Thyroid support holistic health
Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid is a gland which is butterfly-shaped and it lives at the front of our throats
It releases hormones like thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which plays a vital role in our metabolism, growth and our monthly cycle
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is made in the pituitary gland in our brains and tells our thyroid gland what to do
Naturally, sometimes different lifestyle factors can cause these to get out of balance and when we have too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little of them (hypothyroidism) it can cause problems in many areas of our health
Our hormones all work and link in together to play their part. One hormone offsets another and the next can’t get going until it’s had a signal from the previous one. This is why our thyroid hormones (and others involved in feedback loops) are super sensitive and can easily get off balance—because they all depend on each other to stimulate their effects.
The thyroid process loop:
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is released from the pituitary gland in our brains (where lutenising hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin are also made)).
TSH then stimulates our thyroid gland to produce the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
T4 is then converted into a slightly different form called triiodothyronine (T3). Both T4 and T3 can be bound to tissues or circulate in the blood; the unbound versions are known as free T4 (FT4) and free T3 (FT3). .
FT4 and FT3 are carried off through the bloodstream to get about their good work.
The thyroid influences a whole host of bodily functions, including our metabolism, our growth and development, our digestion, temperature, mood, heart health and of course, our periods, menstrual cycles and ovulation.
Like many of our other hormones, our thyroid hormones are sensitive and can easily get thrown off balance.
Can thyroid hormones become imbalanced?
Thyroid imbalances are really common and disrupt many aspects of your health—bringing on a whole range of unwanted symptoms.
Thyroid hormone imbalances are caused by either an underactive thyroid (known as hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
Underactive thyroid
Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid isn’t producing enough T4 (sometimes in combination with T3) and you have an abnormally high level of TSH in comparison.
It can be caused by a range of factors including age, poorly balanced diets and pre-existing medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome.
Additionally, taking certain medications such as oestrogen-containing hormonal contraception and high doses of steroids can interfere with thyroid function.
Because of the thyroid hormone feedback loop, when T3 and T4 are low our brains will overcompensate and produce more TSH to try and boost our T3 and T4 levels, resulting in the classic low T3 and T4 levels paired with high TSH reading seen in hypothyroidism.
Most thyroid function tests will not measure T3 (or FT3) unless you are known to have problems with your thyroid. This is because you are unlikely to have abnormal levels of FT3 without having abnormal levels of TSH and/or FT4.
Hypothyroid symptoms include:
Fatigue
Weight gain
Heavy or irregular menstrual periods
Fertility issues due to irregular periods and irregular ovulation
Depression
Constipation
Trouble concentrating
Poor memory
Increased sensitivity to cold
Poor appetite
Slowed heart rate
Decreased sweating
Swelling of the face and neck
Thyroid pain
Joint and muscle pain
Dry skin or dry, thinning hair
Brittle hair and nails
Low libido (sex drive)
Having an underactive thyroid can also increase the risk of developing long-term health problems such cardiovascular conditions, insulin resistance, nerve damage and a swollen enlarged thyroid (goitre).
This is why it is so important to investigate symptoms and regularly test your thyroid hormone levels to check in with them.
Women are 5 to 10 times more likely to get hypothyroidism than men, of which it already affects 2% of people.
Treatments for hypothyroidism
There are so many lifestyle changes that could improve your thyroid function I always recommend to start there!
Eating iodine-rich foods like milk and dairy products, adding more white fish into your diet, adding some more eggs, beans, pulses or red meat for additional iron. Make sure you are supplementing with 10mcg vitamin D through October to March or consider year-round.
Stress is a big factor in many hormone imbalances and conditions. So, like always, try to find a stress management method that works for you. Stop smoking, keep alcohol to a minimum.
Of course, there are also prescription medications, like levothyroxine, that can replace T4. This is usually a pill but can also be taken as a liquid. Like all supplements and medications, this should only be taken once prescribed and checked by a health professional.
Overactive thyroid
This is when you have an overactive thyroid, making too much T4 and T3. This increase triggers your brain to make less TSH—giving the characteristic low TSH paired with high T3 and T4 readings.
Much like an underactive thyroid, lifestyle factors like poor diet, smoking, alcohol, and stress can cause an overactive thyroid. As well as genetics, autoimmune disorders like diabetes or Grave’s disease and excess iodine consumption. Additionally, long-term problems with cardiovascular health and weight loss are associated with an overactive thyroid.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:
Changes in mood, especially nervousness, irritability, restlessness, anxiety and depression
Irregular menstrual cycles, decreased menstrual flow (hypomenorrhea) and missed periods (amenorrhea), which may cause fertility issues
Frequent bowel movements or diarrhoea
Heat intolerance and excessive sweating
Increased appetite
Unintentional weight loss, even if food intake is the same or increases
Hair thinning or hair loss
Difficulty sleeping and insomnia
Persistent tiredness and weakness, difficulty exercising
Thyroid pain
Neck pressure, breathlessness
Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) — more than 100 beats a minute
Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Feeling of having a pounding heart (palpitations)
Increased blood pressure
Muscle weakness
Twitching or trembling
Protruding eyes (exophthalmos)
Treatments for hyperthyroidism:
Too much iodine can make hyperthyroidism worse by leading the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone. Therefore, you should be mindful of rich sources of iodine such as kelp and seaweed which are food sources likely to lead to excessive iodine intake. Take extra care to check the ingredients list of any supplements that you are taking, such as multivitamins, or preconception or pregnancy vitamins, which are likely to contain iodine.
Additionally, prescription medications like carbimazole can be prescribed to decrease the function of your thyroid. Beta-blockers, which are anxiety medications that help to maintain and decrease your heart rate, can provide symptom relief from a racing heart or heart palpitations.
If needed, surgical intervention to partially remove your thyroid gland can also be an option.