I’ve been doing some reading about thyroid health due to some physical issues I’ve been having. It all may have nothing to do with my thryoid after all but I started reading just in case.
On a hunch I googled “alcohol and thyroid” and I read something about dopamine and seratonin but I wasn’t really sure how that affected the thyroid.
This is what I know:
The thyroid take iodine and tyrosine and converts those to T3 and T4. When levels of T3 and T4 are low the body produces more TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to help the thyroid with this conversion to T3 and T4. So if you have higher levels of TSH that would mean that your thyroid is not working well. (low levels of TSH would indicate the thyroid is working overtime producing too much T3 and T4).
Okay. So I got that. I am currently taking a supplement that contains tyrosine and iodine just in case that is what is going on…not so much that my thyroid isn’t functioning well but rather that it isn’t getting the needed ingredients.
But, I’m not finding much information regarding the dopamine and seratonin connectino to the thyroid. Does anyone else know this? I’m wondering if it isn’t just my poor weak liver that is affecting my metabolism but also the thyroid…and will it also heal with sobriety like the liver will.
Okay…so immediately after posting I did another google search. I found this…it isn’t talking about dopamine and seratonin but it is talking about alcohol abuse and the thyroid.
How Alcohol Abuse Affects the Thyroid
An abundance of alcohol can depress the function of the thyroid gland and cause bodily imbalances and strain. Acetaldehyde is a compound that causes hangovers and is a by-product of drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, it can interfere with thyroid receptors. The gland will become overworked as it attempts to compensate for the lack of feedback.
Acetaldehyde can also cause symptoms of hypothyroidism, even when the actual function is normal in the absence of alcohol. Although these effects are strong, the primary effect of alcohol concentrates on the liver and adrenal glands: They endure the brunt of the demand from drinking. Since liver and thyroid function are so closely related, there’s a definite impact.
The part in bold is particularily interesting to me since my TSH levels have always been in the “normal” range. But I recently read that you could have normal levels of TSH but still have a poorly functioning thyroid…which is why I decided to try these supplements.
I went thru a period of time when it appeared by thyroid was messed up, but all my tests came back okay each time. I did have a somewhat enlarged thyroid, which was biopsied and showed no issues (not a fun test!). It was a confusing time physically and in retrospect I chalk it all up to perimenopause…a LOT going on during that period of life. I was drinking then as well, so a mess hormonally and physically.
I found during those times of hormonal changes that physical activity was very helpful all around. As well as eating as clean as possible. Obviously not drinking is a HUGE plus as well for your liver and thyroid.
Not sure I can explain this very well but I’ll try. Alcohol short term can increase serotonin but over time has the opposite effect and can decease it. The thyroid needs serotonin as it is serotonin that communicates with the part of our brain that tells the thyroid to function.
Added to this reduced B vitamins caused directly by alcohol consumption and the often poor alcoholic diet also contribute to this, decreased folic acid (B9) means we don’t create enough of the enzyme our body converts it (B9) to, this is
methylfolate. We need methylfolate to make seratonin to tell our brains to tell our thyroid to function.
Added to this for our bodies to make the change from folic acid (B9) to methylfolate we need an enzyme called MTHFR, some people have a genetic mutation that stops the production of MTHFR but alcohol abuse can have the same effect in lowering its production, the more you drink in one sitting the more the effect on MTHRF production.
So if I made any sense you can see there are several neurochemical processes related to thyroid function that are affected by alcohol. Whilst all this is going on you can have normal thyroid function tests because essentially your thyroid is functioning normally but it’s being prevented from doing its job properly.
Hope that makes a bit of sense
It is a complicated system there for sure. I did start taking a supplement that contains Tyrosine and Iodide…those are the two components that the thyroid needs to make T3 and T4. I’m figuring it won’t HURT me to take, but wondered if my TSH levels are okay because my thyroid is working properly but perhaps I wasn’t making enough because I didn’t have the starting materials. We’ll see.
I was only frustrated because the one article mentioned alcoholism…but didn’t really explain it. It said the liver and thyroid work together but didn’t say how alcohol affected the thyroid specifically. And didn’t explain if it would get better with sobriety. We know the liver heals.
Just about everything going wrong with my body can be explained as “perimenopause” but I just can’t accept that. It’s probably because I don’t have things like hot flashes yet. I did have a few nights of over heating in bed…but they weren’t short like a hot flash and they haven’t happened again in the last 2 months or so. Maybe it was just a hot night??? I don’t know why I seem to think hot flashes will be the only proof I accept!!
Most T4 to T3 conversion happens in the liver, obviously you know that T3 is what’s needed by the body to function normally. A fatty or sluggish liver affects this conversion so it makes sense that we see hypothyroid symptoms in alcoholism. It also makes sense that this should improve with sobriety. I see you original post is a while ago, hope you are feeling a bit better by now
Ack…I just read that T4 converts to T3? But that some of it could actually convert to rT3 (or reverse T3, innactive T3). So confusing. But I am obsessed with biochemistry so I am also enjoying this.
The supplement I started taking doesn’t seem to be doing much that is noticeable. Honestly, if I don’t feel any different in another month or so I’m going to stop. I don’t think this supplement has anything harmful in it but there’s no point in wasting money if it doesn’t do anything. My goal is to see if it helps with my hair loss and stubborn weight. For the most part I think my diet is really good so I should be losing SOME weight by now.
I had about 3 hot flashes over 10 years+ of perimenopause, had many of the other symptoms sporadically (including joint aches, man, they were the worst); as well as night sweats. Everyone is different in how perimenopause affects them. Mine was really fairly easy once I got thru the heavy period stage, it just lasted way too long.
You are right, rT3 is produced by the body as a way of getting rid of excess T4. This is perfectly normal and happens to about 20% of our T4, the percentage can be upped to say 50% converted to rT3 when the body is busy doing other things, say dealing with illness or injury. An increased level of rT3 can stop T3 working by joining with the T3 receptors, as it is inactive rather than active it can produce an increase in hypothyroid symptoms. We all know our poor addict bodies deal with a lot of internal sickness caused by our DOC so it could be related. It’s all very interesting but also fries my brain . Your Dr can test for T3,T4 and rT3 because these can be affected and your TSH be normal.
As for losing weight I have lost exactly zero at five months in bit disappointing as I’m down about 1000 alcohol calories a day, I haven’t been trying though so probably my fault for all the sugar substituting I did at first
Can you have your TSH levels tested to confirm? I’m hypo - been on Synthroid since I was 15 (45 now). I get it tested annually and have seen fluctuations over the years.
Hair loss weight gain are some of the things I experience with my Hashimoto’s a form of low thyroid actually 90% of low thyroid is this, the tricky thing is a standard thyroid test will not show if you have it my TSH is fine I had to request t3 t4 and antibody test my mom and sister both have Hashimoto’s as well!
My TSH levels are normal…mid range. This is why I’m researching. According to the symptoms of hypothyroidism I am have them all…except the TSH levels. So I’m trying to figure out if there could be something else going on that would make the thyroid function properly but not getting the results. It actually now seems like maybe that is the case. Maybe the thyroid is fine but it’s the liver not using the products from the thyroid. I don’t know. The human body is a mystery!!
This could explain the quote in my original post…about alcoholism and the “symptoms of hypothyroidism”.
I second everything @SassyRocks says about it probs bring perimenopause. I went into it late, like after 50. I’ve never really had hot flashes just feeling very warm. Not much you can do about it but accept it and know that it gets better once post-menopause … Except for the tummy weight
Vagifem is good for that. I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago at 54, I still had my period every month. I had my ovaries removed so I’m on estrogen too. It is a lifesaver.
. Your Dr can test for T3,T4 and rT3 because these can be affected and your TSH be normal.
bit disappointing as I’m down about 1000 alcohol calories a day, I haven’t been trying though so probably my fault for all the sugar substituting I did at first 
