The Three Things You Should Know About Thyroid and Stress
Do you know that about 20 million people in America have thyroid disorders? And if you are a woman, you have a five to eight times higher risk than men to develop a thyroid condition.
The thyroid is a small gland located in the front of the neck. Even though this organ is tiny, it has a vital role in maintaining balance in your body.
It controls metabolism that turns food into energy that your cells can use. When your thyroid doesn't work correctly, you may have difficulty maintaining your body weight.
It also regulates your body's temperature. If you notice that you feel unusually cold even in the warm weather, I recommend you test your thyroid.
The thyroid gland also affects your heartbeat, how deep you breathe, your cholesterol levels, women's menstrual cycles, and even your mood.
As you can see, this tiny organ has a tremendous job to do in your body. Keeping it healthy is essential for your health.
Stress can disrupt the production of thyroid hormones leading to hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid doesn't produce enough thyroid hormones. But when the body has too many of these hormones, it’s called hyperthyroidism
THE THYROID AND STRESS CONNECTION
Stress affects the thyroid in three major ways:
Stress can lead to slower thyroid hormones production and conversion.
The thyroid makes two main hormones T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). The thyroid hormones production is monitored by the pituitary gland located at the base of your skull. This gland releases its own hormone called the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that sends messages to your thyroid to produce specific amounts of T4 and T3.
When under stress, the pituitary gland also sends signals to the adrenals to produce stress hormones such as cortisol.
As the body starts producing more cortisol, it sends signals back to your hypothalamus and pituitary gland to slow down the production of additional stress hormones. As the pituitary gland slows down, the signaling to the thyroid slows down as well. Over time, this may lead to an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
Research also shows that stress can affect the conversion of T4 (inactive form) to T3 (active form). Only active forms of thyroid hormones can be used by your cells.
If you stay in a state of chronic stress, you may start gaining weight, feel more fatigued, and have mood swings as your thyroid produces lower amounts of hormones.
Stress can lead to thyroid hormone resistance.
Stress can also influence how cells respond to the thyroid hormones. When you are under constant stress, it can lead to chronic inflammation in the body. Inflammation can reduce cell receptors' sensitivity to thyroid hormones.
Various cells have different receptors for hormones produced by your body. These hormones send specific messages to the cell to perform certain functions. If the receptors are inflamed, the message can't be delivered to the cell.
What does it mean in the case of thyroid hormones resistance?
Even though your lab test shows normal thyroid hormones levels and normal TSH levels, you may still experience symptoms of underactive thyroid.
Stress can lead to an autoimmune attack on the thyroid.
Stress disrupts the delicate gut microbiome and leads to gut permeability. As a result, it can increase inflammation in the body and trigger your immune system.
The gut microbiome is referred to trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses living in your intestines and on your skin. The fragile balance among these organisms keeps the bad ones in check, preventing them from making you sick.
The microbiome plays an important role in your health, from digesting food to regulating your mood. Stress can lead to imbalances in microbiota called dysbiosis, letting harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses thrive. Furthermore, gut dysbiosis can increase the risk of infection or autoimmune disease.
Research shows that elevated cortisol can weaken gut barriers. When that happens, bacteria can leak through it, increasing inflammation and negatively affecting the immune system. Leaky gut, over time, can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease.
HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR THYROID WHEN YOU'RE STRESSED
Eat whole foods rich in nutrients that support thyroid function like selenium, zinc, iron, and iodine.
Spend plenty of time outside, soaking up the sunlight to increase your vitamin D intake. Vitamin D supports your immune system and is believed to protect you from autoimmunity.
Eat fermented foods rich in probiotics. Probiotics can help absorb micronutrients essential for healthy thyroid and stabilize thyroid function.
Practice stress management and relaxation techniques.
Avoid highly processed foods. They are inflammatory to your body.
IN CONCLUSION
Stress can influence your thyroid in three major ways. It can slow down the production and conversion of thyroid hormones. It reduces cell sensitivity to thyroid hormones and leads to autoimmune conditions where your own body attacks your thyroid.
Making healthy food choices, working on stress management strategies, and supporting your gut health can reduce the adverse effects of stress on your thyroid.
Are you tired of waking up in the morning feeling sluggish, no matter how many hours you sleep?
Do you wonder how you can finally lose that stubborn weight?
You see, these are just some of the effects of chronic stress. Check out my free guide on how you can start resetting your stress hormones and reverse the effects of burnout on your body, so you can feel like the best version of yourself.
References:
Cleveland Clinic. Thyroid Disease. 2020. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8541-thyroid-disease#:~:text=Thyroid%20disease%20is%20very%20common,thyroid%20condition%20than%20a%20man
Helmreich D., Tylee D. Thyroid Hormone Regulation by Stress and Behavioral Differences in Adult Male Rats. National Library of Medicine. 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3148770/
Knezevic J., Starchl Ch., Tmava Berisha A., Amrein K. Thyroid-Gut-Axis: How Does the Microbiota Influence Thyroid Function? National Library of Medicine. 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7353203/
Madison A., Kiecolt-Glaser J. Stress, depression, diet and the gut microbiota: human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition. National Library of Medicine. 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7213601/
Hi! I'm Kinga Zerhouni.
I am a functional health coach. I work with stressed-out and tired working moms who feel like they are drowning in the thousand things they have to do between work and home.
I help them learn how to nourish and listen to their bodies to figure out which lifestyle changes are right for them, so they can regain their energy and feel calm again.