Hypothyroidism and Your Hypothalamus

How does your hypothalamus affect hypothyroidism? Let’s talk about it 

Thyroid conditions are fairly easy to diagnose. We can see from your thyroid stimulating hormone if your thyroid is producing enough hormone. But just measuring TSH is not enough. What we need to know is if your hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis is functioning properly. So along with TSH, we need to measure the free active thyroid hormones – T4 and T3

Regulation of thyroid hormone starts in the hypothalamus.

The hypothalamus releases thyrotropin-releasing hormone which stimulates thyrotropin cells in the anterior pituitary to release TSH. Under the influence of TSH, the thyroid produces thyroglobulin and then iodinates it to create thyroid hormones. Iodine is important for thyroid function. T4 has four iodine molecules, and T3 has only three iodine molecules. 

Thyroid hormone affects virtually every organ system in the body, including the heart, central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, bone, gastrointestinal system, and cellular metabolism. Essentially thyroid hormone directs your basal metabolic rate – or how much energy you need to produce to survive. 

If TSH is not responding to T4/T3 levels appropriately, the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is dysfunctional. Besides the negative feedback system of the HPT axis, growth hormone, cortisol, and dopamine inhibit TSH production. Cold, stress, and exercise increase TSH production by increasing hypothalamic TRH release.

In autoimmune or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the immune system produces antibodies that work against the production of thyroid hormone. Auto-thyroid antibodies will not come down unless we support the hypothalamus. 

Over the past twenty years, I’ve found that supporting the hypothalamus with Genesis Gold® and extra Sacred Seven® hypothalamic amino acids will result in lowered auto-antibodies. That’s because it’s the hypothalamus that controls the immune system and unless it’s supported, the autoimmune attack continues. We need to stop the autoimmune attack to allow the thyroid to make its own hormones.

If you want to learn more about hypothyroidism and your hypothalamus, please join us in our Hormone Reboot Training.