What You Need to Know
You might be surprised to learn that your gut health plays a significant role in how your thyroid functions. The connection between the gut and thyroid is so strong that gut issues could be affecting your thyroid without you even realising it!
Here’s a breakdown of how these two parts of your body are connected and why keeping your gut healthy is essential for maintaining a healthy thyroid.
The Gut-Thyroid Connection
Your gut is full of bacteria, known as the microbiota, which help digest food, produce vitamins, regulate your immune system, and communicate with your brain. All of these processes can influence your thyroid health in some way. This connection is often referred to as the "gut-thyroid axis."
For example, key nutrients like iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron are crucial for proper thyroid function. But, to be effective, your body needs to absorb these nutrients. If your gut is unhealthy, it can interfere with this absorption, potentially leading to thyroid problems.
Another way the gut influences the thyroid is through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced when bacteria break down the fibre in your diet. These SCFAs, particularly butyrate, help regulate inflammation and support immune function - both of which are important for maintaining a healthy thyroid.
How Thyroid Function Affects Digestion
The thyroid also influences your gut. Thyroid hormones help regulate the speed of digestion, also known as "motility." When thyroid hormone levels are too low, digestion can slow down, leading to constipation, bloating, and other digestive issues. On the other hand, too much thyroid hormone can speed up digestion, causing diarrhea or malabsorption of nutrients.
People with thyroid conditions, like hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), often experience gut-related symptoms as a result of their thyroid imbalances.
Common Gut Issues Linked to Thyroid Problems
Certain gut conditions are more common in people with thyroid disorders. For example, people with autoimmune thyroid diseases, like Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or Graves' Disease, often also have gut-related autoimmune conditions like Celiac Disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
There’s also a link between gut infections and thyroid problems. For example, people with thyroid issues have been found to have higher rates of infections from bacteria like *Helicobacter pylori* or *Yersinia enterocolitica*, which may worsen thyroid symptoms.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is another gut issue that tends to show up in people with hypothyroidism. Because hypothyroidism slows digestion, it can create an environment where bacteria can overgrow in the small intestine, leading to bloating, gas, and other digestive problems.
Nutrients Your Thyroid Needs
For your thyroid to function well, it needs a steady supply of key nutrients. Here are some of the most important ones:
Iodine: Essential for thyroid hormone production. Too little iodine can lead to thyroid problems, but too much can also cause issues.
Selenium: Helps regulate the immune system and protects the thyroid from damage.
Zinc: Involved in converting thyroid hormones into their active forms.
Iron: Helps the thyroid make hormones and ensures proper iodine absorption.
A healthy gut ensures you’re absorbing these nutrients properly, which is why gut health and thyroid health go hand-in-hand.
How to Support Gut and Thyroid Health
If you suspect your thyroid issues might be related to your gut, or if you're dealing with both gut and thyroid symptoms, there are several steps you can take:
Improve Your Diet:
Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods that support both gut and thyroid health. Ensure to include plenty of fibre to feed the good bacteria in your gut, along with foods rich in iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron.
Consider Probiotics:
Adding a good probiotic to your routine can help restore balance to your gut bacteria, which may, in turn, support better thyroid function. We will assist you in choosing a probiotic that is most suited to your health and symptoms.
Reduce Inflammation:
Anti-inflammatory foods, such as omega-3-rich fish or flaxseeds, can help calm inflammation in the gut, supporting overall health.
Address Nutrient Deficiencies:
If you suspect you're not absorbing nutrients well, get tested for deficiencies in iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron. Supplementing these nutrients, if necessary, can help support thyroid health.
Manage Stress:
Chronic stress can negatively impact both gut and thyroid health, so stress management techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or regular exercise can be beneficial.
Consult a Healthcare Provider:
If you're dealing with ongoing gut or thyroid issues, it's worth getting a comprehensive evaluation from a healthcare provider. They can run tests to check both your thyroid function and gut health to see if there’s an underlying issue that needs addressing.
Conclusion
The relationship between your gut and thyroid is a two-way street—each influences the other in powerful ways. By focusing on your gut health through diet, supplements, and stress management, you may be able to improve your thyroid function as well. Vice versa, addressing thyroid imbalances could help alleviate gut issues.
If you're dealing with both thyroid and gut symptoms, now’s the time to get to the root of the problem. Want to learn more about how to improve both your thyroid and gut health? Let’s chat!
Book a free discovery call today with Naomi, our thyroid guru, to explore how we can work together to get you feeling your best.
Comments