “organs” that seemingly have received all the press in the health & wellness community over the past decade: the gut and the thyroid. Struggling with fatigue and hair loss? It’s got to be your thyroid. Dealing with bloating and an autoimmune condition? Your gut needs some work. While the above two scenarios may be true, it doesn’t give you the roadmap to improve your thyroid symptoms. Not only that, but you’ve probably been chasing after the wrong things in order to improve your thyroid.
If you tell your physician you’re dealing with bloating, fatigue, and some mild hair loss, they may also suspect a thyroid problem. They may find some abnormal, or even “normal,” lab findings, and give you prescription thyroid replacement hormone. “Finally!” You’re thinking to yourself, “my symptoms are going to go away!” Only to realize 3 months later, you still feel the exact same. If my thyroid was the problem, shouldn’t taking thyroid hormones have fixed things? How could this be?
Reason #1: Not Absorbing What You’re Taking
Thyroid replacement hormone is one of the miracle creations of western medicine, and one of the more benign medications you can take. Some of my colleagues may take this as an opportunity to bash prescription medications, but actually, thyroid replacement can work wonders. A relative of mine had to have their thyroid removed, and without replacement hormone, would struggle to function. The two more common classes of thyroid hormone include synthetic (brand name levothyroxine) and natural (brand names NP-Thyroid and Nature-Throid)
If your gut is inflamed, you may not be absorbing all your thyroid medication. Conditions such as lactose intolerance, H.Pylori infection, autoimmune gastritis (immune system attacking your own stomach lining), celiac, and inflammatory bowel disease can all impact your ability to properly absorb thyroid replacement (1)(2). In which case, it would be paramount that you address your underlying gut issues in order to reap the benefits of thyroid hormone: more energy, better mood, better sleep, etc.
Reason #2: Not Addressing Gut Bugs
You know all this talk about the gut microbiome? You know, the idea that we have an entire ecosystem of trillions of bacteria living inside of us. Crazy right? What’s even crazier? Only recently have we figured out how large of a role these bugs play in how we feel, including our thyroid. How do we know this?
For starters, there is a relationship between Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and hypothyroidism (SIBO can be thought of as either having too many bugs overall, or too many of the wrong kind of bugs in the small intestine). According to one study, maybe half of those with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (HT, the most common reason for hypothyroidism in the U.S.) also have SIBO (3). Unfortunately in this study, treating the SIBO did not result in increased thyroid hormone levels.
We know that thyroid hormone helps with gut motility, and hypothyroidism can be associated with constipation (slowed motility). Constipation is also associated with SIBO, specifically methane dominant SIBO. Another study found that those with either type of SIBO (hydrogen dominant and methane dominant) had higher levels of thyroid antibodies compared with healthy controls (4). Those with methane dominant SIBO had lower levels of thyroid hormones compared to everyone else. This makes sense when we understand that constipation is the key symptom of methane dominant SIBO, and constipation is associated with hypothyroidism.
In some instances, dealing with the SIBO, and the underlying gut issues, may be the key to your thyroid symptoms.
Reason #3: Not Addressing Autoimmunity
A lot of this builds off Reason #2. Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of low thyroid function, so if you haven’t addressed the root cause of the autoimmunity, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Many things contribute to autoimmune diseases, including dietary factors, family history, environmental exposure, stress, and for our purposes, the gut microbiome. Gut dysbiosis (too many bad bugs and/or not enough good bugs) has been associated with Hashimoto’s (5).
Why does that matter? Not having enough “good bugs” can create an environment for immune dysregulation, where your immune system becomes less effective at determining what it should, and more importantly, what it shouldn’t attack. Having too many “bad bugs” can also contribute to this immune dysregulation. As we’ve discussed in a previous article, H. Pylori infection may be associated with thyroid autoimmunity (Graves’ rather than Hashimoto’s).
Time and time again, we see instances where disturbances to the gut, and the gut environment, play a massive role in hypothyroidism. Until you dig down and discover this altered environment, you’ll likely continue spinning your wheels trying to get the perfect thyroid medication dose, or finding the perfect vitamin and mineral blend.
The key is to find a healthcare practitioner who can look at your body holistically, understand the many connections of the body, and recognize when poor gut health may be the causative factor for your symptoms. At The HIVE Natural Health Center, we partner with you to identify the root cause of your symptoms, and empower you to take back control of your gut health.
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As always, Trust in Your Gut.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for educational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Do not apply any of the information in this article without first speaking with your doctor.
