How can Hashimoto's Thyroiditis be prevented?

Answer 1

Hi,

This is a great question that many people who have Hashimoto's and other auto-immune conditions in their family should be asking. To answer this question will require a somewhat in depth description. I'll keep it simple.

It's called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis because the thyroid is inflamed. Most docs believe that this inflammation is from the activity of the thyroid antibodies. But a person has thyroid inflammation before they develop Hashimoto's. And so to prevent Hashimoto's requires avoiding thyroid inflammation.

Then what is the cause of thyroid inflammation?

Thyroid cells produce hydrogen peroxide. They do this to turn iodide into iodine because it's iodine that thyroid cells use to make their hormones.

So Iodide is absorbed into thyroid cells (not iodine) and when thyroid cells are stimulated to make more hormones they will increase their production of hydrogen peroxide.

What stimulates thyroid cells to make more thyroid hormones and thus more hydrogen peroxide?

It's TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. So when a person's TSH is high you know that their thyroid cells are making more hydrogen peroxide.

And why would TSH be high?

The only time TSH is elevated is when the amount of thyroid hormones in the blood are low, so TSH goes up which should increase the levels of thyroid hormones, bringing TSH down.

But what happens if the thyroid can't produce enough thyroid hormones to bring TSH down?

TSH will remain elevated and continue to stimulate the thyroid cells and hydrogen peroxide production will remain high, causing irritation and inflammation. This is the source of thyroid inflammation, one step before developing Hashimoto's.

So here is the key to prevention. If thyroid cells do not get the nutrients they need to make their hormones then no matter how much they are stimulated by TSH, their production will remain low.... and TSH will remain high.

These nutrients which thyroid cells need are iodide, selenium, zinc and iron. The most common cause of low thyroid hormone production is an iodide deficiency.

So the way to prevent Hashimoto's is to reduce thyroid inflammation. And the best way to reduce thyroid inflammation is to be sure to feed your thyroid.

But don't run out and take mega doses of iodide and iodine which is the rage right now because you will cause other problems downstream which no one is talking about and which most docs are not following checking with lab tests.

A safe dose is 3-6 mg of the combination of iodide and iodine. Play it safe.

Dr. Alexander Haskell