What is Hashimoto’s Disease? 

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks its own body cells by mistaking them as foreign invaders. Hence, as a response to protect the body, it damages the thyroid gland by producing Thyroid Antibodies which further leads to hypothyroidism. 

As a result, the thyroid gland is not able to produce the desired number of thyroid hormones required by the body for day-to-day functioning. 

The thyroid gland is responsible to regulate metabolism in the body, hence when enough thyroid hormones are not produced, the body’s metabolism rate goes down and the body feels lethargic accompanied by other symptoms of Hashimoto’s. 

Symptoms of Hashimoto’s

The most common Hashimoto’s disease symptoms that people have are:

• Fatigue and sluggishness
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Increased sleepiness
• Dry skin
• Constipation
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Irregular or excessive menstrual bleeding
• Depression
• Problems with memory or concentration
• Swelling of the thyroid (goitre)
• A puffy face
• Brittle nails
• Hair loss
• Enlargement of the tongue

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Why did you develop Hashimoto’s? 

There can be various factors that can lead to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis but a few common causes that lead to Hashimoto’s are: 

1. Genes: Having a Family History of Autoimmune Disease or Hashimoto’s can increase your risk of suffering from Hashimoto’s 
2. Hormones: Generally, Hashimoto’s occur in middle-aged women, and change in hormones can be a cause. It is observed that ladies develop Hashimoto’s after their pregnancy. 
3. Excessive Iodine: Having too much iodine can lead to a thyroid disorder. Generally, some drugs are rich in iodine, which becomes a major cause of triggering Hashimoto’s 
4. Radiation Exposure: Exposure to harmful radiation can also lead to autoimmune diseases. High cases of Hashimoto’s are observed in people who are exposed to environmental triggers, such as infection, stress, or radiation exposure.
5. Heavy Metals: Exposure to Heavy Metals, Mercury, Arsenic, Plastics, and pesticides contribute to dysbiosis, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Also, fluoride and bromine in municipal water supplies, flame retardants, and some baked goods compete with iodine in the thyroid gland, impacting its functioning. 
6. Gut inflammation/ Leaky gut: The Microbiome in the gut regulates hormones, immunity, and detoxification. The imbalance in the microbiome damages the gut lining and leads to inflammation. With chronic exposures to toxicants, inflammatory foods such as gluten or lectins, and chronic stress, the substances enter the body and trigger autoimmune responses and inflammation throughout.
7. Food sensitivity: More and more people are developing food sensitivity, where their body starts producing antibodies against food like wheat when they consume it and these antibodies actually end up attacking the thyroid gland and cause Hashimoto’s. 

Hence, once you feel that you are seeing the symptoms of Hashimoto’s and finding it difficult to cope with it, the situation itself is alarming and hence, you should see a doctor as soon as possible for a timely and accurate diagnosis.

Can Conventional Medicine Cure Hashimoto’s?

Although in conventional medication, doctors usually prescribe the synthetic (man-made) form of thyroid hormone called levothyroxine (Synthroid®, Tirosint®, Levoxyl®, Levothroid®, Unithroid®). 

This drug restores the normal function of the thyroid but your body gets dependent on it and you need to take it every day for the rest of your life. The dose keeps on increasing because your thyroid is slowly dying. 

Only working on underlying autoimmunity and reducing antibodies is the way to save yourself from Hashimoto’s.  

But for the reversal of Autoimmune Diseases like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Hypothyroidism, Functional Medicine Doctor is recommended as having just a dose of medicine will not fix a problem in long run. You need to find the root cause of your Hashimoto’s and treat it. 

Functional Medicine Doctors analyze your daily routine, eating habits, toxins, infections, and stress level and try to find out the actual reason for your health condition. Then the treatment depends on improving your overall health by working on the actual problem and making necessary changes in your lifestyle that will aid you to go through the process of reversal. And working on specific protocols to reverse Hashimoto’s.  

Dr. Anshul Gupta, an Expert in Functional Medicine has so far treated thousands of patients with Hashimoto’s and helped them to get rid of annoying symptoms by working on the reversal of the disease. With his experience over the years, he accurately diagnoses the root cause by working closely with the patient. 

As different things work for different individuals, Dr. Gupta makes sure that treatment is assigned as per the analysis done and the changes are monitored for overall health improvement. 

The factors that trigger autoimmunity in the patient should be completely avoided. The ultimate goal is to rebalance and regulate the immune system to regain health back.

Complications of Hashimoto’s 

Hashimoto’s is left untreated, it can invite major complications in the future. These include: 
1. Goitre: As Hashimoto decreases the production of Thyroid Hormone, the condition may lead to Goitre which is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It does not feel comfortable and may cause difficulty in breathing and swallowing along with throat tightness, swelling, and coughing. 
2. Heart Problems: Hypothyroidism has an adverse effect on the Heart condition. It may lead to poor heart function, an enlarged heart, and irregular heartbeats. It also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart failure as it leads to high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol which is the "bad" cholesterol.
3. Mental Health Issues: Hashimoto’s may lead to Depression which gradually becomes serious as the condition worsen. Hence, it may cause mental health disorders. 
4. Sexual and Reproductive Dysfunction: High Level of Hypothyroidism leads to sexual and reproductive dysfunction. Reduced sexual desire (libido), an inability to ovulate, and irregular and excessive menstrual bleeding are some of the symptoms of Hypothyroidism in women. While for men, the symptoms include libido, erectile dysfunction, and a lowered sperm count.
5. Poor Pregnancy Outcomes: Women with Hypothyroidism can cause Pregnancy Issues. There is an increased risk of a miscarriage or preterm birth. Even babies born to women with untreated hypothyroidism are at risk for decreased intellectual abilities, autism, speech delays, and other developmental disorders.
6. Myxedema (miks-uh-DEE-muh). This rare, life-threatening condition can develop due to long-term, severe, untreated hypothyroidism. Its signs and symptoms include drowsiness followed by profound lethargy and unconsciousness. Exposure to colds, sedatives, infection or other stress on your body may trigger a myxedema coma. 

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Are you getting the correct Thyroid Testing? 

For diagnosing the underlying cause, certain lab tests are recommended which include: 

 

1. Thyroid Function and Antibodies: A complete thyroid profile test should be done which includes TSH, T3, T4, and Reverse T3. In addition to it, testing for thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies also helps in identifying the cause. 
2. Thyroid Supportive Nutrients: Proper Thyroid Balance can be attained with the contribution of nutrients such as iodine, iron, tyrosine, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and vitamins E, B2, B3, B6, C, and D. Hence Micronutrient testing is important to know how well your body is absorbing these nutrients 
3. Gut Health: Knowing the status of your gut health can help you a lot while treating Hashimoto’s as taking control of dysbiosis and leaky gut contribute to regaining the balance of the microbiome. A Comprehensive Stool Test measures the amounts of healthy and unbalanced gut bacteria (dysbiosis), inflammatory markers, leaky gut, parasites, and yeast to assess the state of the gut and guide treatment.
4. Food Sensitivities: People can be sensitive to different food items and these food sensitivities or allergies can contribute to intestinal permeability, inflammation, and autoimmunity. ELISA testing identifies the food sensitivities and allergies that will help you to maintain a distance from the allergic food products. 
5. Detoxification: To identify genetic susceptibilities and the current detoxification ability of the body, there are specialized lab tests that assess methylation, detoxification capacity, and glutathione which help to pinpoint specific areas which need to be taken care of to regain health. 

After Lab Testing is done, the Functional Medicine Doctor focuses on regaining balance and regulating the immune system to minimize autoimmune responses. 

While observing one’s health condition, functional medicine doctors analyze certain individual triggers which are responsible for cumulative damage and thyroid dysfunction. 

Hence, measures are taken to take control of such triggers so that autoimmunity stays in control. Making certain lifestyle changes and adopting a holistic functional medicine approach can help you to heal your body for better functioning.

What does a Functional Medicine treatment for Hashimoto’s look like?

To support Thyroid Health and minimize the autoimmunity response, there are certain diets and practices that have shown amazing results in controlling Autoimmune disorders. 

1. Individualized Anti-inflammatory Diet: Inflammation is the major cause of the increase in autoimmunity hence to strike a balanced one should adopt a nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet. Incorporate your diet with vitamin A, zinc, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and selenium as it reduces inflammation and promotes good health. 
2. Individualized Food Sensitivity Elimination Diet: Avoid the food that triggers intestinal permeability, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Gluten, grains, dairy and processed sugars are some of the common triggers. Also, take note of individual food sensitivity and eliminate it from your diet to regain balance. 
3. Rebalance the Microbiome: Ensuring a healthy gut is key to overall health. Microbiomes should be in balance to ensure to strengthen the immune system and reduce autoimmunity. Incorporate your diet with various whole foods and probiotic-rich foods like kimchi and sauerkraut and prebiotic-rich foods like artichokes, garlic, and beans. This will nourish healthy bacteria in your gut and maintains a diverse & balanced microbiome. 
4. Enough Sleep and Stress Management: Lack of sleep and chronic stress can contribute to inflammation. Hence, to support thyroid health and strike a balance in the microbiome, one should get enough sleep and control their stress levels to improve overall health. Stress Management Practices like Yoga, Exercise, and walking should be adopted to reduce inflammation. Spending quality time in nature and exposure to sunlight also tends to help. 

5. Environmental Factors: Chemicals in plastics, pesticides, heavy metals, and other pollutants is one of the major cause of Thyroid Disorder. To limit the exposure, one can use High-quality water and air filters, organic produce, and assessment of other exposures such as metal dental amalgams.

 

Once the patient starts with an Integrative approach to treating Hashimoto, making necessary lifestyle changes to treat the root cause along with the medication can give noticeable results. 

Hence, to regain health back, it is extremely important to treat Hashimoto’s before it leads to further health complications that make it difficult to regain health back. So, see the doctor as soon as you notice any symptoms related to Hashimoto's and get yourself tested. 

Early Diagnosis will lead to effective treatment, hence, if you find yourself suffering from Hashimoto’s, get in touch with Functional Medicine Expert, Dr. Anshul Gupta who will help you treat the disease in the best possible manner with the holistic approach which not only revolves around medication but also the needful lifestyle changes that are necessary to incorporate for a healthy life.

 

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Know in detail about Hashimoto's disease and how it can be cured through functional medicine here on our youtube channel.

The Hashimoto's series on our channel - 

FAQ

1. How long after starting treatment do Hashimoto’s symptoms begin to improve?

The symptoms of Hashimoto are lowered based on the level of inflammation, the depletion of nutrients in the body and the lifestyle. It is found that the functional medicine treatment causes a rise in energy, digestion, and mood in typically 4-8 weeks, as inflammation disappears and thyroid hormonal balance is reestablished. Nevertheless, in others, it might take a few months to rectify the gut and regain immunity equilibrium. The thyroid hormone, as well as the underlying causes, i.e. an unhealthy gut, toxins or stress, need to be treated to be cured permanently.

2. Which dietary changes or supplements can help manage Hashimoto’s disease?

A gluten-free, nutrient-rich, and anti-inflammatory diet is used to treat the autoimmune flare-ups of Hashimoto's. Selenium, zinc, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids are some of the food products that can be used to treat the thyroid and cure Hashimoto's disease. The inflammatory state can be reduced by removing processed food, sugar and gluten from your diet. As the most important supplements, selenium, vitamin D, and iron can be taken for the restoration of thyroid and immune functions in Hashimoto, after they are tested and prescribed.

3. Can Hashimoto’s disease cause weight gain even when on treatment?

Yes. Inflammation, insulin resistance, or gastrointestinal illness may not be treated and so weight gain may still occur on thyroid medicine. In Hashimoto's, the problem is that the inactive form of the thyroid hormone (T4) is not properly converted into the active form (T3), the one that maintains energy and metabolism, which decreases metabolism. This impaired conversion, combined with autoimmune stress, can make weight loss difficult. The goal of functional medicine is to treat these underlying causes, such as bringing stabilisation of gut microbiome balance, normalisation of blood sugar levels, and the reduction of stress hormones, to allow normalisation of metabolism. Individualised nutrition and exercise combined with stress management and appropriate thyroid support are useful in enabling individuals with Hashimoto's to balance their weight on a long-term basis rather than on a short-term basis.

4. How often should thyroid function tests be done when you have Hashimoto’s disease?

Thyroid functionality tests (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, and antibodies) must be repeated every 8-12 weeks in the first part of treatment or when switching medications. Once hormone levels and symptoms have reached a steady state, testing every 6 months is usually sufficient. Cortisol, vitamin D and other inflammatory markers are also the related markers that the functional medicine practitioners test to monitor their balance in the whole body. The periodic monitoring helps to adjust the medication and lifestyle changes and prevent under- or over-treatment and ensure the level of thyroid is maintained for the long term.

5. How does gut health affect Hashimoto’s thyroiditis?

The gut contributes more than 70 per cent of the immune system and therefore, gut imbalance is a leading cause of Hashimoto's. Autoimmune attack on the thyroid can be triggered by intestinal permeability (referred to as leaky gut), dysbiosis and food intolerances. A condition of reconstitution of the gut through the aid of probiotics, anti-inflammatory foods, and healthy foods like leafy greens, berries, fatty fish, and fermented foods can induce mollification of the immune system and the lowering of thyroid antibodies. Stress reduction therapy, certain supplementation (like probiotics, digestive enzymes, etc.), and integrative therapies (like mindfulness-based stress reduction) can also be employed to assist in gut integrity. These strategies are effective for the suppression of autoimmune mechanisms and enhancing energy levels, mood, and thyroid function in Hashimoto's patients.