Episode 267: From Symptoms to Solutions: A Deep Dive into Hashimoto’s Root Causes
Did you know most doctors won’t test for Hashimoto’s in their hypothyroid patients because it doesn’t change their course of treatment? Regardless of why you’re hypothyroid, they’re going to do one thing and one thing only: put you on thyroid medication.
This is a massive disservice to us hypothyroid warriors given the fact that roughly 95% of hypothyroid cases are caused by hashimoto’s (if you’re unfamiliar, hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks your thyroid gland).
If we know why our thyroid is malfunctioning, we stand a good chance of slowing down, stopping, or even reversing our condition. Not to mention preventing other autoimmune diseases that could be ‘turned on’ by the same root causes as our hashimoto’s.
Many patients don’t experience full symptom relief on thyroid medication alone because the underlying mechanisms at play in their disease are still active.
As someone who has personally put Hashimoto’s into remission after years of trial and error, I know how frustrating it is to feel like you’re doing all the “right” things but still struggling with fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and digestive issues.
So let’s dig into some surprising triggers of Hashimoto’s—because once you understand what’s driving the dysfunction, you can take real, targeted action to heal.
1. Gut Dysbiosis: How Your Microbiome Wrecks Your Thyroid
Your gut and your thyroid are inextricably linked. In fact, 70% of your immune system lives in your gut—so when things go awry there, your immune system can start misfiring, attacking your thyroid in the process.
How your gut triggers Hashimoto's:
- Leaky gut & immune confusion – When your gut lining becomes damaged (from processed foods, gluten, stress, infections, toxins, etc.), undigested food particles and bacteria leak into your bloodstream. Your immune system sees them as invaders - obviously food is not meant to be in the bloodstream - and launches an attack.
Over time, the immune system can get fatigued and start making mistakes, attacking your own tissue. This becomes particularly problematic when we consume foods like gluten and dairy; the proteins in these foods look very similar to the proteins in thyroid tissue. So when the immune system creates antibodies designed to look for and attack these food particles, the thyroid gland gets caught in the crossfire through a mechanism called molecular mimicry.
- Dysbiosis & inflammation – If you have an imbalance of gut bacteria (too many bad guys, not enough good ones), they produce endotoxins that trigger chronic inflammation. This can activate your immune system in a way that perpetuates Hashimoto’s.
- Poor thyroid hormone conversion – About 20% of your T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) converts to T3 (active hormone) in the gut. If your microbiome is out of balance, you’ll struggle to make enough T3, leading to classic thyroid symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
👉 Key takeaway: Healing your gut is NON-NEGOTIABLE if you have Hashimoto’s. Consider functional testing to check for dysbiosis, leaky gut, or infections like H. pylori that could be triggering your symptoms. Click here to learn more.
2. Toxic Burden: The Invisible Thyroid Disruptors
We live in a toxic world. From pesticides in food to heavy metals in water to synthetic chemicals in personal care products, our bodies are constantly bombarded with endocrine disruptors—and your thyroid is particularly vulnerable.
How toxins trigger Hashimoto’s:
- Heavy metals like mercury and lead can trigger genotoxicity (the damage of a cell’s DNA), autoimmune reactions, and oxidative stress. Environmental factors like this are estimated to contribute more than 40% to the risk of thyroid cancers and 25% to the risk of autoimmune thyroiditis (hashimoto’s) according to PubMed.
In fact, a study found that the removal of inorganic mercury- containing dental amalgams resulted in significantly decreased levels of thyroglobulin antibody and thyroid peroxidase antibodies, marking a decrease in the autoimmune response.
- Fluoride and bromine (found in tap water and some baked goods) block iodine uptake, which is essential for thyroid hormone production.
- Pesticides and plastics (BPA, phthalates) act as xenoestrogens, which increase estrogen dominance. Excess estrogen increases levels of thyroid-binding globulin in the blood, effectively rendering the thyroid hormone we do produce unavailable for use in the body.
- Mold exposure & mycotoxins can trigger an immune response, increase inflammation, and contribute to leaky gut, all intensifying your body’s attack on itself.
👉 Key takeaway: Reduce your toxic burden by switching to filtered water, organic foods, and non-toxic household products. If you suspect heavy metal toxicity, working with a functional practitioner to test and detox may be necessary. Click here to find out more.
3. Chronic Stress: The Silent Thyroid Killer
We often think of stress as a mental health issue, but stress has a direct biochemical impact on your thyroid—and it’s a HUGE factor in triggering Hashimoto’s.
How stress triggers Hashimoto’s:
- Cortisol blocks TSH and T3 production – When you’re constantly stressed, your adrenal glands pump out high levels of cortisol, which directly inhibits your thyroid’s ability to produce and convert hormones.
- Cortisol causes leaky gut – Chronic stress literally breaks down the gut lining, setting the stage for gut dysbiosis and autoimmunity.
- Cortisol weakens the immune system – At first, high cortisol suppresses immune function, but over time, it dysregulates the immune system, making it more likely to attack the thyroid.
Studies show that major stressful events often precede a Hashimoto’s diagnosis—whether it’s a divorce, loss of a loved one, or even ongoing low-grade stress like work burnout. (Pyzik et al., 2018).
👉 Key takeaway: Stress management isn’t just “nice to have” for Hashimoto’s—it’s essential. Practices like deep breathing, meditation, and nervous system regulation (like vagus nerve stimulation) can dramatically impact your healing. If you need help in this arena, click here to book a free consultation.
4. Viral Infections: The Epstein-Barr & Hashimoto’s Connection
Have you ever had mono? If so, you very likely have a hidden Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) hanging out in your body, which has been strongly linked to Hashimoto’s.
How viruses trigger Hashimoto’s:
- Molecular mimicry – EBV proteins can mimic thyroid tissue, leading your immune system to attack your thyroid.
- Persistent inflammation – Some viruses can stay dormant in the body and reactivate under stress, keeping the immune system in attack mode.
- Direct thyroid infiltration – Research has found EBV inside thyroid cells of Hashimoto’s patients (Vojdani et al., 2016), suggesting it plays a direct role in the disease. Your body thinks it’s attacking the virus, meanwhile it’s actually attacking you.
Other infections that can trigger Hashimoto’s:
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1, cold sores)
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Chronic Lyme disease
👉 Key takeaway: If you’ve been dealing with chronic fatigue, low immunity, or recurrent illness, it might be worth looking into latent viral infections and immune support strategies like antiviral herbs, low-dose naltrexone (LDN), and mitochondrial support.
5. Self-Silencing: The Emotional-Hashimoto’s Link
One of the most fascinating (and least talked about) Hashimoto’s triggers is self-silencing—a psychological pattern where someone consistently suppresses their own needs, emotions, and voice to avoid conflict.
How self-silencing triggers Hashimoto’s:
- Chronic nervous system dysregulation – Holding in emotions leads to chronic stress, which impacts immune function and thyroid health.
- Throat chakra imbalance – If you believe in the mind-body connection, Hashimoto’s attacks the thyroid—the center of communication and self-expression. It’s no coincidence that many women with Hashimoto’s have a history of people-pleasing and struggling to set boundaries.
- Emotional trauma & autoimmunity – Studies show that childhood trauma and emotional repression can increase the risk of autoimmune diseases.
This is one of the potential explanations for why women are 4 to 10 times more likely to develop Hashimoto’s than men. We’ve been trained to stay quiet where men are trained to speak up.
👉 Key takeaway: Healing from Hashimoto’s isn’t just about food and supplements—it’s about emotional healing, setting boundaries, and learning to honor your needs.
The Bottom Line: Hashimoto’s is a Multi-Faceted Condition
If you’ve been feeling like you’ve tried everything—gluten-free, selenium, thyroid meds—but still struggle with symptoms, it might be time to dig deeper into these underlying root causes.
Hashimoto’s isn’t just a thyroid issue—it’s a whole body issue. By addressing gut health, detoxing, reducing stress, managing infections, and prioritizing emotional well-being, you can give your body the support it needs to heal so you can finally feel like yourself again.
If you want help, you’re in the right place. Not only do I specialize in Hashimoto’s in my functional nutrition practice, I myself have gone through the trials and tribulations of the disease and can help you ride the wave of healing. Click here to get started.
References:
- Fasano, A. (2012). Leaky gut and autoimmune diseases. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology.
- Vojdani, A., et al. (2016). The role of infections in autoimmune thyroiditis. Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.
- Pyzik, A., et al. (2018). Stress as a risk factor for Hashimoto's disease. Endocrine Connections.
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