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January 2, 2019

Anemia and Hypothyroidism: How Anemia Can Cause Hypothyroidism

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Did you know that anemia can cause hypothyroidism? Both anemia and hypothyroidism are on the rise, and not many people realize there is a connection between the two.

Anemia and Hypothyroidism: How Anemia Can Cause Hypothyroidism

Here’s how anemia can cause hypothyroidism:

When you don’t eat in a relaxed state, your stomach doesn’t produce enough stomach acid to break down and utilize the nutrients in your food, like iron, leading to a deficiency. This can happen even if you’re eating plenty of iron-rich foods, because your stomach isn’t breaking down the food in the first place. 

The body needs iron to make TPO, which is then used to make a thyroid hormone (FT4). When the body is deficient in iron, FT4 levels can drop, putting the body in a hypothyroid state.

You also need iron to convert FT4 to the active FT3, so low levels of iron can cause a decrease in FT3. This can lead to weight gain, low energy, etc. 

Throwing a bunch of iron at the situation with food or supplements won’t solve the problem because the root issue is that the body isn’t able to utilize the iron in your food. 

What kind of testing do you need to ask for to assess iron levels?

A full iron panel is a good option. This panel consists of total iron, iron saturation, total iron binding capacity and ferritin. Also, a CBC can be helpful so your practitioner can also look at levels such as Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, MCV, MCH and MCHC.

Here are steps you can take to help reverse low iron and hypothyroidism:

1. Train yourself to eat in a relaxed state. Don’t eat on the go, in the car, when stressed, hurried, etc. When you eat in a relaxed state, the brain can send the proper signal to the stomach to produce enough stomach acid so your body can utilize the nutrients in your food. I know this step seems trivial, but it’s incredibly important. 

2. Along with step one, I recommend also using apple cider vinegar, bitters, or an HCL supplement to promote stomach acid production.

I recommend taking 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a little bit of water before each meal. If this doesn’t help, then take 1 dropper full of digestive bitters before and after each meal.

If you try either of these remedies and don’t see any improvement, then consider taking something like Zypan at each meal.

3. Along with steps one and two, make sure to eat iron rich foods from animal sources daily.

Best Food Sources of Heme Iron:

Liver
Pastured beef
Chicken
Game meats
Oysters
Pastured eggs

Yes, vegetables like spinach contain iron, but they aren’t the most bioavailable form, so it’s best to stick with heme sources of iron such as liver (one of the best sources!), pastured beef, chicken, game meats, oysters, and pastured eggs. 

The RDA for iron is 8-18mg, depending on age and gender.

4. If you take all the steps above for sixty days or more and still have low iron levels, then I would talk to a practitioner who is well trained in nutrition about supplementation. 

Can you reverse anemia and also bring FT4 back to normal levels?

Yes! In fact, two of my Nutritional Therapy clients had success with this recently!

If you’d like to dive deeper into iron testing and how to measure your iron status, check out this podcast by Chris Masterjohn.

Keep in mind, that hypothyroidism can have multiple root causes (see my in-depth article about hypothyroidism here) but for some it’s as simple as improving digestion so the body can have the raw materials needed to make enough FT4. It’s pretty amazing what the body can do when you give it the proper tools!

If you’d like to learn some first steps you can take to help support your thyroid, check out my class, “3 Keys to Thyroid Hormone Balance”. It’s just 45 minutes and I promise you’ll learn something new!

Filed Under: Thyroid Disease, Thyroid Disease, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

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10 Comments

  1. C.A.Chandler

    January 18, 2019 at 5:48 am

    Amazing info, thank you.
    to C.A.Chandler" aria-label="Reply to this comment to C.A.Chandler">Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      January 21, 2019 at 11:16 am

      You're welcome!
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic">Reply to this comment
  2. Marzena

    June 22, 2019 at 10:44 am

    Hiya Where are you based? I would like to know more about doing lab tests as my stomach/intestines have not been well for a few years now. I eat a little and I look like I’m 9 months pregnant with pains and uncomfort, it’s absolutely awful. Thank you. Marzena
    to Marzena" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Marzena">Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      June 24, 2019 at 10:23 am

      Our office is based in California. www.biodynamicwellness.com
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic">Reply to this comment
  3. Anna

    February 11, 2020 at 3:01 pm

    Dear Sir/Madam, I would like to ask about castor oil packs. Below are the instructions from your website My question is can I do the pack on the liver for 45 mins. Then put it on the thyroid (to reduce the cysts/nodules) for 15 mins daily with hot water bottle over it? Or do I need to do it differently for a longer time at each session? Your advice is much appreciated Best regards, Anna
    to Anna" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Anna">Reply to this comment
  4. Celia

    February 28, 2020 at 8:41 pm

    I found this very interesting. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos last year and my ferritin was very low. Leading up to that I was pregnant with #4 and was anemic at the end of my pregnancy. My levels went up with supplementing, so the dr said i could stop taking them. I didn’t know that low iron could be a root cause. While I think mine is stress induced I think low iron contributed as well.
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  5. Konrad

    September 28, 2022 at 9:39 pm

    Great information. I believe that being deficient in copper can also decrease iron absorption.
    to Konrad" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Konrad">Reply to this comment
    • Julie

      April 1, 2025 at 1:05 pm

      Is there a way to assess for copper deficiency?
      to Julie" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Julie">Reply to this comment
      • Carrie Korem, FNTP

        April 7, 2025 at 10:13 am

        You can get a blood test for this. But you also need to get other testing like zinc so that your practitioner can assess if the ratios are optimal.
        to Carrie Korem, FNTP" aria-label="Reply to this comment to Carrie Korem, FNTP">Reply to this comment

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  1. 10 Essential Nutrients for the Thyroid - Hypothyroid, Hashimoto's and more says:
    June 19, 2019 at 9:43 am
    […] Iron Supplementation: If you find that you are deficient in iron or have been diagnosed with anemia, often the issue isn’t too little iron in the diet, but too little stomach acid. Click here for […]
    to 10 Essential Nutrients for the Thyroid - Hypothyroid, Hashimoto's and more" aria-label="Reply to this comment to 10 Essential Nutrients for the Thyroid - Hypothyroid, Hashimoto's and more">Reply to this comment

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Hi, I’m Carrie Korem, FNTP
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Through unprocessed, organic food and detox I’ve reversed Hashimoto’s disease, chronic migraines, IBS and eczema.

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