Thyroid Disorders

Thyroid hormones impact every major system in the body. When there’s an imbalance in those hormone levels, a thyroid disorder can develop, along with any number of symptoms, including weight gain, dry skin, hair loss, muscle pain and stiffness, mental fog, depression, and infertility.

Thyroid disorders can occur due to a problem with the way the body regulates the thyroid metabolism or because of autoimmunity—as is the case with the autoimmune form of hypothyroidism, called Hashimoto’s disease.

Learn More about the Most Common Causes and Symptoms of Thyroid Disorders

Understanding the cause of your hypothyroidism is the first step to effectively treating the problem. Find out more about seven common causes, and get effective strategies for dealing with them.

Note: This article originally published in July 2010, was updated in 2018 to include recent research. The original iodine/selenium discussion still stands.

The green smoothie fad has taken the world by storm, but these drinks have a dark side that people aren’t aware of. Learn about why these beverages may not be conducive to optimal health.

This woman worrying over her bills may be experiencing chronic stress, which can cause hypothyroidism symptoms.

Are you one of the 20 million Americans with thyroid disease? You may be missing a piece of the thyroid puzzle—chronic stress. Learn about the stress–thyroid connection and get tips on reducing stress.

Studies show a strong link between autoimmune thyroid disease and gluten intolerance.

Revolution Health Radio podcast, Chris Kresser

When lab results for thyroid function come back as “normal,” it’s easy to assume that everything is functioning well. However, there are several different reasons these results can be misleading.

If you have hypothyroid symptoms, but your lab tests are normal, you may have one of these patterns.

Do you have high cholesterol? Are you concerned about your heart health? Get your thyroid tested. Thyroid hormones play a major role in lipid metabolism and are one of the major causes of high cholesterol.

In this podcast Dr. Amy Nett and I will discuss the thyroid physiology behind subclinical hypothyroidism and its clinical consequences.

Women with undiagnosed and untreated thyroid disease are at risk for a number of serious conditions, including infertility. Find out why hypothyroidism and infertility are linked, and get advice on how to correct the issue.

What is hyperthyroidism? Find out what causes it, how it is treated in conventional medicine, and how a Functional Medicine approach can improve symptoms and potentially reverse the disease’s course.

Learn More about Thyroid Health

An estimated 20 million Americans have thyroid disorders, but more than half don’t know it. Find out why thyroid problems are so often misdiagnosed, what really causes them, and how to heal them naturally.

This woman is experiencing fatigue, a common symptom of thyroid disorders.

Thyroid disorders are one of the most under-recognized health issues today. Learn what you need to know to recover from thyroid disease here.

In hypothyroidism, the body’s levels of two thyroid hormones—T4 and T3—are too low. However, in low T3 syndrome, the body’s levels of T4 are often normal, while T3 has fallen behind.

The cause of the problem doesn’t involve the thyroid gland itself; instead, the issue arises because of the way the body regulates the thyroid metabolism. For people with low T3 syndrome, replacement thyroid hormones are often ineffective.

Find Out More about Low T3 Syndrome

Fatigue—like this man is experiencing—could indicate low T3 disorder.

Low T3 levels can cause all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. But in many cases, the problem isn't with the thyroid at all.

Studies suggest that—in many cases—T3 may not be low in Low T3 Syndrome after all. At least not the form of T3 that really matters.

The changes in thyroid hormone levels seen in Low T3 Syndrome are primarily caused by inflammation.

Hardly anyone has heard of autoimmune hypopituitarism, but it may be one of the most common causes of Low T3 Syndrome.

Should Low T3 Syndrome be treated with replacement thyroid hormone? Or could that be dangerous?

In conventional medicine, treatment for a thyroid disorder often stops at replacement hormones. That method might offer some short-term relief, but many people see their symptoms return as their chronic illness progresses. That’s because simply replacing thyroid hormones does nothing to address autoimmunity, which is often the root cause of hypothyroidism.

That’s why correcting immune system dysregulation is often an essential step to treating hypothyroidism. Avoiding certain foods that could aggravate the condition and, in some cases, taking replacement thyroid hormones, can also help alleviate symptoms of a thyroid disorder.