The Causes of Low Thyroid (Hypothyroid)
Hypothyroidism is a common cause of weight loss resistance that is increasing as of late. In this
article we will explain some of the causes of hypothyroid including
Remember, before you can correct a thyroid problem it is important that you identify the
underlying cause of the problem. Unfortunately this rarely happens in medicine today.
Autoimmunity
One of the main causes of hypothyroidism is autoimmunity. Autoimmunity simply means that
your body’s immune system is attacking and destroying its own tissue. So as you can see, it is a
serious issue when your body is attacking your thyroid gland. There are two common forms of
autoimmune disorder that affect the thyroid. One is Grave’s disease, which is causes
hyperthyroid (high thyroid), and the other is called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, which is the
hypothyroid (low thyroid) condition. This discussion will focus primarily on Hashimoto’s since it is
a common cause of low thyroid.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common and the most UNDIAGNOSED condition affecting
your thyroid, yet is very serious. Thorough testing is required for a complete understanding of
the health of the thyroid yet patients are diagnosed everyday with just two simple lab tests;
thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4. While these two markers can tell us if a person has
low thyroid, they do not tell us anything specific about the cause of the hypothyroid. Sadly, most
people diagnosed with hypothyroidism get a prescription for synthetic thyroid hormone
(synthroid) or natural thyroid hormone (armor thyroid) regardless of the cause of the
hypothyroid. If the issue is autoimmune thyroid (Hashimoto’s), dumping thyroid hormone into
your system is going to do nothing to correct the cause of the hypothyroid. Further, you will
continue to have an autoimmune disorder that will escalate in to more serious issues if left
untreated. Patients with autoimmune thyroid often continue to have low thyroid symptoms even
though they are being treated with medication.
Stress causes hypothyroid
Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone”, is a common cause of hypothyroidism. Cortisol works in
a synergistic fashion with thyroid hormone at the cellular level, making thyroid hormone work
more efficiently. A proper amount of cortisol is very important for normal thyroid function. The
thyroid can become dysfunctional when cortisol levels are too high or too low. When cortisol
levels are high, the brain will reduce the body’s ability to make more cortisol. This is called
feedback. It works great at maintaining normal cortisol levels but it can backfire when more than
one hormone is affected by the feedback. Such is the case with thyroid hormone and cortisol. If
cortisol gets too high, feedback will not only reduce cortisol production but also thyroid
production. So excess stress and high cortisol can cause hypothyroid. Balancing your cortisol
levels can be very effective in treating hypothyroidism.
Another unfortunate cause of hypothyroid is cancer. Cancer of the thyroid gland will create
variations in your thyroid hormone levels, and will exhibit the same signs and symptoms as
benign hypothyroid. A thorough thyroid blood chemistry panel will aid in the diagnosis of thyroid
carcinoma.
Toxins can disrupt the production of thyroid hormone. Mercury, for example, will disrupt thyroid
production directly by altering the function of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. Mercury can
also be a contributing factor in another cause discussed earlier, autoimmunity. Excess soy is
toxic to the thyroid as well. Soy has been shown to slow thyroid production and contribute to an
increased risk of thyroid cancers.
Trauma to the thyroid gland (located between the throat and the cartilage in the front of the
neck) is a very real cause that might be contributing to hypothyroidism. An injury to the neck
could damage the thyroid gland and prohibit it from functioning effectively. Make sure to include
any potential injury you may have had in your history with your health care practitioner.
Nutritional deficiencies play a huge role in hypothyroidism. There are many nutrients
necessary for a healthy thyroid including iron, iodine, tyrosine and magnesium. If you are
deficient in any of these nutrients your thyroid will not work properly. Read more information on
nutrient deficiencies and hypothyroid.
Thyroid Conversion Problems
Another cause of functional hypothyroid to discuss is conversion of the thyroid hormone. When
our thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone, it is produced in the form of T4 which is not a very
strong form of thyroid hormone. In order for the thyroid hormone to properly do its job, we have
to convert the T4 into a more active form called T3. Much of the conversion occurs in the liver. If
the liver is not working well due to toxicity, insulin resistance or some other liver disorder, then
the conversion will not occur correctly. Much of the conversion is also carried out in the digestive
tract. Dysbiosis and other issues causing poor digestion can lead to poor thyroid conversion.
Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue) from chronic stress is another possible culprit when it comes to
conversion because cortisol is crucial for the conversion of T4 into the active T3. Conversion
issues also include the conversion of T4 into an inactive hormone called reverse T3. Although
inactive, reverse T3 will bind to your cell and block active T3 from doing its job. Factors that
affect the conversion of T4 to T3 which must be addressed include:
If we suspect you of having low thyroid we will test at least nine blood chemistries related to the
thyroid as well as several other chemistries that work with the thyroid to ensure we accurately
uncover the cause of your hypothyroid. Only then will we be able to recommend a proper
treatment.
At Complete Health and Weight Loss we pride ourselves on being experts on the thyroid and
can help you achieve the health you desire.
972-735-0707
If you would like to discuss natural option for the thyroid but you don't live in the Dallas
Fort Worth area, we can still help you through phone consultations.
Hypothyroidism is a common cause of weight loss resistance that is increasing as of late. In this
article we will explain some of the causes of hypothyroid including
- Autoimmunity
- Nutrient Deficiency
- Stress
- Toxicity
- Cancer
- Trauma
- Conversion Problems
Remember, before you can correct a thyroid problem it is important that you identify the
underlying cause of the problem. Unfortunately this rarely happens in medicine today.
Autoimmunity
One of the main causes of hypothyroidism is autoimmunity. Autoimmunity simply means that
your body’s immune system is attacking and destroying its own tissue. So as you can see, it is a
serious issue when your body is attacking your thyroid gland. There are two common forms of
autoimmune disorder that affect the thyroid. One is Grave’s disease, which is causes
hyperthyroid (high thyroid), and the other is called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, which is the
hypothyroid (low thyroid) condition. This discussion will focus primarily on Hashimoto’s since it is
a common cause of low thyroid.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common and the most UNDIAGNOSED condition affecting
your thyroid, yet is very serious. Thorough testing is required for a complete understanding of
the health of the thyroid yet patients are diagnosed everyday with just two simple lab tests;
thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4. While these two markers can tell us if a person has
low thyroid, they do not tell us anything specific about the cause of the hypothyroid. Sadly, most
people diagnosed with hypothyroidism get a prescription for synthetic thyroid hormone
(synthroid) or natural thyroid hormone (armor thyroid) regardless of the cause of the
hypothyroid. If the issue is autoimmune thyroid (Hashimoto’s), dumping thyroid hormone into
your system is going to do nothing to correct the cause of the hypothyroid. Further, you will
continue to have an autoimmune disorder that will escalate in to more serious issues if left
untreated. Patients with autoimmune thyroid often continue to have low thyroid symptoms even
though they are being treated with medication.
Stress causes hypothyroid
Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone”, is a common cause of hypothyroidism. Cortisol works in
a synergistic fashion with thyroid hormone at the cellular level, making thyroid hormone work
more efficiently. A proper amount of cortisol is very important for normal thyroid function. The
thyroid can become dysfunctional when cortisol levels are too high or too low. When cortisol
levels are high, the brain will reduce the body’s ability to make more cortisol. This is called
feedback. It works great at maintaining normal cortisol levels but it can backfire when more than
one hormone is affected by the feedback. Such is the case with thyroid hormone and cortisol. If
cortisol gets too high, feedback will not only reduce cortisol production but also thyroid
production. So excess stress and high cortisol can cause hypothyroid. Balancing your cortisol
levels can be very effective in treating hypothyroidism.
Another unfortunate cause of hypothyroid is cancer. Cancer of the thyroid gland will create
variations in your thyroid hormone levels, and will exhibit the same signs and symptoms as
benign hypothyroid. A thorough thyroid blood chemistry panel will aid in the diagnosis of thyroid
carcinoma.
Toxins can disrupt the production of thyroid hormone. Mercury, for example, will disrupt thyroid
production directly by altering the function of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. Mercury can
also be a contributing factor in another cause discussed earlier, autoimmunity. Excess soy is
toxic to the thyroid as well. Soy has been shown to slow thyroid production and contribute to an
increased risk of thyroid cancers.
Trauma to the thyroid gland (located between the throat and the cartilage in the front of the
neck) is a very real cause that might be contributing to hypothyroidism. An injury to the neck
could damage the thyroid gland and prohibit it from functioning effectively. Make sure to include
any potential injury you may have had in your history with your health care practitioner.
Nutritional deficiencies play a huge role in hypothyroidism. There are many nutrients
necessary for a healthy thyroid including iron, iodine, tyrosine and magnesium. If you are
deficient in any of these nutrients your thyroid will not work properly. Read more information on
nutrient deficiencies and hypothyroid.
Thyroid Conversion Problems
Another cause of functional hypothyroid to discuss is conversion of the thyroid hormone. When
our thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone, it is produced in the form of T4 which is not a very
strong form of thyroid hormone. In order for the thyroid hormone to properly do its job, we have
to convert the T4 into a more active form called T3. Much of the conversion occurs in the liver. If
the liver is not working well due to toxicity, insulin resistance or some other liver disorder, then
the conversion will not occur correctly. Much of the conversion is also carried out in the digestive
tract. Dysbiosis and other issues causing poor digestion can lead to poor thyroid conversion.
Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue) from chronic stress is another possible culprit when it comes to
conversion because cortisol is crucial for the conversion of T4 into the active T3. Conversion
issues also include the conversion of T4 into an inactive hormone called reverse T3. Although
inactive, reverse T3 will bind to your cell and block active T3 from doing its job. Factors that
affect the conversion of T4 to T3 which must be addressed include:
- Selenium deficiency
- Diabetes
- Zinc deficiency
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Chronic illness
- Decreased antioxidant levels
- Increased levels of adrenaline
If we suspect you of having low thyroid we will test at least nine blood chemistries related to the
thyroid as well as several other chemistries that work with the thyroid to ensure we accurately
uncover the cause of your hypothyroid. Only then will we be able to recommend a proper
treatment.
At Complete Health and Weight Loss we pride ourselves on being experts on the thyroid and
can help you achieve the health you desire.
972-735-0707
If you would like to discuss natural option for the thyroid but you don't live in the Dallas
Fort Worth area, we can still help you through phone consultations.
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