Patient Library / Weight Management / Thyroid Imbalance
Thyroid Imbalance
Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most underdiagnosed causes of weight gain, fatigue, and mood changes, particularly in women.
Thyroid dysfunction affects an estimated 1 in 8 women over their lifetime and is frequently missed because the standard TSH-only test is an inadequate screen. Free T3, the active hormone that sets cellular metabolic rate, can be low even when TSH appears normal. Patients with clear hypothyroid symptoms and 'normal' labs deserve a full thyroid investigation, not reassurance that everything is fine.
TSH Alone Is Insufficient
TSH measures pituitary output, not active thyroid hormone at the tissue level. Free T3, free T4, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies are needed for a complete picture, and they're rarely ordered in standard care.
Hashimoto's Is the Most Common Cause
Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune attack on the thyroid, is responsible for the majority of hypothyroidism in developed countries. Treating only the thyroid hormone without addressing the immune driver misses the root cause.
Selenium & Selenium Matter
Selenium is essential for converting T4 to active T3, and selenium deficiency produces functional hypothyroidism even when thyroid hormone production is normal. It's one of the highest-yield interventions in Hashimoto's.
What You Need to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
References & Further Reading
This article is for education and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. For background reading, these independent health authorities offer evidence-based information:
- Obesity — U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus)
- Type 2 Diabetes — U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus)
- Type 2 Diabetes — Diabetes Canada
- Nutrition — U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus)
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Read moreHow I Treat This
These are the services I most commonly draw on when working with thyroid imbalance.
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