How Does the Gut Affect Thyroid Autoimmunity?

Hey, it's J.J. here.

You know, I've been talking about environmental toxins forever, and laundry detergent is a sneaky one.

A lot of them contain harsh chemicals.

Like dyes, preservatives, and even UV brighteners.

Those brighteners don't actually clean anything.

They just coat fabric so your eyes think things look whiter or brighter. That's more chemicals I don't want on my family's sheets or skin. And if you've got sensitive skin or allergies around the house, this can be a big problem. That's what got my attention about Earth Breeze.

It looks like a dryer sheet, but.

It'S actually laundry detergent. You toss one in the washer and that's it. No pouring, no mess, and no heavy plastic jug. Their packaging is lightweight cardboard, which helps reduce plastic waste. And if you choose the fragrance free option, it's gentle, hypoallergenic, non irritating, and non sensitizing. I really like how simple it is and how fresh and clean everything comes out without those unnecessary chemicals. Right now you can try Earth Breeze for up to 40% off with free gifts@earthbreeze.com virgin that's earthbreeze.com virgin for up to 40% off plus free gifts on your first order.

Hey, JJ here. Can you believe how fast the holidays are knocking at the door this year? One minute it's pumpkin spice season, the next you're getting your guest room ready and wondering where their wrapping paper went. And that's when I turned to Wayfair. From bedding and towels to holiday decor and last minute stocking stuffers, Wayfair has everything you need to get your home and holidays together fast. And for way less. With Wayfair, I know I can refresh my guest room in no time. Maybe I'll add a soft new comforter or a few holiday throw pillows. With Wayfair, it's so easy and everything arrives super fast. Plus, there's free shipping for any order over $35 easy and total peace of mind. So whether you're hosting, gifting, or just adding those final festive touches, Wayfair has your back. And when the holidays wind down, Wayfair has everything you need to tuck it all neatly away. Smart storage solutions for every room from the kitchen to the closet. Get organized, refreshed and ready for the holidays. For way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair. Every style, every home that's W A Y f a I r.com Ray Ban.

Meta glasses come with open ear audio so you can listen to your favorite music without blocking out the world around you.

Hey Meta, Play Gorgeous.

Here's Gorgeous by Doja Cat.

You can also ask Meta AI questions.

Hey Meta, when's Doja Cat's next concert?

Doja Cat is playing at the Los Angeles Theater next Tuesday.

Sweet Ray Ban Meta Glasses available at Ray Ban stores and other authorized retailers.

How does the Gut Affect Thyroid Autoimmunity? This is JJ Virgin, four time New York Times bestselling author, celebrity nutrition expert, and Fitness hall of Famer. I've been on a lifelong quest for answers to the toughest health questions and now I'm sharing what I found with you. Welcome to Ask the Health Expert. Maria from Instagram asks, how does the gut affect thyroid autoimmunity? Hey, it's JJ and I've got Dr. Michael Ruscio with me to answer this question. Now you might know him from his great podcast Dr. Ruscio Radio, or as the author of the best selling book.

Healthy Gut Healthy you.

I happen to know he's also an adventure junkie who's a musician in his spare time with a secret dream to paraglide. We'll be right back to answer the question.

Hey JJ Virgin here.

Okay, real Talk.

So often the holidays sneak up on.

Me, travel, gifts, hosting, you know, all the things and suddenly it's like, wait.

Who spent what and where?

And I know I'm not the only one who's looked at a bill in January and thought, wow, that escalated quickly. If you want to keep your finances.

Under control this holiday season, you need.

To be using Monarch. It's rated the Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface. All on your laptop or on your phone. Monarch lets you link everything and gives you real time visibility so you're not shocked later. Right now, I've been checking the holiday spending category so I don't accidentally start the new year with that dreaded debt hangover. And honestly, just seeing everything laid out is already helping me stay more aware. This season, Monarch does the heavy lifting. It links your accounts in minutes, gives you smart categorization and super clear visuals. Yes, that end of year reset could be a real goal this time. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use the code virginonarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year@monarch.com with the code Virgin.

This episode is Brought to you by Pacifico Here's a story you've probably never heard. Legend has it, decades ago, a couple surfers went down to Mexico in search of epic swells. But they found something unexpected instead. It was still crisp, lively and smooth, but it had nothing to do with waves. It was Pacifico, a delicious Mexican lager. It's like it was brewed to be discovered. Pacifico. Find your own way. 21 Discover responsibly Pacifico Clara beer imported by Crown Import, Chicago, Illinois.

Great question. How does the gut affect thyroid autoimmunity? Just as a quick refresher, Thyroid the primary cause of hypothyroidism is thyroid autoimmunity. So this is definitely something to consider and for us to be cognizant of. And the best way to assess or quantify thyroid autoimmunity is through a marker known as TPO or thyroid peroxidase antibodies available at any big box lab. Now, what's the connection between the gut and the thyroid? Well, we have some preliminary data here that connects these two. It's also important to be careful not to oversell a case. So we have some evidence connecting these two. We don't have irrefutable and highly compelling evidence. And I think that's very important for people to understand what we do know. The best model we have that look at this connection is looking at H. Pylori, which is a stomach that resides in the stomach and can cause hyperacidity and ulcers and Hashimoto's and also graves. So thyroid autoimmunity in general, and the research does show, and the research here is meta analyses of several trials has demonstrated that there is an increased prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in those with H. Pylori. However, here's the important caveat that functional and integrative medical enthusiasts often don't disclose. When we drill deeper down into this, that association seems to only be present for hyperthyroidism or graves and not so much for hypothyroidism. So from a high level, thyroid autoimmunity as a whole has been tied to H. Pylori. When we drill down to the details, it seems to only, at least according to the preliminary evidence, be present for those with graves or hyperthyroidism and not for those with hypothyroidism. Why does that matter? Because we don't want to send a hypothyroid Hashimoto's patient on a crusade against H. Pylori unless there's good evidence to support that connection. Now, there's other preliminary evidence that also has shown, and this comes out of some research in Poland, that those who have SIBO actually have higher levels of thyroid antibodies for Hashimoto's or hypothyroid than do healthy controls. But we still don't know if treatment there is going to have any benefit. Now, it's also likely that part of what expresses one's underlying genetic risk in terms of will they become hypothyroid if they're genetically predisposed is a multitude of factors in their gut and how the gut impacts the immune system, which start in formation from while you're in utero in mom. And that has to do with how many animals mom has contact with, how many animals you have contact with as a kid. Some research is looking at this association how how kind of non hygienic your environment is. All these things help to tune and calibrate your immune system. And so this multitude of environmental exposures to healthy dirt, germs and bacteria through the gut immune connection likely will steer you in a riskier or less riskier direction for autoimmunity globally. So there definitely is a connection here. However, it's important not to oversell it because we don't want to lay all the blame at one organism like H. Pylori. The other thing that's slipping here really quick, and this is where I think the brunt of the clinical effect comes from. If you're suffering with symptoms, thyroid symptoms, a very overlooked cause, and there is very good documentation of those symptoms. Fatigue and depression as two examples can be caused by your gut health, but it's not the gut causing autoimmunity. It's the gut directly causing those symptoms like fatigue and depression, or the gut causing malabsorption of the medication. And so you can't get your levels normal because you're not consistently absorbing whatever medication that you're taking. So the gut's definitely involved. The minimal mechanism is likely the gut to the autoimmune, but definitely through the gut impacting symptoms and medication absorption. We want to incorporate that into any thyroid care health plan.

This is JJ with Ask the Health Expert. I do this five times a week, so make sure you never miss a show by going to subscribetojay.com.

Hello listeners, this is Anne Bogle, author, blogger and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I tag All Things Books and Reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their Next Read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading. Next Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years and and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And, of course, recommending books that meet the moment. Whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change, or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything, you'll learn something about yourself as a reader, and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read, with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now, wherever you're listening to this podcast, and Visit our website, whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com to find out more.