How Stress Can Interfere With Your Thyroid Health

Most of us know what it’s like to feel stress at times.

In some situations, a little bit of stress can be a good thing – those butterflies you feel before a first date, job interview, or before an exam generally mean that you care about the outcome.

However, when stress takes over your life, it can become detrimental to your health.

Today we will examine how stress affects your thyroid health, and some lifestyle skills to manage your stress.

Keep reading to learn more.

The Cortisol Connection

When your body is under stress, your adrenal glands release cortisol.

In a stressful situation, cortisol gets the body ready for the fight, flight, or freeze response by making glucose available to muscles as an energy source.

This is great in the short-term when your body is responding to a stressor, however, the long term effects of cortisol can result in an impact on thyroid hormones.

Shared Symptoms Of Stress And Hypothyroidism

Due to the effects cortisol and stress have on the thyroid, many of the signs of stress are similar to those of an imbalance of the thyroid hormones.

Additionally, stress and hypothyroidism play off each other – feeling stressed can make hypothyroidism worse, and the symptoms of hypothyroidism can cause you to become stressed out.

Some of these include:

• Unexplained weight gain
• Mood swings
• Chronic fatigue

Additionally, large amounts of stress can lead to thyroid storm – this is a rare but serious condition in which the thyroid gland releases a large amount of thyroid hormone in a short time.

Symptoms of a thyroid storm include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Tremors
• High fever
• Tachycardia

Thyroid storm can be deadly – if you suspect someone is experiencing thyroid storm, get them to an emergency room right away.

Nutritional Solutions To Help Manage Stress

There are a number of ways to manage your stress levels naturally.

Getting enough sleep is incredibly important, as it allows the body the opportunity to restore itself and be ready to face the stressors which each day brings.

In addition techniques such as yoga, meditation, and exercise, can help to keep stress in-check.

There are also a variety of natural supplements which can play a role in controlling stress levels.

Continue reading as we examine some of these supplements and how they can help.

1. Vitamin D

Also known as the “sunshine vitamin”, vitamin D is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight.

In winter months, low levels of vitamin D are linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

A 2011 article in the journal Issues in Mental Health Nursing found positive outcomes associated with vitamin D supplementation in individuals at risk for depression.

2. Magnesium

Supplementation with magnesium may help to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress.

Even individuals who eat a balanced diet may be deficient in this important mineral due to depletion of natural magnesium levels in soil.

In a 2011 study low magnesium levels were linked to stress, headache, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

3. Iron

Low iron levels are a very common issue for many people.

Those who have heavy menstrual periods, those who are breast-feeding, picky eaters, vegans and vegetarians, and athletes are all at risk of this condition.

A review in the Journal for Nutritional Biochemistry looked at the link between iron levels and mental health.

Individuals with psychological disorders such as depression or schizophrenia were found to have lower iron levels.

4. B-Complex Vitamins

B vitamins play a number of important roles in your body.

They factor into immune system function, circulation, digestion, stress, nerves, and mood.

Deficiency in B vitamins has been linked to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

A 2013 article examined the effects of a B-vitamin supplement on improving depression and anxiety symptoms.

Participants who received the B vitamin supplement were found to show improvement in their symptoms when compared to the placebo group.

5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for your body to produce nerve-cell membranes.

A diet rich in “good fats” gives your brain the support it needs to make high-quality nerve cells which are essential for mental health and brain function.

A 2004 study in Nutrition Journal found perceived stress levels in subjects who received a fish oil supplement to be significantly reduced compared to no-treatment control groups.

Book An Appointment With Dr. Sheila Dyer, ND

Are you worried your increased levels of stress are affecting your thyroid health?

Have you been experiencing symptoms such as mood swings or depression you’re having trouble getting under control?

I’m Dr. Sheila Dyer, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto.

I’ll help you decipher your symptoms and get to the bottom of what’s causing them.

And once we determine the cause of your issues, I can offer natural solutions and treatment options tailored to your needs.

To learn more about what naturopathic medicine can do for you, contact me today for a free consultation or to set up an appointment.