The Connection Between Hormones and Gut Health

Have you been told “your thyroid tests came back normal” but you’re still experience symptoms related to thyroid disfunction, such as fatigue, sensitivity to cold, dry skin, hair loss, weight gain, memory problems and more? You are not hallucinating! Your body is telling you that something is wrong! Listen to it! Read below to understand why you shouldn’t be satisfied with normal.

More than TSH

The first marker that conventional doctors look at when it comes to thyroid is TSH. TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is produced by the pituitary gland in response to low thyroid hormone levels.

Although TSH is the first maker that needs to be looked into, but not the only marker. If your TSH is coming in at the clinically normal range, but you’ve got symptoms, it’s worth looking deeper.

In functional medicine, thyroid levels are viewed in a broader context that includes a range of different markers and factors when evaluating thyroid function. In order to get a more complete picture of thyroid function, TSH levels needs to be evaluated along with other thyroid markers:

Free T4 (thyroxine): T4 is the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Free T4 refers to the amount of T4 that is available to be used by the body.

Free T3 (triiodothyronine): T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone that is used by cells in the body. Free T3 refers to the amount of T3 that is available to be used by the body.

Reverse T3 (rT3): Reverse T3 is an inactive form of T3 that can be produced in response to stress or illness. In functional medicine, elevated rT3 levels may indicate a need to address underlying stress or inflammation.

Thyroid antibodies: Autoimmune thyroid conditions, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease, are common causes of thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid antibodies, such as anti-TPO (thyroid peroxidase) and anti-TG (thyroglobulin) antibodies, can be measured to assess for autoimmune thyroid conditions.

Normal ranges?

When it comes to assessing your results, you should assess it based on “Functional” ranges and not “Clinical ranges”. The main reason for this is that clinical ranges are very broad, determined by averaging sick people’s scores!!

Clinical range, refers to the range of hormone levels in the blood that is associated with specific clinical conditions. This range is based on the hormone levels found in individuals who have been diagnosed with a specific condition, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Clinical ranges are often used to diagnose and manage thyroid disorders.

Functional range, on the other hand, refers to the range of hormone levels in the blood that is considered to be optimal for health and well-being. This range is based on the average hormone levels found in healthy individuals and may be narrower than the laboratory reference range. Functional ranges take into account the optimal levels of hormones that promote health and prevent disease, rather than simply identifying the normal range of hormone levels found in the general population.

For example, clinical range of THS is 0.5 to 5.0 mIU/L, while functional range is 0.5 to 2.5 mIU/L. Much narrower range.

More than treating the symptoms

While taking steps to treat thyroid symptoms (such as thyroid medications) is essential and important, you should also address the underlying cause.

Holistic approach to thyroid balance, looking at other factors that can impact thyroid function, such as gut health, inflammation, stress levels and environmental factors, is the important to your overall health. The goal is to identify and address the root causes of thyroid dysfunction, rather than just treating the symptoms.

Here are some key aspects of thyroid balance according to functional nutrition:

Adequate intake of nutrients: The thyroid gland requires a variety of nutrients to function properly, including iodine, selenium, zinc, vitamin D, and iron.

While taking steps to treat thyroid symptoms (such as thyroid medications) is essential and important, you should also address the underlying cause.

Addressing gut health: The gut and the thyroid are closely connected, as up to 20% of thyroid hormone conversion occurs in the gut. This is the reason you should work on improving your gut health, such as removing bacteria & fungus, avoiding food sensitivities and inflammatory foods, consuming probiotics, prebiotics.

Balancing stress: Chronic stress can impact the HPA axis and disrupt thyroid function. You should check your cortisol levels and do physical activity to support healthy cortisol levels.

Avoiding toxins: Environmental toxins, such as heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals, mold and environmental pollution, can interfere with thyroid function. You can check the level of toxin you are exposed to, evaluate your detoxification pathways, and change your lifestyle by using natural cleaning and personal care products, a filtering water and air, and consume organic foods.

Your next step

So, if your thyroid tests came back normal, but you’re still experience symptoms related to thyroid disfunction, know that there is a lot you can do. First, ask your doctor to perform a complete thyroid panel. Second, contact us to evaluate your functional range. Third, let us help you find the underlying causes for your thyroid dysfunction, by taking our functional diagnostic lab tests. Last but not least, implement our personalized protocol, which includes nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, supplements recommendations.

Are you ready to end your cycle of trail and error? Schedule your free 15 minutes consultation meeting today!