The Perimenopausal Mamas Podcast

The Perimenopausal Mamas Podcast


Episode 88: Exhausted, Gaining Weight and Forgetful – Is it Your Thyroid? (previously released as Episode 42)

August 26, 2021

We refer to this past episode from October 8, 2020 so often that we decided to re-release it! Is your thyroid the reason you are exhausted, depressed, constipated, forgetful and gaining weight? We discuss signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, how to properly diagnose imbalances, how to eat to support thyroid health and how we approach assessment and treatment as Naturopathic Doctors.

One in eight women will develop thyroid disease at some point in their life and women are 5-8 times more likely than men to experience thyroid issues.

As Dr. Lisa shared previously in Episode 3, she realized that her thyroid wasn’t functioning properly after giving birth to her son. It is common for women to discover thyroid issues in the postpartum period. Proper blood work, addressing stress and taking dessicated thyroid were crucial for Dr. Lisa to feel her best. 

Why is your thyroid so important?

Your thyroid gland regulates your temperature, energy production and metabolism. When your thyroid is under functioning, it is called hypothyroidism. High thyroid function is called hyperthyroidism.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

* Fatigue and exhaustion* Unexplained weight gain* Increased sensitivity to cold and temperature changes* Constipation* Dry skin and thinning hair* Puffy face* Cravings for sugar and carbohydrates* Muscle weakness, aches, tenderness and stiffness* Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints* Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods* Depression and anxiety* as many as 15% of women on antidepressants have an undetected thyroid problem as the cause of their depression * Brain fog, poor memory and concentration* Studies of women in their 60s have shown that low thyroid function can cause dementia-like symptoms and treatment can improve cognitive function and have a protective effect on the brain* High cholesterol* Increased risk of heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias and congestive heart failure due to the regulatory control of the thyroid on heart rate and rhythm* Fertility issues, increased risk of miscarriage and preterm birth* Increased risk of prenatal and postpartum depression

Why do so many women have thyroid issues?

Possible Causes of Your Thyroid Issue Include:

* Environmental exposure to different chemicals, xenoestrogens and heavy metals* Certain medications including birth control pill* Vitamin and mineral deficiencies* Iodine, selenium, vitamin D, zinc, iron, vitamin A* Low calorie diets* Infections* Stress* High cortisol levels due to chronic stress: * reduces thyroid hormone production* inhibits your conversion of the inactive form of thyroid hormone T4, to the active form T3* Gut issues* Leaky gut (also known as intestinal hyperpermeability) and imbalances in your gut microbiome have both been shown to impact hormone imbalances and fluctuations, like when you are postpartum or in perimenopause* Autoimmunity* Environmental toxins, chronic stress, nutritional insufficiencies, leaky gut, food intolerances and having chronic inflammation are all factors that can contribute to autoimmune disease* Your immune system is triggered to produce antibodies that can attack your thyroid, which is what is happening when you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

How do you properly test your thyroid function and the underlying causes of thyroid issues?

Blood work: 

Full thyroid panel: TSH, free T4 and T3, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies, reverse T3

Vitamin D, iron

Celiac screen