Your brain on Hashimoto's

Today we will touch on how the brain is affected by Hashimoto’s.

Besides affecting the thyroid directly, we know that Hashimoto’s can be a ‘brain devourer,’ wreaking havoc on mental an emotional well-being. Medical doctors don’t identify quickly enough the autoimmune aspect of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis because the symptoms affect so many parts of the body. A patient can walk in and simply have depression or foggy headedness (unclear thoughts, lack of focus, memory issues) and too often the doctors inaccurately diagnose as depression or anxiety without even doing a full and complete blood workup which includes a complete thyroid panel—TSH, T3, T4, free T4, free T3, Reverse T3, Thyroglobulin antibodies, TPO antibodies and add A1C (as it affects blood sugar levels as well).

They often miss that the immune system is inflamed and turning on itself. So many patients take years to get their diagnosis and remain untreated for far too long - this leads then to increased inflammation in the brain which then further reduces cognitive functions like focus, memory retention and even the balance of the individual (called ataxia). Even worse, studies show 1/3 of all Hashimoto's sufferers have antibodies attacking not just their thyroid but also parts of the cerebellum! And just another reminder…if you thought gluten had nothing do with it - nope, celiac disease or any gluten type sensitivity is almost ubiquitous among those suffering from Hashimoto’s.

Releasing yourself from persistent fatigue often requires addressing both metabolism AND brain health aspects of your condition.