In a recent video posted on YouTube, Dr. Carlos Jaramillo, a Colombian functional medicine physician, addresses the importance of the thyroid as a regulator of metabolism and clarifies a key point: the gland doesn't fail by chance, but rather unhealthy habits and living conditions impair its function. This leads to symptoms such as persistent fatigue, weight gain, digestive disorders, mood swings, hair loss, and a feeling of excessive cold.
Jaramillo points out that the thyroid acts as the body's "thermostat." When balanced, it maintains healthy energy, mental clarity, temperature, and cell turnover. But if it's affected by nutritional deficiencies, stress, or toxins, the entire metabolism slows down, and clinical manifestations appear that often go undetected in basic tests like TSH. Therefore, he insists on expanding the evaluation to include T3, T4, antibodies, and key nutrients.
The doctor explains that various lifestyle factors can alter the gland. Among the most significant, he mentions:
- Nutrient deficiency: Deficiencies in iodine, selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin A, and proteins containing tyrosine prevent the normal production of thyroid hormones.
- Chronic stress: Excess cortisol blocks the conversion of T4 (inactive) to T3 (active), alters cell receptors and can falsify laboratory results.
- Inflamed or leaky gut: The microbiota is involved in activating T3; diseases such as dysbiosis or celiac disease reduce this capacity.
- Autoimmunity: Hashimoto's thyroiditis is associated with vitamin D deficiency, gluten, viral infections, and chronic toxicity.
- Exposure to toxins: BPA-containing plastics, pesticides, heavy metals, and chemical-laced cosmetics alter receptors and enzymes linked to the thyroid.
- Lifestyle mistakes: prolonged low-calorie diets, excessive exercise without recovery, poor sleep, and abuse of ultra-processed foods lead to sustained dysfunction.
For each of these factors, Jaramillo offers practical recommendations: improving the quality of your diet with proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats; ensuring micronutrients such as selenium and vitamin D; practicing conscious breathing and taking rest breaks to manage stress; taking care of your gut health with fiber and fermented foods; and reducing exposure to plastics and nonstick cookware. She emphasizes that, with gradual changes in habits, it is possible to reactivate the thyroid and prevent complications.
In conclusion, the central message of the video is that thyroid health is largely in our hands: daily habits determine whether the gland functions optimally or, on the contrary, is forced to work under adverse conditions that end up triggering symptoms of functional hypothyroidism.