My Personal Thyroid Story

Welcome to Healthy Gut Healthy Thyroid!

This is your weekly roundup of the BEST actionable steps for those people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions who want to restore their health…by healing their gut. Whether you have hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto’s you will benefit from the content in this newsletter.

In today's issue:

• My Personal Thyroid Story

• Why Having a Healthy Gut is Necessary for a Healthy Thyroid

• Podcast review: Can Microplastics Harm the Thyroid?

• Understand Your Tests: Secretory IgA

My Personal Thyroid Story

My name is Dr. Eric Osansky, and I’m thrilled that you’re interested in healing your thyroid by healing your gut! Although this is the very first edition of this newsletter, I’ve been helping people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions since 2009.

And the reason why I’m passionate about helping others with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions is because I personally dealt with an autoimmune thyroid condition. I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008, which was a completely shock to me.

It wasn’t a surprise that I had a voracious appetite and was losing weight, as initially I was dieting/detoxifying. But it was a surprise when one day I took my blood pressure, which was normal, but my resting heart rate was 90 BPM. Over the next few days I continued to monitor my resting heart rate was anywhere between 90-110 BPM.

Choosing Between Thyroid Medication and Herbs

Shortly thereafter I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and then eventually I had an appointment with an endocrinologist who diagnosed me with Graves' disease and prescribed methimazole. Although I wasn't completely opposed to taking antithyroid medication, I decided I would try to manage my symptoms naturally by using the herbs bugleweed and motherwort.

And while the herbs worked great, prior to taking them I knew that they wouldn't be addressing the cause of the condition. I also understood that Graves' disease was more of an immune system condition than a thyroid condition.

What I Did To Reverse Thyroid Autoimmunity

I won't go into too much detail here, as I have a podcast episode where I pretty much reveal all of the details of how I restored my health. But I will say here that stress was a big factor, and it wasn't just emotional stressors, but physical stressors that impacted my health.

I mentioned earlier how I was dieting and doing a detox, and I was also exercising intensely. At the time I didn't realize I was overtraining, but without question this took its toll on my adrenals, and when I did an adrenal saliva test most of the values were very low, including the morning cortisol levels, DHEA, 17-OH progesterone, and secretory IgA (which I'll discuss in a different section).

Anyway, I improved my adrenal health by blocking out time for stress management, starting out with deep breathing, although in the future I would invest in something called the Inner Balance from Heart Math. In addition to eating well and trying to get enough sleep, I also took some supplements to support the adrenals, including licorice root, desiccated adrenal, and a B complex.

What Did I Do To Optimize My Gut Health?

Although I didn't do any specific gut testing (i.e. comprehensive stool test), a depressed secretory IgA usually correlates with a leaky gut. And I mostly improved this through diet and lifestyle.

So I didn't treat for candida or do any parasite cleanses, and this is one reason why I don't recommend for everyone with hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto's to treat for these. I mention this because there are practitioners who recommend for all of their patients to follow an anti-parasitic protocol.

That being said, I do recommend some gut-related testing to some patients. And I realize these tests aren't perfect, and so there is a time to treat even when someone has a negative finding. But I don't think everyone needs to treat for parasites, and this isn't just based on myself restoring my health, but many other patients I’ve worked with over the years.

How I Have Maintained a State of Wellness

This deserves its own section, but I'll mention here that although I've been in remission since 2009, I've had a few scares (i.e. chronic Lyme disease diagnosis in 2018, covid in 2022). And while I eat a pretty healthy diet overall, I'm definitely not perfect.

There is so much more to my healing journey and how I have maintained a state of wellness, and I have two separate podcast episodes where I discuss this. I'll make sure to include the links in the Additional Resources towards the end of this newsletter.hy Gut Is Necessary For a Healthy Thyroid

Why Having a Healthy Gut is Necessary For a Healthy Thyroid

When I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune thyroid condition, in the fall of 2008, I was certain I wanted to pursue a natural treatment path. However, I didn’t initially grasp how crucial gut health would be in restoring my overall well-being. This realization came gradually—not only before I recovered, but even afterward, I hadn’t fully understood the gut’s role in healing thyroid autoimmunity.

Looking back, I now recognize that a significant setback in my recovery was likely tied to my gut health. While stress and poor adrenal function undeniably played major roles in my Graves’ disease condition, healing my gut was also a critical piece of the puzzle. Although not everyone with an autoimmune thyroid condition needs to follow an autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet, I’ve found it to be beneficial for many individuals with Graves’ and Hashimoto’s.

In 2008, the AIP diet wasn’t widely known, but there were other forms of "gut-healing diets." After being diagnosed, I opted for a standard Paleo diet, which was helpful. Yet, I eventually hit a stumbling block in my progress. At the time, I took a saliva test that measured a marker called secretory IgA, which lines the mucosal surfaces of the body, including the gastrointestinal tract.

Can Nuts Hinder Gut Healing?

When I first tested, my secretory IgA levels were low, as were my morning and noon cortisol levels, along with my DHEA. Three months later, I retested, and while my cortisol and DHEA levels improved significantly, my secretory IgA remained unchanged. I couldn’t pinpoint why until I revisited my diet and considered that the nuts I was still consuming might be contributing to the problem. I had known that nuts could be harsh on the gut, but I hadn’t initially cut them out.

I decided to eliminate nuts for a couple of months and then retested. To my surprise, my secretory IgA levels not only improved—they normalized! While it’s possible this improvement was coincidental, I’ve seen the same pattern in many of my patients over the years, so I doubt it was mere chance.

Other Influences on Gut Health

Of course, other factors can negatively affect gut health, which we’ll explore in this and future editions of the newsletter. The reality is that while certain foods can hinder gut healing, so too can infections, environmental toxins, and chronic stress. Some people can restore their gut health through dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments alone, but others may need to dig deeper to achieve lasting results.

Though elimination diets aren’t enjoyable, they can make a significant difference in one’s recovery. However, it’s important to recognize that simply cutting out common food allergens or irritants may not be enough for everyone. While starting with an elimination diet is a reasonable approach, if this doesn’t fully resolve your gut issues, be open to investigating other underlying factors.

Why Is a Healthy Gut Necessary for a Healthy Thyroid?

Most thyroid conditions are autoimmune in nature, and most of the immune cells are located in the gut. Therefore, it makes sense that to improve your immune system health you need to optimize your gut health.

But while having a healthy gut is necessary for those with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s, it’s also important for those with non-autoimmune thyroid conditions. This includes toxic multinodular goiter and even subacute thyroiditis.

The truth is that having a healthy gut isn’t only necessary for a healthy thyroid, but it truly is necessary for overall optimal health. And so while the focus of this newsletter will be to restore your thyroid health in part by healing your gut, just keep in mind that improving your gut health will benefit other areas of your health as well.

Save My Thyroid Podcast Review

I have a podcast called "Save My Thyroid", where I discuss how people with hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto's can save their thyroid and regain their health. I also have a few thyroid-related books. And during each edition of this newsletter I'll either review a recent podcast episode, or I'll give some insights from one of my books.

In a recent Q & A podcast episode I answered the question “Can Microplastics Harm the Thyroid Gland?” Microplastics, generated from plastic degradation, persist in the environment for hundreds, even thousands of years. If current production and waste management trends continue, approximately 12,000 metric tons of plastic waste will be released into the natural environment by 2050.

According to the research, people consume between 39,000 and 52,000 particles of microplastics annually, which contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals and other harmful compounds. In this episode I discuss the potential effects of microplastics on the thyroid gland, their impact on endocrine function, and how you can minimize your exposure.

Understand Your Tests

What is Secretory IgA?

In the above image you can see a screenshot of a marker called “secretory IgA”, which is included in a number of different comprehensive stool panels. This one is from the GI-MAP from the company Diagnostic Solutions.

Secretory IgA (SIgA) lines the mucosal surfaces of the body, including the gastrointestinal tract. Although a depressed SIgA doesn’t specifically indicate that someone has a leaky gut (they have another marker called zonulin that can indicate this if elevated), in most cases, those who have a leaky gut will have a low or depressed secretory IgA.

This actually included myself when I dealt with Graves’ disease, although in my situation the depressed secretory IgA was detected on an adrenal saliva test. It took awhile to increase, but eventually it did normalize.

Is it absolutely necessary to get this test done if you’re dealing with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition? In my opinion it isn’t, as while I used to do a lot of leaky gut testing in my practice, these days I assume most the people I work with have a leaky gut.

That being said, if you choose to do a comprehensive stool panel or another test that includes secretory IgA and if it is depressed, then you of course have the option of retesting it in the future to see if it has improved.

Before concluding this section, I should mention that in some cases you’ll see an elevated secretory IgA, which usually indicates an immune response. This commonly relates to a food or an infection, although other factors can also cause elevated secretory IgA levels.

Ask Dr. Eric

During every issue I'll answer a few questions that I think can benefit most people with a thyroid or autoimmune thyroid condition. If you'd like for me to consider your question for a future edition of this newsletter email your question to [email protected].

QUESTION #1: HOW TO LOWER THYROID ANTIBODIES

Dr. Eric, my recent thyroid panel showed that my TSH, free T3, and free T4 were normal, but my thyroid antibodies were still elevated. Are there any specific foods or supplements I can take to normalize my thyroid antibodies?

Thanks for your question, as it's a common one! This question is of course specific to those who have Graves' disease or Hashimoto's. I always recommend for my patients to follow an anti-inflammatory diet consisting of whole healthy foods while avoiding refined foods and sugars, unhealthy oils (i.e. safflower oil, peanut oil), fast food, etc.

As for supplements one can take, a number of different studies have shown that selenium can help to lower thyroid antibodies. As a result, I commonly recommend selenium in the form of selenomethione to my patients. Some good food sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, sardines, and mushrooms.

While taking supplements can be helpful, remember that you always want to address the underlying cause of the condition. And while eating a healthy diet can play an important role in lowering thyroid antibodies, other factors you might have to address include stress, chemicals, and infections.

QUESTION #2: GETTING OFF OF THYROID MEDICATION

I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 6 months ago and have been on methimazole every since. I think I'm tolerating the medication okay, but I know that it can have side effects that don't always show up as symptoms, and I was wondering how someone would make the transition from methimazole to a natural option such as bugleweed.

Thanks for your question, as when I dealt with Graves' disease I was able to avoid antithyroid medication, as I took the herbs bugleweed and motherwort. But some of my patients take antithyroid medication, and it’s not uncommon for someone to ask me how they can manage their symptoms using natural agents as well.

The first thing I should mention is that not everyone can successfully manage their hyperthyroidism naturally. While I understand that side effects are common with methimazole and PTU, there is a time and place for these.

Also, if I’m working with someone who is taking antithyroid medication and they want to wean off of the meds, I never tell anyone to stop taking their medication. What I can do is recommend for them to add bugleweed while taking the antithyroid medication (I usually recommend taking it 30-45 minutes away from the meds), and then monitor their labs.

If their thyroid numbers start becoming hypothyroid then they can ask the prescribing doctor to reduce the dose of the antithyroid medication, while staying on the bugleweed. The goal is for this pattern to continue over time until they get to the point where they no longer rely on the antithyroid medication, but are still taking bugleweed.

I should add that in this situation, eventually the goal should be to wean off of the bugleweed. While I personally took bugleweed for nine months, I haven’t had to take it since 2009. onal Thyroid-Related Resources

Additional Thyroid-Related Resources

Click Here for My Personal Graves’ Disease Story (episode 164)

Click Here for How I Have Maintained a State of Wellness (episode 168)

Click Here to access the Save My Thyroid Podcast

Click Here to access hundreds of thyroid-related articles and blog posts

Click Here to join the Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s community

Click Here to purchase one of Dr. Eric’s thyroid-related books

Click Here to work with Dr. Eric and his team

That’s a wrap