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Thyroid School, Issue #23// Gut Health + Thyroid, Introduction

January 30, 2023

Gut Overview Thyroid hormones are the pacesetters of the body— from metabolic rate the intestinal peristalsis rate. Many who have thyroid dysfunction complain in some way of gastrointestinal symptoms, but the connection between thyroid and gut are rarely discussed and often treated as separate issues, when in fact there is an intimate relationship.  Thyroid hormones affect nearly every aspect of gastrointestinal function, and the GI tract affects thyroid function. It is a classic example of “chicken or egg” in which each person’s root cause(s) differ from the next.  Appreciating the impact that thyroid hormones have on each step of the digestive process magnifies just how hypothyroidism leads to a host of symptoms. Thyroid integrity is the rate limiting step in an orchestra of metabolic functions that has cascading effects when even the slightest bit off. Deviations from “normal” can lead to a snowball of events that creates a cycle of GI distress, intestinal alterations, and rebound thyroid hormone disruption that perpetuates this cycle. Hypothyroidism has been shown to be linked to autoimmunity in 95% of cases. Hashimoto’s is most common in women between the ages of 30-50 years old and impacts women 10x more than men. Genetic predisposition plays a...

Thyroid School: Issue 8// Autoimmunity

November 5, 2021

Last Thyroid School, I reviewed how to tell the difference between whether your hypothyroidism is autoimmune in nature or not. To review, autoimmunity is a problem when your immune system... Read More