Uncover Five Thyroid Optimization Opportunities
Have you ever wondered if some of your symptoms could be due to a sluggish thyroid? The thyroid is a key regulator of our metabolism and plays many critical roles in our body. The process in which our body makes our thyroid hormones is beautifully complex and has several layers needed to work optimally to function properly.
Checking TSH only is one piece of the process and by only focusing on that blood marker alone; we miss so many underlying areas that could be at root of your sluggish thyroid.
Join me as we deep dive and nerd out on ways we can optimize thyroid function.
What is the Thyroid?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck that produces two hormones that basically fuel every cell, tissue and organ in the body. It sets the pace for the body to function at certain rates.
Check out some of the essential functions the thyroid plays in the body.
Metabolism: The rate at which the body uses calories for energetic fuel, hunger cues and body temperature
Heart rate: Slowing down or speeding up the heart rate
Nerves: Supports sleep, mood and brain function
Bones: Supports bones density and bone remodeling
Sex hormones: Supports the regulation the bioavailability for sex hormones and ovulation
Pregnancy: Supports conception and pregnancy
Digestion: How fast food moves through the digestive tract, absorption and utilization of nutrients, as well as influences bile composition and overall gallbladder function
A few areas that most do not know the thyroid plays a major role in is:
Thyroid - Cholesterol Connection: Thyroid hormone levels can directly affect cholesterol levels. When the thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones, the body can't break down and remove LDL cholesterol as well as it should, which can lead to a buildup of unhealthy cholesterol in the blood. (1)
Thyroid - Mood Connection: Both excess and insufficient thyroid hormones can cause mood abnormalities including depression that is generally reversible with adequate thyroid treatment. (2)
Thyroid - Hormone Connection: Thyroid helps regulate the bioavailability for sex hormones, which can further play a role in PMS, insulin resistance, PCOS and other hormonal dysregulation. (3, 4, 5)
Fun fact: Did you know, women are five to eight times more likely to suffer from low thyroid function compared to men?(6)
How does thyroid gland work?
As mentioned, this process can be fairly complex and is instituted through a really cool feedback system called the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis, or HPT-axis for short.
This HPT-axis is a series of 3 organs that all communicate with one another and help the body determine how much thyroid hormone needs to be released from the thyroid gland.
Hypothalamus = Produces TRH which stimulates the pituitary gland
Pituitary = TRH stimulates the pituitary to produce TSH
Thyroid Gland = TSH acts on the thyroid gland which stimulates the gland to produce T4 and a small amount of T3
Each step is important for the end goal which is the production of T4. T4 accounts for 80% of the hormone made and it's mostly inactive. The thyroid makes only about 20% of T3. However, T3 possesses about four times the hormone "strength" as T4 and is the active thyroid hormone. A critical part of thyroid optimization is the conversion of T4 to T3.
While we have three glands involved, we also have a series of steps the thyroid needs to go through to function properly. The steps we will review are: signaling, production, conversion, absorption and utilization. This is where we will deep dive and learn more about thyroid optimization, so keep on reading.
Thyroid Dysfunction
Identifying root causes in your thyroid dysfunction can pin-point key areas that offer opportunities to support thyroid optimization.
There are two areas of thyroid dysfunction: autoimmune (Hashimotos, Graves) and not autoimmune. We will be looking at the not autoimmune causes in the remainder of this blog with a focus on low thyroid function, known as hypothyroidism. However, do know autoimmune root causes still apply to all areas of this information and can be addressed and greatly supported. It deserves a blog all for itself!
Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction
You are probably already aware of the numerous possible symptoms of low thyroid function. There are many and many can also overlap with other underlying health conditions. Some of the most common ones I see with my clients are:
Feeling tired or sluggish
Puffy or weight gain
Hair loss, thinning of lateral brow
Dry skin
Irregular cycles/pms/fertility challenges
Constipation/ changes in bowel habits
Low mood
Poor sleep quality
Poor Cholesterol management
Five-Thyroid Optimization Opportunities
Remember I mentioned there are a series of steps the thyroid needs to go through to function optimally? Well, let's take a look at each step in more depth.
First off, I know it can sound scary, to have so many ways things can go wonky. Instead of looking at it like a negative; I consider these an opportunity to support and improve our thyroid function.
1. Signaling Issues: This a brain to thyroid gland issue. Many may not know this but thyroid production starts in the brain and it's all about the HPT-axis. One of the brain's key jobs is to scan the environment for safety and stressors then communicate and respond to those cues. If your brain senses stress (of any kind, including low calories consumption), then the communication to the brain that the body needs more thyroid hormones may be blunted.
Action Steps: mediate stress, follow a circadian rhythm pattern, balance blood sugar, inflammation in the body - this can be from the gut, inflammatory foods, infections, poor blood sugar regulation
Functional Lab Clues: high or low TSH, low T3 and T4, heavy metals on HTMA, stress on HTMA, low body temperature & pulse rate
2. Production Issues: This is where the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones. The thyroid needs raw materials in order to make thyroid hormones such as: sodium, iodine, tyrosine and iron to name a few.
Action Steps: mediate stress, support nutritional uptake of especially sodium, iodine, tyrosine and ensure your iron recycling system is functioning properly, follow a circadian rhythm pattern, additionally autoimmunity can be at the root of production issues
Functional Lab Clues: high or low T4 and T3, low iodine and other nutrients, elevated antibodies, dehydration, low sodium, low body temperature and pulse rate
3. Conversion Issues: This is where the thyroid hormones are not being converted to the active form. The thyroid primarily makes T4 and T4 is primarily inactive. T4 needs to convert to T3 to be bioactive in the body. This not only requires a vast amount of nutrients, it also needs an optimally functioning liver, kidney and gut as much of the conversion happens there.
Action Steps: mediate stress, address inflammation, follow a circadian rhythm pattern, nutritional uptake especially of selenium, zinc, magnesium and iodine, as well ensure healthy functioning gut, liver and kidneys
Functional Lab Clues: lower end T3 or higher RT3, dysregulated iron, lower end Vit A. HTMA showing low selenium, zinc, magnesium and low body temperature, as well as lower end iodine
4. Transportation & Absorption Issues: This is where the thyroid hormones may have transportation challenges and may not be being absorbed by our cells. I group these two together and both can ultimately affect the cellular uptake of our thyroid hormones into our cell. For these two to function properly we need optimal production of carrier proteins and cell membrane integrity, hydration and optimal production of our sodium and potassium pumps.
Action Steps: meditate stress, address inflammation, follow a circadian rhythm pattern, quality and appropriate quantity of protein, fats and carb, mineralized hydration and ensure sodium, potassium and calcium are in optimal ranges
Functional Lab Clues: blood lab values for albumin, protein, lipoprotein and HTMA mineral levels, especially sodium, potassium, calcium, along with accessing stress markers, calcium shell and Na/K inversion and low body temperature
5. Utilization Issues: This is when our cells have a hard time utilizing the hormones properly. In addition to needing nutrients to support all process up to this point, having the proper macronutrients and again specific nutrients to support this process is key, as well is lowering your toxicant load.
Action Steps: ensuring your are getting enough calories and the appropriate balance of macronutrients, supporting mitochondria with b-vitamins, lower toxicant load, deep belly breathing, quality sleep
Functional Lab Clues: optimize sodium and potassium intake, ensure calcium is in bones and teeth - not the tissue, ensure quality hydration, mediate stress, follow a circadian rhythm pattern, address inflammation, eat balanced meals and ensure you are consuming enough calories
Supportive Nutrition
As you were reading through the five optimization opportunities; you may have noticed some commonalities between the steps.
Yes that right - it's your nutrient status and stress levels.
The great news is most of these approaches will trickle down and positively affect all areas of not only your thyroid health, but other imbalances in the body.
One's nutrient status and stress levels are always the two most resistant areas that I find my clients struggle with the most. Why? In my clinical experience, I feel this is because the way we manage our stress and our food choices have often been rooted in us since childhood. These habits create neuro-pathways that become our default way to respond.
It can take some deep recognition to realize some of these patterns are keeping us from moving through our presenting health challenges. Don't be discouraged or afraid to reach out for further support in these areas.
Key Lifestyle Supportive Shifts
Ensure you are consuming appropriate fuel, by way of quality nutrient dense calories. Part of this is ensuring your body can actually break down and assimilate your nutrients, so supporting your digestion is key!
Balance your blood sugar. One of the easiest ways to lower stress, including inflammation in the body is to maintain consistent blood sugar levels. This harnesses cortisol expenditure and even supports your liver.
Manage physical and mental stress. Stress can be external such as jobs, school, home and family life. It can also be internal such as anxiety, toxicant exposures, gut imbalances, nutrients and mineral imbalances. This can be a complex process that involves many steps. When working one-on-one with our clients we address all areas. When working on your own, we suggest starting with a Ditch & Switch (lower toxicant exposure) and begin to lower your daily stress load and invite supportive measures into your life. Grab your Ditch & Switch cheat sheet here.
Optimize your circadian rhythm. Thyroid hormones are released and follow a circadian rhythm pattern. Follow a sun up to sun down pattern by getting first morning light, eating a circadian rhythm pattern and limiting screen-time or wearing blue blockers at night can greatly help. (7) Grab your circadian rhythm cheat sheet.
Prioritize sleep. We often take sleep for granite, but much of our healing occurs during this time and is needed for the whole body healing process. Try our 7-Day Sleep Challenge to support sleep.
Functional Lab Testing
Now that you can see the many opportunities to support your overall thyroid function, let's look at some of the functional tests that can bring deeper insight to personalize your approach.
Full Thyroid Blood Test: Ask your doctor to get a full thyroid panel that includes TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, TPO & TG Antibodies. Alternatively, we have a few additionally ways you can access this. One of our favorites is a blood spot test that you can run from home. Grab yours here.
HTMA: The hair, tissue, mineral test is a must have to bring greater insight into how your body is managing your stress, key minerals, cellular permeability, heavy metal load and more.
Functional Labs: Depending on your specific needs, there are many supportive labs that can help bring insight into your thyroid optimization journey.
Basil Body Temperature and Pulse: This is a simple, low cost option to monitor your progress. Check out our blog to learn more.
ReBoot: Thyroid Optimization
We have created a package that allows us to explore five thyroid optimization opportunities, through two simple at-home functional lab tests: HTMA (hair, tissue, mineral test) & Paloma's (complete thyroid blood test kit).
Empower yourself and learn more about how your thyroid is functioning and most importantly ways to optimize it at every step.
Once you place the order, take the test(s) and as results are received, our nutritionist deep dives and geeks out on your data. We look at your thyroid from many different angles and narrow down the areas that indicate a need for greater support. We review five opportunities to optimize your thyroid and provide action steps to support the areas your labs show you may need further support with.
Signaling: Communication from the brain to the thyroid gland
Production: Is the thyroid gland producing enough thyroid hormones: T4 & T3
Conversion: Is inactive T4 being converted to active form T3 properly
Absorption: Are the thyroid hormones being taken into the cells properly
Utilization: Are the cells able to utilize the thyroid hormones properly
You will gain insight and action steps on everyday lifestyle changes that can support the areas that may need a little nudge. You will learn more about how the thyroid works and key nutritional components that support each process. Learn more, here.
Resources:
Our Approach
I am a clinically trained psychotherapist, who learned along with education and practicum hours that one's health challenges can be at the root of their psychological obstacles. I view the body and mind from a holistic perspective and dive deep with my clients to root out the core imbalances that keep them from progressing in the healing of their body and mind.
Have a Nourishing Day!
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