Information about hypothyroidism and digestive disorders

Dr. Sabine Vranken, physician at Dr. Hertoghe Clinic, explains why all hypothyroid patients have digestive problems:

“The active thyroid hormone T3 is responsible for the motility of the stomach and intestines.
A lack of this hormone will therefore cause a slowing down of gastric emptying and intestinal transit. This will lead to stomach heaviness, belching, acid reflux, and to constipation in the intestine.
The disturbance of the intestinal transit will lead to dysbiosis, i.e. an alteration of the intestinal microbiota.
The constipation of hypothyroid patients will lead to an inflammation of the intestine as a consequence of the dysbiosis.

This chronic inflammation of the intestine will result in an increase of intestinal permeability, the famous “leeky gut”. When the cells are damaged by the inflammation, germs, toxins and allergens arrive directly into the bloodstream.
When the body detects the presence of these foreign bodies in the blood, it naturally reacts with inflammation. This general inflammation of the body is called low grade inflammation.
This general low grade inflammation level can cause Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. And then there can be fibromyalgia which is also an expression of inflammation.

Intestinal inflammation is also produced by excess gluten and lactose in the diet.
It is therefore recommended to limit them in the daily diet.

It is very important to treat hypothyroid patients well, and to recommend them a diet that does not cause inflammation.”