Literature shows that although Hashimoto’s is the most common form of hypothyroidism, it is still often misdiagnosed. The doctors conclude hypothyroidism based on increased level of the hormone TSH in blood and subscribe synthetic thyroid hormone T4. Often, they don’t bother to test the TPO and TG antibodies. Even if they do test the antibodies, the treatment doesn’t change. The cause of our condition is never investigated by the conventional doctors.
But a gland does not just stop functioning properly without any reason. It is a secondary condition. A human body consists of many organs that cooperate and communicate together. Each organ relies on other organs and their performance. These are strongly affected by our diet, lifestyle, stress level etc.
What causes the low performance of the thyroid?
- A diet of too little calories
- Too intense training
- Not enough of carbohydrates in a diet
- Weaker performance of hypothalamus
- High level of estrogen
- High level of prolactin
- Low level of progesterone
- High level of testosterone at women
- Malnutrition
- Problems with digestion
- Chronic infections
- Diet rich in foods that cause inflammation like gluten, sugar, dairy, alcohol, coffee
- Stress
- High level of homocysteine
- Toxins
- Anemia
- Lack of Hydrochloric acid
- Instable glucose level in blood
The factors listed above influence the thyroid health directly or indirectly. Using a synthetic hormone to fix it might reduce some of the symptoms temporarily but after a couple of weeks the symptoms come back. Inhibition of one symptom does not solve the cause of the problem. In contrary, it leads to further imbalances like:
- If you already have high testosterone, and you start using the synthetic T4 hormone and the contraceptive pill, it results in too high level of estrogen.
- If you have a problem with digestion and thyroid, and you start using the synthetic T4 hormone, you are not improving the absorption of the nutrients nor the intestinal bacterial flora risking impaired conversion of T4 to T3.
Besides, lab results do not show what is really happening on the cellular level. Your TSH, T4 and T3 levels might be ideal while you still experience all the symptoms of Hashimoto’s.
The key to recovery is a good doctor ‘detective’, who looks into the level of TPO and TG antibodies and does not base the entire treatment on level of the TSH just to prescribe ‘suitable’ dose of levothyroxine.
Main source: Tluste Zycie (Highly recommended in you can read Polish)
