Perimenopause triggering your thyroid issues? Here's why

Did you know that perimenopause is one of the most common triggers for thyroid issues in women? The thyroid is incredibly sensitive to shifts in hormones. But perimenopause can be a perfect storm for causing thyroid issues - let’s have a closer look at why.

Perimenopause as a thyroid trigger

Progesterone levels dropping

Progesterone and thyroid function are tightly linked. On one hand, low progesterone during perimenopause can:

Hinder the production and functioning of thyroid hormones
Trigger autoimmunity
Reduce the free thyroid hormones in the blood

But this is where it gets tricky - the relationship is a two-way street. We need adequate thyroid hormone for the ovaries to make progesterone & regulate your cycle! This is why many women experience a sudden increase in symptoms related to both thyroid disease and hormone balance during perimenopause.

How about oestrogen?

Oestrogen fluctuates both throughout the monthly cycle but also more significantly throughout perimenopause. These greater fluctuations can influence your thyroid function.

How? Oestrogen regulates the hormone-binding protein, thyroid-binding globulin (TBG). When oestrogen levels are high, the liver produces more TBG. This means that the amount of T3 and T4 available in the bloodstream temporarily drops until the thyroid gland is stimulated to produce more.

On the other hand, when oestrogen drops, TBG levels drop. As a result, the amount of 'free' T3 and T4 increases temporarily.

These shifts in thyroid hormones are not well understood, but likely influence some of the symptoms that women experience during perimenopause. It may also explain why many women are told their thyroid levels are ‘fine’ - they may have been tested during a low oestrogen phase, where T3 + T4 have experienced a boost.

Are my perimenopause symptoms normal?

Irregular periods, hot flushes, irritability, anxiety, insomnia and weight gain? You might assume it's perimenopause, but these symptoms are also consistent with thyroid disease.

That's why we always want to investigate symptoms as they arise, even if you think it's all part of the natural transition! The good news is that both thyroid disease and perimenopause symptoms can respond beautifully to simple diet & lifestyle tweaks.

But surely I’m not going through perimenopause yet!

Think perimenopause couldn't possibly be the reason for your thyroid issues becoming worse? The transition of perimenopause can last for up to 10 years before reaching menopause. So you may still be in your late 30s or early 40s and not realise that the process has begun for you!

If you've noticed your thyroid symptoms have increased alongside haywire hormone symptoms such as:

Hot flushes
Heavy, painful periods
Irregular periods
Mood swings
Poor sleep
Increased PMS symptoms

- then it's worth investigating further with your healthcare practitioner.

What should I do if I suspect thyroid issues during perimenopause?

Stay tuned for some future articles with some further insight and advice. But in the meantime, I highly recommend finding a healthcare practitioner who has experience in thyroid disease & perimenopause.

They will be able to assess your symptoms, recommend further investigations as needed and get you some answers.