The thyroid gland is small, but very powerful and is part of your body’s endocrine system. It secretes two important hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) that affect all the cells in your body by regulating the speed at which they function. These important hormones directly impact your metabolism and can dictate how well it works—and how you feel.
When there are problems with the thyroid gland it can lead to hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
- Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid is underactive because the gland does not produce enough hormone. Symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Dry skin and hair
- Hoarse voice
- Hair loss
- Cognitive problems like forgetfulness and brain fog
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Sensitivity to cold temperatures
- Hyperthyroidism is caused when the thyroid gland is overactive and produces excessive amounts of the hormone, which makes everything in your body work too fast.
Symptoms include:
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- Feeling anxious and jittery
- Breathlessness and having a fast pulse
- Feeling too hot for no identifiable reason
- Losing weight, despite having an increased appetite
- Problems slowing down your thoughts
- Irritability
The Prevalence of Thyroid Problems
In the U.S., the prevalence of hypothyroidism is 4.6% and hyperthyroidism is 1.3%. Thyroid problems are increasing in the population, especially among women, often surfacing after pregnancy and during middle age.
It’s estimated that 1 out of 4 postmenopausal women has thyroid imbalances. As people get older, the thyroid gland has a diminished ability to take up iodine, which it needs in order to make the hormones. A research study on post-menopausal women found that between the ages of 30 and 80, thyroid gland function decreases by 40%.
Hormonal imbalances can affect brain function in many ways. Research studies have found links between untreated thyroid imbalances and depression, anxiety, mental fog, and memory issues:
- One-third of all depressions are directly related to thyroid imbalance.
- 80-90% of postpartum depression is associated with thyroid abnormalities.
- More than 80% of people with low-grade hypothyroidism have impaired memory function.
Untreated thyroid imbalances can affect brain function in many ways and lead to depression, anxiety, mental fog, memory problems, and other issues.
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10 Ways Healthy Thyroid Function Can be Disrupted
Aside from the biological changes related to thyroid problems, there are other factors that can interfere with healthy thyroid function, including these 10:
- Excess stress and cortisol production
- Selenium deficiency
- Chronic illness
- Deficient protein, excess sugar
- Certain medications, such as lithium
- Overexposure to iodide from medications or x-ray contrast dyes
- Compromised liver or kidney function
- Cadmium, mercury, or lead toxicity
- Herbicides and pesticides
- Oral contraceptives and excessive estrogen production
Important Thyroid Blood Tests
If you’re having symptoms that might be related to thyroid problems, the best thing to do is to speak with your doctor. Most docs only order the blood test for TSH—thyroid-stimulating hormone—but all of your thyroid hormones have to be in the right balance for you to feel your best. Even if your TSH levels are normal, you can still be having symptoms.
To get a more comprehensive thyroid evaluation, ask your doctor to order the following panel of blood tests:
- TSH
- Free T3 (active)
- Free T4 (inactive)
- Thyroid antibodies
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- Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO)
- Thyroglobulin antibodies (TG)
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- Liver function tests (95% of T4 is “activated” in the liver) so having a healthy liver is essential).
- Ferritin level (ferritin is like the bus that drives the active T3 into the cells for the activity to occur. Ferritin needs to be above 50 for this to occur).
Balancing Your Thyroid
Thyroid issues can be effectively treated with a number of thyroid medications. When you are first diagnosed, your doctor will usually prescribe a lower dose of medication to begin with, and depending on your response, will adjust it as needed to address your symptoms. Thyroid levels can fluctuate, so your doctor will need to test your levels regularly to make sure you’re on the correct dosage.
There are also a number of natural dietary supplements that support thyroid function, including the herb rosemary, zinc, chromium, potassium, l-tyrosine, vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, C, D, selenium, and ashwagandha. Be sure to check with your doctor to make sure that any supplements you take will complement, rather than compete with medications you are on.
Keeping your thyroid and other hormones in balance is so important to your overall health and is a key component to optimizing how your brain functions. So, if you are dealing with the symptoms listed above, be sure to get an evaluation to see what’s going on. A functional medicine physician who takes a whole-person approach to treat the root cause of symptoms might just be the right type of doctor to get you and your life back in balance!
Hormonal imbalances and the mental health symptoms that often accompany them are treatable. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you.
In addition to having functional medicine physicians on staff, we offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
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