Hypothyroidism

 The thyroid is responsible for many things: metabolism, weight, sleep quality, hair growth, energy levels, etc. But when this gland's hormone starts to function suboptimally, one would have hypothyroidism. Some possible causes could be environmental toxins, Hashimoto’s Disease, a blood sugar imbalance, or certain allergies. Certain chemicals like pesticides and herbicides can interfere with thyroid hormone gene expression and decrease iodine absorption into the body. This can make less thyroid hormone be utilized with the majority of it being cleared from the body. Toxins found in consumer goods like flame retardants, BPA, and heavy metals can interfere with the thyroid's function. 

A blood sugar imbalance may also be a major cause as the thyroid has a direct relationship to one’s blood sugar. If one’s blood sugar is out of the normal range, it could be due to subpar thyroid function, but this case also works in reverse. If one is experiencing metabolic syndrome or has diabetes, thyroid function could be severely inhibited too. Insulin resistance can actually increase the destruction of the thyroid, further impairing thyroid function. Hashimoto's, out of all these cases, is the most common. It, though, is a case of mistaken identity. The immune system misidentifies the thyroid gland as a foreign pathogen and produces antibodies to attack it when in actuality it is attacking the thyroid gland, progressively destroying the thyroid and impairing its function. Similarly, food intolerance appears to produce similar symptoms as it results in similar symptoms to Hashimoto’s Disease.

 However, the intolerance centers around gluten or, more specifically, a gluten allergy. For those who have this allergy, coupled with the fact that molecular structure of gliadin (forms the protein portion of gluten) resembles the structure of the thyroid gland, the immune system will try to destroy the gliadin, harming the thyroid in the process. Although some thyroid conditions are rare, these such problems can be curtailed with proper medication, diet, and exercise.