Transcription
You're not going to fix your Hashimoto's constipation with more fiber. In fact, it will probably just make your bloat even worse. Here are the three real root causes you need to fix.
First, slow motility from low T3. Your gut is designed to be in constant motion, but when your thyroid is low, that motion slows down dramatically. This means food stays in your system longer, allowing your digestion to back up. The root cause isn't of fiber. It's a lack of active T3 thyroid hormone from your Hashimoto's.
Second, low stomach acid. Your gut needs acid to break down nutrients from food and to absorb your thyroid medication, but most patients with Hashimoto's do not produce enough. And without it, food enters your intestines and just sits there, causing you to be backed up.
And third, bacterial overgrowth. When food sits in your intestines for too long, because you don't have enough stomach acid and because your motility is too slow, it becomes food for bad bacteria. This leads to SIBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. About 50% of thyroid patients have this, and the two most common symptoms are bloating and constipation.
Fiber and laxatives may help in the short term, but if you want a real long-term fix, you need more T3. Use my free optimal thyroid lab test calculator, which is in the description, to see if your hormones are the real cause of your constipation.