J Am Diet Assoc. Vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body; it plays a part in your mood, digestive, bone, blood, heart, and thyroid health. With the exception of the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet findings in the prevalence study, vegetarian diets were not associated with increased risk of hypothyroidism. Studies show that many vegans have very adequate iodine status, but some are deficient. Read below to find out how the food you eat impacts your autoimmune condition. If you want to discuss your recent dietary changes, take advantage of our minute sessions with a Nutritionist or Functional Medicine Practitioner.
Our thyroid is one of the most important parts of our endocrine system ; this glands regulates everything from our mood, our weight, our body temperature, metabolism, and even digestion. The confusing part about understanding if you have a thyroid problem is also realizing that all of these health issues can be both a cause and effect on the thyroid. It acts as a modulator but is also very susceptible to our actions and as a result, it can become out of balance quickly. But what do those hormones do? There are three thyroid hormones, two of which are commonly known as T3 and T4.
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This article was published in Journal of Otolaryngology. Those following a plant-based diet are much less susceptible to auto-immune diseases in general. They also have a lower BMI on average. Since obesity is a significant risk factor for hypothyroidism, this contributes to the lower risk of hypothyroidism among vegans. Given that they are unlikely to be consuming any seafood or dairy, iodine deficiency is a greater possibility for those following a plant-based diet. Studies show that many vegans have very adequate iodine status, but some are deficient. The median is mildly deficient, but the range can vary greatly. Very low iodine intake can reduce thyroid hormone production even in the presence of elevated TSH levels. However, high intakes of iodine can cause some of the same symptoms as iodine deficiency—including goiter, elevated TSH levels, and hypothyroidism—because excess iodine in susceptible individuals inhibits thyroid hormone synthesis and thereby increases TSH stimulation, which can produce goiter.