What are the Causes of Hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism occurs due to the inability of the thyroid gland to produce enough thyroid hormones. These thyroid hormones are required by the human body to perform various functions. two of the simple functions are: to fight against disease-causing virus/bacteria & to digest food fast. The actual cause of any kind of thyroid condition is due to weak adrenaline gland. Here are the primary Causes of Hypothyroidism as below.


Cause 1: Eating unhealthy food

foods to avoid with hypothyroidism
Foods to avoid with hypothyroidism

When you consume refined foods and sugar regularly,  It causes the increase in blood sugar levels. When Blood sugar levels are increased, insulin is released. The release of Insulin then causes blood sugar levels to crash and Hormone cortisol is then released by the adrenaline glands.

Therefore, eating lots of sugars and refined foods causes the body to secrete insulin followed by cortisol and for over a period of months will put a lot of stress on the endocrine system and the adrenal glands become weak which in turn puts the body in a state of catabolism (The body begins to break down.)

Since the thyroid gland is responsible for controlling metabolism, when it sees the body is breaking down it will try to slow this process down thus slowing down the metabolic rate. In other words, it will slow down the production of thyroid hormone. Thus resulting hypothyroid condition.

Eating poorly can also affect the thyroid gland in other ways as there are many nutrients that are important for proper thyroid function. If someone is not eating these nutrients, their thyroid gland will malfunction.

Some of Nutrients and minerals that are required for the thyroid to function are:  Iodine, Vitamin C, Selenium, and Magnesium

Conclusion: Minimise eating refined foods and sugars and replace them with whole foods. Drink more water and avoid drinking soft drinks and fruit juices on regular basis.


Cause 2: Chronic Stress

Hypothyroidism causes
Hypothyroidism causes

People who undergo a lot of stress due to working conditions or marital problems put a lot of pressure on Adrenal glands

Adrenal glands are designed to handle only a limited amount of stress situations. If stress is not managed on a daily basis it can lead to weakened adrenal glands which result in hypothyroidism

Conclusion: Stress can lead to Hypothyroidism. Learning to manage stress will help control thyroid condition.




Cause 3: Not having enough sleep

No Sleep causes Underactive thyroid
Irregular sleep causes underactive thyroid

Not sleeping well on regular basis can lead to Hypothyroidism. As you don’t get sufficient amount of sleep each night over time this will cause problems with the cortisol levels stressing out the adrenal glands and can potentially lead to hypothyroidism.

You ideally need higher cortisol levels upon waking up and lower cortisol levels right before going to bed. If you constantly go to sleep late and then wake up early overtime this can affect your cortisol levels.

As many people develop low cortisol levels in the morning which is one of the reasons they have difficulty waking up and starting their day

Conclusion: It is essential to sleep 7 to 8 hours a night on a regular basis.


Cause 4: Environmental toxins

Environmental toxins Hypothyroidism
Environmental toxins causes Hypothyroidism

There are thousands of different environmental toxins. Research has shown that they can lead to many different conditions including thyroid disorders.

Environmental toxins can also lead to the development of autoimmune thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves disease.

Many of the toxins people are exposed to are the result of the household products and cosmetics. Xenoestrogens are one of the most common environmental toxins. Not only It appears in food but also in the many of the products we buy. These toxins have a hormone-like an effect on our bodies and so being constantly can lead to hormone imbalance which can lead to numerous health conditions.

Conclusion: Reduce using toxic household products and cosmetics.


Cause 5: Genetics

Hypothyroidism can be caused due to heredity.

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