Functional Medicine Treatment for Thyroid and Hormonal Issues

Thyroid and hormonal issues can affect the lives of patients in major ways, including their health and appearance. Fortunately, treatment for thyroid and hormonal issues in the greater Denver, Colorado area is available at Spire Health Pathways.

The thyroid plays a major role in the overall functioning of the body and can be either underactive or overactive which disrupts the balance of many of the body’s organ systems. An underactive thyroid can result in weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, poor memory or brain fog, depression, constipation, muscle weakness, and frequently feeling cold. Sometimes these symptoms remain even when thyroid function tests are normal because of the presence of antibodies such as in Hashimoto’s disease.

How to Evaluate Thyroid Levels with Functional Medicine

At Spire Health Pathways, we examine a full thyroid panel and explore the nutrients needed to produce adequate amounts of active hormone. In the case of a patient using a thyroid medication, we also look at whether the dosing is optimally meeting the needs at the cellular level. This is accomplished by detailed examination of T3 levels.

For some individuals we determine that they need a combination of both T4 and T3 to resolve their symptoms. We also evaluate the potential that stress is affecting the thyroid hormone levels by looking at reverse T3 and if necessary, directly measuring cortisol. Cortisol has a great effect on the body by itself and one of its effects can be to lower thyroid hormone levels. Without addressing a cortisol issue if present, it is unlikely that the individual will feel completely better, even with thyroid hormone replacement.

Functional Medicine Approach to Thyroid Disease

Functional medicine treatment for a thyroid issue depends on what is established to be the root cause of the dysfunction. A full history and a thyroid panel often combined with a cortisol test are used to determine what the cause is. In many young women there is a lack of nutrients, and particularly if the woman experiences heavy menstrual periods, her iron stores may not be adequate to produce thyroid hormone effectively. Intake of a variety of fruits and vegetables helps to provide those nutrients like Vitamin A that are needed for normal thyroid production. You may need to supplement with Vitamin D in states like Colorado where, despite many sunny days each year, Vitamin D is not well produced in the skin. Or if you eat a vegetarian diet there may be recommendations to increase zinc containing supplements or to take a highly absorbable zinc supplement to help increase T3 levels in your cells which is responsible for creating the energy and cellular effects attributable to thyroid hormone.

If you are found to have high cortisol levels, it will be important to address this issue with meditation, adequate and restorative sleep and possibly herbal supplements to help reduce the body’s response to a busy or hectic life. As with Hashimoto’s sometimes the reason for high cortisol is the body’s response to a food sensitivity as the immune system response is causing a high level of demand and stress on the body. You may need to eliminate potentially inflammatory proteins such as gluten or soy to reduce the body’s attack on your thyroid tissue and allow better function.

Sometimes a root cause is not determined, or the cause of thyroid dysfunction is thought to have been from a previous viral infection that has stimulated an autoimmune response against your thyroid gland. Eventually that process can lead to too little thyroid tissue being present to provide adequate hormone for good function, and you may need to take a medication. Functional medicine providers will consider the needs for both T4 and T3 and makes sure that dosing creates optimal levels of each of these types of thyroid hormones.

By determining the right nutrients for you as an individual and identifying whether an autoimmune response or high cortisol level is lending to your thyroid issues and symptoms, your provider can tailor your treatment and help decide if you require thyroid supplementation along with lifestyle changes to reduce stress, address food sensitivities, and eat a diet that is supportive of your thyroid production.