Shining Some Light on the Thyroid

    Oh, the Thyroid.  This gland is known as the body’s powerhouse.  It produces hormones, which help the body use energy, stay warm, and keep organs functioning properly. With that being said, Hypothyroidism (AKA underactive thyroid) affects 5% of people over the age of 12 in the United States and it noted more common in women as we age. 1

Symptoms can be minimal to severe and run a pretty wide range, but the most common symptoms are cold intolerance, fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, constipation, and voice changes. The most common treatment for hypothyroidism is to treat with thyroid hormone replacement.  But what if there is more that we can do?2

Stay with me here and let’s shed a little light on this. I want to first take a look at vitamin D.  Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and hormone that's essential for good health. There are a few foods that contain vitamin D, but the majority of vitamin D that we get in our bodies is from the sun through UVB ray exposure to the skin. Normally, we can get enough sunlight from April to September. The other months…not so much. Also how often are we out in the sun or do we use sunscreen. UV levels also change day to day as well. Your body’s ability to create vitamin D and absorb nutrients in the gut also declines with age. Vitamin D is essential for the function of the Thyroid and low levels of vitamin D is a risk factor for thyroid dysfunction.

We live in Northern MN where we go through a good bout of the year with less sunlight. Also, how many of us go outside during the day for any amount of time.  Let’s say you work a 9 to 5 job.  In MN on 10/4/24 sunrise and sunset were 7:15 AM & 6:46 PM. That’s a good chunk of your sunlight hours indoors at work! Less sunlight can equal lower levels of vitamin D in our bodies which in turn increases the risk for thyroid dysfunction.  Sunlight exposure can also help regulate cortisol production, a hormone that plays a role in stress response and energy levels. Cortisol and thyroid hormone production are closely linked, and high cortisol levels can decrease the body’s ability to convert T4 to T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Therefore, getting enough sunlight (UV) exposure can help regulate cortisol production and potentially improve thyroid function. 3,4

New research on UV exposure triggering higher levels of vitamin D can decrease the risk of thyroid cancer and dysfunction.  Low levels of vitamin D have been linked with increased risk of several pronounced cancers including female breast, prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, lung, ovarian, and stomach. I can tell you I never thought sunshine was so important. 5

Inflammation is a key component in thyroid disease. Thyroiditis is caused by an attack on the thyroid, causing inflammation and damage to the thyroid cells. Antibodies that attack the thyroid cause most types of thyroiditis. Any decrease in chronic inflammation can help decrease the stress on the thyroid.

 Red light therapy (RLT) reduces inflammation in many ways such as: stimulating mitochondria, increasing circulation, increasing collagen and fibroblast production, reducing oxidative stress, and activating transcription factors. RLT is sometimes discussed as a complementary treatment for various conditions, including hypothyroidism. 6,7

I am not saying that light treatment is the be all end all by any means. But if you are like me and interested in how to help yourself and how your amazing body works this is some food thought. Fun little shout out I had a client come in just recently and she had gone to her endocrinologist who wanted to know how she had improved her numbers so significantly.  She states that the only thing she changed was doing Redlight Therapy.  Just shining some Light on some interesting information.

Warroad Physical Therapy has brought some of the best light therapies available right here to Warroad, MN. We offer daily access packages that are available for use 24/7 to fit your busy lifestyle. Feel better, live better, today at Warroad Physical Therapy!

1.      Fei and Admin (2022) The thyroid: Your body’s powerhouse Gland - Medical Center of Marin - Urgent Care Clinic, Medical Center of Marin | Urgent Care Clinic & Health Care Clinic. Available at: https://www.mcomarin.com/the-thyroid-your-bodys-powerhouse-gland/#:~:text=The%20Thyroid:%20Your%20Body’s%20Powerhouse,of%20Marin%20%2D%20Urgent%20Care%20Clinic (Accessed: 04 October 2024).

2.     Vitamin D and thyroid disease (no date) British Thyroid Foundation. Available at: https://www.btf-thyroid.org/vitamin-d-and-thyroid-disease#:~:text=Some%2C%20but%20not%20all%2C%20observational,to%20answer%20this%20question%20definitively. (Accessed: 04 October 2024).

3.     Julia Walker, R. (2024) How a cortisol blocker may affect your thyroid: Paloma health, RSS. Available at: https://www.palomahealth.com/learn/cortisol-blocker-thyroid#:~:text=Cortisol%20increases%20thyroid%2Dstimulating%20hormone%20(TSH).%20When%20cortisol,of%20thyroid%20hormone%20that%20cells%20can%20use. (Accessed: 09 October 2024).

4.      Babić Leko, M. et al. (2023) Vitamin D and the thyroid: A critical review of the current evidence, International journal of molecular sciences. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9964959/#:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20is%20necessary%20for,is%20still%20not%20fully%20understood. (Accessed: 04 October 2024).

5.      Lavorgna, T.R. et al. (2022) ‘Ultraviolet light exposure decreases thyroid cancer risk: A national perspective’, Biomedicines, 10(10), p. 2452. doi:10.3390/biomedicines10102452.

6.     .professional, C.C. medical (2024) Red light therapy: Benefits, Side Effects & Uses, Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22114-red-light-therapy (Accessed: 08 October 2024).

7.     . R Hamblin, M. (2017) ‘Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation’, AIMS Biophysics, 4(3), pp. 337–361. doi:10.3934/biophy.2017.3.337.