03/09/2026
Did you know that the immune system actively modulates thyroid hormone levels and TSH?And I do not mean indirectly, I mean directly.
Check this out! TSH is not only produced in the pituitary. 20 years ago, it was discovered by researchers that immune cells actually produce TSH.
Where? In the bone marrow where immune cells are born, by white blood cells and also in the intestines, when exposed to a virus, or when exposed to bacterial toxins like lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which can end up in the blood stream when you have leaky gut or intestinal permeability issues.
LPS exposure also increases conversion of T4 to T3 causing a local surge of T3. This in turn can result in a lower output of thyroid hormone.
And 2 immune proteins, IL-18 and IL-12, both of which have been implicated as proteins that may make flare ups and inflammation worse with Hashimoto's also produce TSH.
Some gluten and dairy, can cause a massive immune response in the intestines, maybe exposed to a bovine virus or viral fragments, these immune cells produce TSH.
Now the immune system has overcompensated. And creates impaired immune function. There is still a lot that is not known about this, but one of the theories is that immune cells produce this local surge of T3 and this causes a systemic decline in TRH and TSH production.
One theory on this is that in times of infection and immune induced inflammation (which autoimmune disease is a chronic state of) the immune system shuts down thyroid function and then at some point kicks it back in again.
With Hashimoto's, this is all out of whack.