The research journal from the Fertility and Sterility research institute reveals that higher Anti TPO antibodies in infertile women, indicative of thyroid issues, are associated with almost 44% at risk of miscarriages.
These increased antibodies generally signify an autoimmune condition known as hashimoto’s. Let’s understand what Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly recognizes our own body cells as foreign cells and attacks them.
In Hashimoto’s, the immune system triggers a massive amount of antibodies to attack your thyroid gland. These antibodies silently destroy thyroid tissues and cells, affecting the secretion of thyroid hormones, resulting in symptoms of hypothyroidism (a condition where the thyroid hormone is produced less).
The general practice among most medical doctors when they observe symptoms of hypothyroidism is to test only TSH levels or the regular thyroid profile (TSH, T3 & T4). Based on these results and body weight, they prescribe hormone replacement therapy, i.e., “Thyroxine” or “Levothyroxine.” Both of these are synthetic types of the hormone “T4 (thyroxine)” produced by the thyroid gland.
Surprisingly, even if a medical doctor investigates beyond these tests and a patient is diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, the prescription of “thyroxine” doesn’t change, as there is no medicine in allopathy to cure Hashimoto’s.
Another crucial point is that a significant root cause of hypothyroidism can be the conversion issue of T4 thyroxine (inactive hormone) to T3 triiodothyronine (active hormone). This conversion occurs in the liver and kidneys with the help of micronutrients which act as co-factors. If the health of these organs is not optimal or in case of nutrient deficiency the conversion hinders. When there is a conversion issue, the prescription of synthetic T4 (thyroxine) will not help.
Imagine your body as a car with a fuel system glitch. Pouring more gasoline into the tank won’t fix the issue if there’s a problem with converting the fuel into the energy needed for the engine to run smoothly. In this analogy, gasoline is like T4, the engine’s desired output is similar to T3, and simply adding more gasoline won’t resolve the conversion problem.
This is one of the reasons why most people continue to experience symptoms of hypothyroidism despite being on a thyroxine prescription. Studies have indicated that patients on thyroxine replacement, even with a normal TSH, may exhibit significant impairment in psychological well-being.
Further, elevated T4 levels can be an issue and several studies have indicated that high T4 levels can affect the thyroid and impact the lining of the uterus (endometrium), making it difficult for embryos to implant and reducing the chances of getting pregnant.
When unconverted excess thyroxine (T4) is detected, the body’s feedback mechanism often involving the hypothalamus and pituitary gland may signal a reduction in the production of natural hormones. This regulatory mechanism is designed to maintain hormonal balance. Consequently, the natural production of hormones may be suppressed while synthetic hormones are being introduced and patients can become drug-dependent for life.
Addressing the root cause with the holistic approach is crucial to solve the problem, as many times the autoimmune conditions are influenced by nutritional and environmental factors which can be easily reversed with lifestyle modification and personalised nutrition.
(The author, Ali Mohammed, is a Hormone Health Expert and Nutritionist.)
