March is National Nutrition Month
Today about half of all American adults have one or more chronic diseases, often related to poor diet.
The thyroid diet won’t help hepatic hypothyroidism because it is not a thyroid disorder. In fact, thyroid diets don’t even help people who do have a thyroid disorder because you can’t eat for your thyroid.
Hepatic hypothyroidism can be misdiagnosed as a thyroid disorder by functional medicine leading to inappropriate diet recommendations. Technically, hepatic hypothyroidism is called intrahepatic hypothyroidism because it defines the hormonal status inside a fatty liver where thyroid hormone receptors are don’t work correctly, resulting in thyroid hormone resistance. This is a common occurrence in patients who have fatty liver disease. Experts recommend a balanced reduced calorie diet for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
The blog “Hormones Demystified” dedicated to separate endocrinology from quackery, describes several thyroid diet myths. There is no need to avoid cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, etc.), soy, or gluten (unless you have gluten intolerance or Celiac disease). And there is no need to take thyroid supplements or iodine supplements.
Don’t let functional medicine gaslight you with thyroid diets, unnecessary thyroid supplements, or extra T3 medications. If your thyroid tests are normal and you have symptoms like fatigue, ask your doctor if you could have a fatty liver. The best way to treat hepatic hypothyroidism is to focus on established treatments for fatty liver disease.
Treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with weight loss addresses the root cause of hepatic hypothyroidism by helping to heal a hypothyroid liver. Medications used to treat fatty liver disease include diabetes medications (such as GLP-1 medications tirzepatide - Mounjaro, semaglutide - Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus or liraglutide-Saxenda, Victoza) and weight loss medications such as Qsymia or Contrave. Even better results can be obtained by using a combination of medications.
At Atlanta Endocrine Associates, Dr. Scott Isaacs is a fatty liver expert and offers accurate diagnosis and state-of-the-art treatment of thyroid disorders. To learn more, contact the office in Atlanta, Georgia or request an appointment online.
