Support Your Energy and Your Thyroid Health!
Dr. Naomi Ha, ND
The thyroid gland is the master regulator of all metabolic processes in the body. So what exactly does that mean? It means that it is responsible for maintaining your body temperature and keeping your heart beating, along with promoting energy production. If you’ve been feeling tired day in and day out, and have noticed that you lack the energy to keep up with your daily routine, it’s worthwhile to get its assessed.
A full thyroid assessment includes the measurements of it stimulating hormones (TSH), thyroid hormones, and thyroid antibodies. It produces two different thyroid hormones, T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). Although T4 is produced in greater abundance compared to T3, it must be converted into T3 in order to exert its biological functions, including the production of energy. If your T3 levels are lower than optimal, or there is an issue with the conversion of T4 to T3, you will likely feel tired, regardless of how much sleep you get. It also plays a big role in sleep regulation, so if your thyroid function is off, you might also notice that you have difficulty sleeping which only makes matters worse when you’re already fatigued.
Many family doctors only provide lab requisitions for TSH, but this doesn’t give us all the information we need in order to determine whether your thyroid is functioning optimally. Naturopathic doctors take a look at TSH, T3 and T4 (thyroid hormones), as well as anti-thyroperoxidase (anti-TPO), and anti-thyrogloubulin (anti-Tg) antibodies in order to assess hypothyroidism (under-functioning thyroid) or the auto-immune variant of hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. it is important that you advocate for yourself and ask for all the necessary tests if you are concerned about your thyroid.
Once you receive a diagnosis based on your symptoms and lab findings, your naturopath will be able to recommend the appropriate care to support your thyroid function so that you can start managing your energy. Nutrients such as selenium, and inositol can be helpful for supporting the conversion of T4 to T3, as well as reducing antibody levels if they’re present. Elevated antibody levels can be seen even before your thyroid hormone levels are affected, so it is an opportunity for early intervention if these antibodies are caught early on. Iodine deficiency can also play a role in low thyroid hormone levels, so foods such as kelp and seaweed can be helpful to incorporate into your diet. Ashwagandha, a herb that has been researched extensively, can also support your thyroid to promote thyroid hormone production. Your health care provider will be able to provide you with the appropriate dosing and brands for these supplements to ensure that you’re supplementing at a safe level.
Your thyroid gland plays a pivotal role in your metabolism, so if you’ve been feeling tired, haven’t been sleeping well, have noticed your hair thinning or have experienced unexplained weight gain, get your thyroid properly assessed. Don’t wait to Support your energy. At Naturopathicliving medical solutions we work with our clients to provide holistic care.
Reference
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Nordio M, Basciani S. Care with Myo-Inositol and Selenium May support Euthyroidism in patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis. Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:2549491. doi:10.1155/2017/2549491
Sharma AK, Basu I, Singh S. Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(3):243-248. doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0183
Ventura M, Melo M, Carrilho F. Selenium and Thyroid Disease: From Pathophysiology to Care. Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:1297658. doi:10.1155/2017/1297658