Did you know your bloat and digestive issues can stem from low thyroid function?

And..your gut issues and imbalances can impact your thyroid.. It’s a two way street!

Low thyroid function or hypothyroidism can go undetected in many women. This is often a root cause of SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), bloat, digestive issues, and stubborn weight, and the correlation isn’t made between the gut imbalance and thyroid function with many conventional doctors and practioners.

Low thyroid function can reduce stomach acid production, also called hypochlorhydria, making it easier for bacterial overgrowth in the gut, hence uncomfortable digestive symptoms that follow. 

Most doctors don’t test for the whole thyroid picture. They look at a small piece of the puzzle by testing TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone. TSH can be normal sometimes even with a low functioning thyroid or the levels are at the high end of “normal”! This is why it’s so important to check for T3 and T4, thyroid hormones themselves. T4 must be converted to T3, the active thyroid hormone, for proper thyroid function. 

Guess what plays a role in activating T4 to T3?  YOUR GUT MICROBIOME!

An astounding 20% of thyroid hormone conversion is dependent upon a sufficient supply of healthy gut bacteria…. Read that again. 

If the gut microbiome is damaged or unbalanced, you’ll be dealing with even more under active thyroid function, more bloat and digestive issues, and the cycle goes on. This is why addressing thyroid health and getting a full thyroid panel is an important step in healing your gut. No organ in the body is isolated!