Spotlight: Thyroid Function
In this Spotlight, see how one Solstice client is reaching her peak health through a root-cause approach to thyroid balance.
Starting Point
Client came to Solstice with a history of Hashimoto’s (autoimmune hypothyroidism), with symptoms including brain fog, fatigue, stubborn water weight, and more.
She’d been medicated for her condition but wanted to dive deeper into potential root causes of her thyroid dysfunction and integrative ways to support her health.
Root-Cause Labs and Findings
After running several root-cause labs and analyzing 100+ biomarkers, we uncovered the following major themes:
Gut imbalances (bacterial and fungal overgrowths)
Heavy metal toxicities (elevated mercury and aluminum)
Nutrient deficiencies
These underlying imbalances can all influence thyroid function and hormone balance, as outlined below.
Solstice Health Protocol
To start, we designed a multi-step protocol to rebalance the body by addressing what the labs revealed: first removing toxicities, then restoring deficiencies.
Part 1: Liver Support
Because most thyroid hormone conversion (from inactive T4 ⟶ active T3) occurs in the liver¹, we began with targeted supplements to support both Phase I and Phase II liver detox pathways. This helped optimize liver function by replenishing key minerals and vitamins, as well as prepare the body to safely remove toxins in the next steps of the protocol. This is a process that requires a wide range of micronutrients (see photo below), which we always prioritize and restore before progressing further.
Image ²
Part 2: Gut Rebalance
Then, because T4 ⟶ T3 conversion is also influenced by the gut³, we addressed an array of gut bacterial and fungal overgrowths. These can inhibit both hormone conversion and nutrient absorption pertaining to the thyroid (such as selenium, a mineral primarily concentrated in the thyroid, in which she showed deficient). This step is especially important for clients with existing autoimmune conditions (i.e., Hashimoto’s), as around 70-80% of the immune system resides in, and is regulated by, the gut⁴.
Within weeks, the client noticed major shifts in her body, like improved energy, clearer thinking, and healthy weight loss.
The client even contacted her endocrinologist to review her medication and work towards a lower dose based on her protocol progress.
(A great example of how medicine and integrative health coaching work hand-in-hand to support the body.)
Part 3: Heavy Metal Detox
After the gut balance is restored, the next step in this client’s case is to address mercury and aluminum toxicities. Mercury binds to selenium (inhibiting thyroid hormone conversion⁵), and both mercury and aluminum can compete with minerals like zinc (also involved in T4 to T3 conversion⁶), creating a domino effect across systems in the body. Given that these metals and minerals impact hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, beyond the thyroid, it’s important to keep these levels balanced.
Part 4: Long-Term Support
And, finally, the last step is to build a custom maintenance protocol for sustaining results. This ensures we're nourishing the body with the right nutrients, and supporting liver detox pathways and the gut microbiome in the long run, to in turn support the thyroid.
Helping this client reach her peak health, from the root. ☀️
Ready to Get to the Root?
If you're interested in uncovering the “why” behind your symptoms and reaching your peak, schedule your Initial Consultation and begin your health journey with Solstice Health today.
Sources
¹ Source: Endotext, “Metabolism of Thyroid Hormone,” National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Bookshelf, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK285545/.
² Image adapted from Integrative Health Practitioner Institute (IHPI), “Liver Detoxification.”
³ Source: Jiang W. et al., “The relationships between the gut microbiota and its metabolite-mediated impact on thyroid iodothyronine metabolism,” Frontiers in Endocrinology (2022), National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9433865/.
⁴ Source: Wiertsema S.P., van Bergenhenegouwen J., Garssen J., Knippels L.M.J., “The interplay between the gut microbiome and the immune system in the context of infectious diseases throughout life and the role of nutrition in optimizing treatment strategies,” Nutrients. 2021 Mar 9;13(3):886. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33803407/.
⁵ Source: Soldin O.P., O’Mara D.M., and Aschner M., “Thyroid Hormones and Methylmercury Toxicity,” Biological Trace Element Research (2008), National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3637991/.
⁶ Source: Severo J.S., Morais J.B.S., de Freitas T.E., Andrade A.L.P., Feitosa M.M., Fontenelle L.C., de Oliveira A.R.S., Clímaco K.J., Marreiro D.N., “The Role of Zinc in Thyroid Hormones Metabolism,” International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research (2019 Jul; 89(1-2): 80-88), National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30982439/.