Simple enough?

Not really. Your doctor may check your thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH. This hormone controls your thyroid and the quantity of thyroid hormones it produces. A low TSH means your body is producing enough thyroid hormones, and a higher number means your body is calling out for more.

Of the many hormones your thyroid produces, two of the most interesting ones are T4 and T3. These hormones are most directly related to energy production and metabolism.

These hormones depend a lot on various other nutrients. For example, your thyroid needs iodine, selenium, iron, tyrosine vitamin D, vitamin A and zinc. Some of these nutrients are needed to produce T4 and some are needed for the conversion of T4 into T3.  T4 can be thought of as the starting material and is sometimes referred to as the inactive thyroid hormone, like a battery it is ready to turn into T3 at a moment’s notice.  When the thyroid is functioning well this conversion happens at a ratio of 3:1. T3 is called the active thyroid hormone as it is T3 that enters the cells and directly influences energy production and metabolism.

So, if you are deficient in any of these nutrients (iodine, selenium, iron, tyrosine vitamin D, vitamin A and zinc, your body has difficulty producing and activating thyroid hormones.

Nutrients are not the only influencers. Other hormones, such as oestrogen (sex hormone) and cortisol (stress hormone), significantly influence the conversion of inactive T4 to active T3.  This leads us to beginning to understand how the hormonal fluctuations of perimenopause combined with life stressors can trigger thyroid dysfunction in this life stage. The impact on both energy levels and weight management can be very frustrating. You may having been thinking that the blame lies solely with the perimenopause transition however hopefully you can now see that considering the function of your thyroid is also very important and vice versa.  if you are in perimenopause or menopause and are seeking to sort your thyroid issues out you want to make sure you are addressing the hormonal changes that are occurring at the same time.

Stress is another significant factor, and the increased production of the hormone cortisol can have a negative correlation with thyroid function and the severity of perimenopausal symptoms. Busy women tend to have a lot of stressors impacting on their health which can come in many shapes and sizes depending on each person’s life circumstances. Menopause and perimenopause can be a particularly stressful time as a woman’s body can experience severe hormonal fluctuations. Hot flushes, night sweats, cycle changes, trouble sleeping, and unexpected weight gain can all be signs that your body is entering the perimenopause stage and as discussed this can be a trigger for thyroid dysfunction which can further impact on your ability to have a good metabolic rate and energy production.