Why Hypothyroidism is Worse with Iron Deficiency
Download free thyroid resources here: https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/
Your thyroid function depends on how much iron you have. If you have low iron levels then your thyroid function may be compromised.
This is especially important for people who have thyroid disease because they are very sensitive to even small changes in iron levels.
And doctors are not conditioned to look at iron stores unless they find that you are anemic. But it is possible to be iron deficient even if you are not anemic and this deficiency CAN impact your thyroid negatively.
Thyroid function and iron are linked in the following ways:
- Low iron reduces the amount of thyroid hormone that your body can produce directly from your thyroid gland.
- Low iron is associated with decreased T4 to T3 conversion.
- Low iron is associated with low T3.
- Low iron reduces the effectiveness of iodine supplementation.
- As transferrin falls, your TSH rises.
Testing for iron deficiency is actually quite easy and I recommend that all thyroid patients should consider testing for iron deficiency with the following lab tests:
- Ferritin: Should be between 40 and 50
- TIBC: Should be in the middle of the reference range
- Serum iron: Should be in the middle of the reference range
- Percent saturation: Should be between 35 to 38%
If these values are confusing then you can primarily stick just to ferritin. You don't necessarily need to order all of those other tests because ferritin is usually a good enough predictor of iron stores.
If you find that you are deficient then you can supplement with iron using over the counter formulations. Most thyroid patients do better on liquid iron or very specific iron capsules.
Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function:
- For thyroid hormone production and conversion: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-adrenal-reset-complex/ + https://www.restartmed.com/product/t3-conversion-booster/
- For hair loss: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-hair-regrowth-complex/
- For weight management: https://www.restartmed.com/product/gut-bomb-350-billion/ + https://www.restartmed.com/product/functional-fuel-complete/
- For gut health: https://www.restartmed.com/product/ultra-biotic-x100/
- For energy and adrenal health: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-adrenal-reset-complex/ + https://www.restartmed.com/product/power-b-complex/
I'm Dr. Westin Childs and I focus on thyroid health, hormone balance, and weight loss. I write about thyroid disorders, weight loss, insulin resistance, estrogen/progesterone balance on my blog. I truly believe that hormone balance is the key to managing your weight, your mood and your quality of life which is why I'm so passionate about it.
If you enjoyed this video please subscribe on youtube or leave a comment on my podcast here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-westin-childs-podcast-thyroid-weight-loss-hormones/id1141207688?mt=2
This video is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you have questions about your health please consult your physician or primary care provider. Dr. Westin Childs goes to great lengths to produce high-quality content but this is NOT a substitute for medical care.
Your thyroid function depends on how much iron you have. If you have low iron levels then your thyroid function may be compromised.
This is especially important for people who have thyroid disease because they are very sensitive to even small changes in iron levels.
And doctors are not conditioned to look at iron stores unless they find that you are anemic. But it is possible to be iron deficient even if you are not anemic and this deficiency CAN impact your thyroid negatively.
Thyroid function and iron are linked in the following ways:
- Low iron reduces the amount of thyroid hormone that your body can produce directly from your thyroid gland.
- Low iron is associated with decreased T4 to T3 conversion.
- Low iron is associated with low T3.
- Low iron reduces the effectiveness of iodine supplementation.
- As transferrin falls, your TSH rises.
Testing for iron deficiency is actually quite easy and I recommend that all thyroid patients should consider testing for iron deficiency with the following lab tests:
- Ferritin: Should be between 40 and 50
- TIBC: Should be in the middle of the reference range
- Serum iron: Should be in the middle of the reference range
- Percent saturation: Should be between 35 to 38%
If these values are confusing then you can primarily stick just to ferritin. You don't necessarily need to order all of those other tests because ferritin is usually a good enough predictor of iron stores.
If you find that you are deficient then you can supplement with iron using over the counter formulations. Most thyroid patients do better on liquid iron or very specific iron capsules.
Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function:
- For thyroid hormone production and conversion: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-adrenal-reset-complex/ + https://www.restartmed.com/product/t3-conversion-booster/
- For hair loss: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-hair-regrowth-complex/
- For weight management: https://www.restartmed.com/product/gut-bomb-350-billion/ + https://www.restartmed.com/product/functional-fuel-complete/
- For gut health: https://www.restartmed.com/product/ultra-biotic-x100/
- For energy and adrenal health: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-adrenal-reset-complex/ + https://www.restartmed.com/product/power-b-complex/
I'm Dr. Westin Childs and I focus on thyroid health, hormone balance, and weight loss. I write about thyroid disorders, weight loss, insulin resistance, estrogen/progesterone balance on my blog. I truly believe that hormone balance is the key to managing your weight, your mood and your quality of life which is why I'm so passionate about it.
If you enjoyed this video please subscribe on youtube or leave a comment on my podcast here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-westin-childs-podcast-thyroid-weight-loss-hormones/id1141207688?mt=2
This video is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you have questions about your health please consult your physician or primary care provider. Dr. Westin Childs goes to great lengths to produce high-quality content but this is NOT a substitute for medical care.
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