Management to hypothyroidism in functional medicine

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones to maintain normal physical activity. Common causes include autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, surgical removal of the thyroid gland, and radiation therapy. It presents with a variety of clinical symptoms, including dry skin, puffiness, intolerance to cold, slowed thinking, and weight gain. However, there are patients who do not show sufficient symptom improvement with LT4 (levothyroxine) alone, the standard treatment for hypothyroidism. As our understanding of thyroid physiology advances, the reasons for discomfort during LT4 monotherapy are becoming clear, including problems with peripheral conversion of T4 (thyroxine) to T3 (triiodothyronine), genetic mutations in deiodinase and thyroid hormone transporter, and thyroid hormones resistance has been studied. In this article, we will look into the characteristics of each thyroid hormone preparation, conventional treatment on hypothyroidism, and thyroid physiology, and present the necessity of LT3 (liothyronine) and functional medicine approach and treatment when treating patients who do not improve with LT4 treatment alone.