An overlooked contributor to digestive issues
06-14-2024
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Digestive health can be complex. Most of the common issues people deal with today involve a web of factors that together cause them. Trying to resolve issues in isolation will never work long term. All of these factors need to be considered via a root cause approach. Many health issues can be traced back to the thyroid function. Brain fog, abnormal body temperature, hair loss, weight gain, depression, skin issues, bloating & much more. One of the most overlooked factors contributing to poor gut health specifically is thyroid function. It influences digestive health through many mechanisms like muscle function, enzyme production, cellular metabolism & much more. The connection between many digestive issues and thyroid function are through the significant influence thyroid hormones have in the gut. There are a few key mechanisms to look at here. Digestion & absorption The thyroid affects digestion & nutrient absorption in several ways:
Thyroid hormones are involved in the processes governing the production and secretion of digestive enzymes, bile and stomach acids. These help the body break down food into smaller forms so that nutrients in them can be absorbed and utilized in the body. Additionally, thyroid hormones influence the blood flow to mucosa in the digestive tract. Optimal blood flow is important for ensuring that nutrients absorbed in the gut are transported to where they are needed in the body. Thyroid hormones help regulate the expression of various nutrient transporters on the surface of enterocytes. These help with the uptake of glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals from the gut lumen into the cells lining the intestines. Negatively affecting these processes can lead to the partially digested foods, pathogen overgrowth, nutrient malabsorption and functional nutrient deficiencies among other issues among many other issues. This can also start to become a repeating loop. Poor thyroid function negatively affects digestion, this leads to lower absorption of important nutrients for thyroid function like iodine which further affects thyroid function. Bowel movements Thyroid hormones have a pronounced influence on motility. They have neurological and smooth muscle influences in the gut supporting the rhythmic contractions that move food through the body known as peristalsis. Hypothyroid is known to slow down digestion. This can cause constipation and potentially contribute to issues like pathogen overgrowth. Hyperthyroid is known to have the opposite effect speeding up motility. This can cause issues like diarrhea, malabsorption and dehydration. Gut microbiome Thyroid hormones influence the composition and function of the gut microbiome through several direct and indirect effects. Thyroid function has an influence on the specific species of microbes in the gut. For example, one study showed the onset of hypothyroidism Increased abundance of Eubacterium ruminantium group and Ruminococcaceae while decreasing Akkermansia. Another study showed a significant increase in Bacteroides and decrease in Bifidobacterium among patients with hypothyroid compared to controls. These effects can throw off the delicate balance in the microbiome with a potentially over abundance of certain microbes and deficiency in others. This can throw off digestion, immune function and SCFA levels among other effects. The effects that thyroid hormone levels have on digestion and motility also affect the gut microbiome. Hypothyroidism is strongly linked to SIBO. Poor digestion, partially digested foods, nutrient malabsorption and the stagnation that can result from the slowed motility with hypothyroidism can directly contribute to this. Depending on the types of overgrowth, this can also become a continuous feedback loop. H. pylori infection is correlated with Hypothyroid. The CagA (Cytotoxin-associated gene A) protein, which is a virulence factor produced by H. pylori, is believed to cause thyroid tissue damage and contribute to hypothyroid. Resulting in a situation where hypothyroid is disrupting digestion and the ability to eradicate H. pylori, while H. pylori is contributing to the hypothyroid. Gut lining Thyroid hormones have been linked to intestinal permeability. There are a few main ways in which thyroid could potentially contribute to this.
Thyroid hormones have a regulatory effect on the metabolic activity and turnover of intestinal lining cells called enterocytes. These are a type of epithelial cell in the lining of the intestines. They regulate what does and doesn’t pass through the gut into the bloodstream, they help absorb nutrients and they secrete enzymes. These cells have a high turnover rate. New cells are continuously being produced and old cells are being shed. This process is crucial for maintaining a strong gut lining and is influenced by thyroid function. In addition to supporting cell turnover, thyroid hormones also increase blood flow to the mucosa. This is an important part of maintaining the strength and proper function of the gut lining by supporting cellular repair and regeneration. The thyroid’s influence on the gut microbiome is another mechanism through which it could contribute to intestinal permeability. Negatively impacting the levels of beneficial and pathogenic microbes in the gut ties thyroid function to dysbiotic overgrowth as discussed above. This overgrowth of pathogens and imbalances in the microbiome can result in a cascade of inflammatory responses that disrupt the function of the gut lining leading to intestinal permeability. Issues with thyroid function are commonly linked to symptoms like constipation, diarrhea bloating, gut discomfort, skin issues and anxiety among many others. These links between the thyroid and the gut help understand why some of these issues can be linked. This highlights the importance of taking a root cause approach to digestive issues (and health issues in general). Focusing on any one issue in isolation may provide short term relief. But it will rarely provide lasting relief because other important factors contributing to the issues are overlooked. So, they continue to resurface. If you’re dealing with recurring symptoms like bloating, irregular bowel movements, anxiety, fatigue or skin issues that won’t seem to go away, thyroid may be something to look into. Some initial things to look into that can help with figuring out what is causing your digestive issues and whether or not that are linked to thyroid function:
- Nick |