Lower thyroid function comes up every now and then in the context of carnivore diet. Some claim that going carnivore will impair thyroid function. As with most things in life, the issue of thyroid function is a lot more complex.
THYROID BASICS
Thyroid is responsible for producing thyroid hormone, parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin. Thyroid hormone helps to regulate metabolism, body temperature, protein synthesis, protein degradation, glucose consumption in cells to name a few. Thyroid hormone is the first one to develop in the fetus. Thyroid hormones not only grow our brain but control development and tissue growth.
Thyroid hormone molecules are made from iodine and the amino acid tyrosine.
There are thyroid hormone receptors in all cell membranes, all mitochondria, and all cell nuclei.
No wonder dysfunctional thyroid can cause never ending list of health problems.
DISEASE CAUSED BY POOR THYROID FUNCTION
Since thyroid hormones participate in all cellular processes, just about every physiological function will suffer without adequate thyroid hormone.
Symptoms range from acid reflux, sleep apnea, arrhythmia and insomnia, depression, anxiety, low steroid hormones, gastrointestinal problems, joint pain, chest tightness, anemia, menstrual disorders, atherosclerosis, hair loss, fatigue weight loss or weight gain…and the list goes on.
Watch my video about it here:
WHAT INFLUCENCES THYROID HEALTH
Nutrition, intestinal function, and stress levels are the main causes of thyroid dysfunction. The good news is all the above can be controlled by you.
Carnivore diet is excellent at addressing the health of your intestines, and it is nutritionally rich diet. If you include organ meats in your carnivore diet, you will meet all your nutritional needs, and they come in the most bioavailable form.
As for stress, it is impossible to avoid it, but there is more than one way to manage it and counteract the effects of it. I like meditation, breathing techniques and acupuncture.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Often, when problems with thyroid come up, people assume that it is time to supplement with iodine. And while iodine plays a role in making of thyroid hormone, supplementing with it isn’t an answer every time. In fact, you may cause more problems, if you mindlessly take too much iodine.
Whether you like it or not, if you have thyroid issues, it is best to find a good doctor that will take a holistic look at variety of hormones that get affected by thyroid.
And while achieving health through diet and lifestyle is ideal, you may have to take a more expedient action and get a prescription for thyroid hormone or have a surgery if your thyroid gets dangerously enlarged.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thyroid function is extremely complex and reducing it to being on carnivore diet or not or taking iodine or not isn’t enough and too simplistic of an approach.
While you optimize your diet and establish healthy habits, you might have to work with an allopathic doctor to address immediate problems with your thyroid.
Big City Mom
Great video. Thanks a lot