Wholistic Jen

By Jennifer Whitmire MS, MEd, MH, CHES, NEP

Ever wonder why your energy is so low at times, or why you’re constantly struggling with mood swings and weight changes? You might be dealing with out of balanced blood sugar levels and/or thyroid hormones. Maybe you know one of them is out of order. Quite often, if one is out of balance, so is the other.

How Are Blood Sugar and Thyroid Hormones Connected?

Your thyroid hormones and blood sugar are closely linked. Thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, manage how your body handles glucose. When your thyroid hormones are off, whether due to hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, it affects your blood sugar.

In hypothyroidism, the thyroid is underactive and everything, including your metabolism, slows down. This sluggishness can lead to blood sugar staying high for too long creating inflammation and leading to insulin resistance where your cells don’t respond properly to insulin, and your blood sugar levels rise even more creating a vicious cycle. Insulin resistance not only makes it harder to manage weight but also increases inflammation and your risk for type 2 diabetes.

On the flip side, hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, speeds everything up including your metabolism. While this might sound like a dream for weight loss, it often leads to rapid glucose breakdown and can result in hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels. This can cause symptoms like jitteriness, irritability (HANGRY), and sudden fatigue.

The Thyroid Affects Blood Sugar Balance

Thyroid hormones regulate the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR). The BMR is the rate at which your body uses energy when you’re doing nothing at all.  It is what is needed to run your vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. If you don’t do anything all day but lay in bed and breathe, this is what your body needs to maintain your life. 

Thyroid hormones affect how efficiently your body converts glucose into the energy needed for your BMR. Now, when you add activity from walking, brushing your teeth, reading this article, even eating, and so on and so on you need even more energy.

Thyroid hormones increase the uptake of glucose by cells by enhancing the sensitivity of tissues to insulin, which is needed to move glucose into cells for energy. (BTW, thyroid hormones affect cells all over the entire body, skeletal muscles, kidneys, eyes, brain, liver, …. We want all of these cells to get the glucose they need). When tissues are more sensitive to insulin, they absorb glucose more efficiently, which helps to lower blood sugar levels.

The Liver Is Involved, As Well

Many of you know, that BOTH Jen Twins were finally able to reverse antibodies after doing a liver cleanse which is why they run a 14 Day Love Your Liver Cleanse twice a year.  The Liver is involved not only in blood sugar balancing but in balancing thyroid hormones and most of your other hormones, as well.

In the liver, thyroid hormones play a key role in maintaining blood sugar by stimulating both gluconeogenesis (producing glucose from non-carbohydrate sources) and glycogenolysis (breaking down stored glycogen into glucose). These keep a steady supply of glucose in the bloodstream to meet the body’s demands, especially during times when glucose intake is low, such as during fasting and between meals. 

Glucose is a critical energy source for many tissues, especially the brain, which relies almost exclusively on glucose for fuel. Thyroid hormones make sure the body can quickly respond to changes in energy demands by accessing stored energy reserves. These hormones help maintain a balance between glucose production and glucose use. By promoting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, thyroid hormones make sure that blood glucose levels remain within a tight range, preventing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and providing sufficient energy to cells.

Thyroid Hormones Stimulate Gluconeogenesis and Glycogenolysis

When we fast, we aren’t taking in food to be broken down into glucose.  This forces our body to rely on internal mechanisms to maintain blood glucose levels. Here’s where thyroid hormones are needed. These hormones stimulate glycogenolysis, so glycogen in the liver is broken down into glucose, which is then released into the bloodstream. 

During periods of intense physical activity or stress, the body’s demand for glucose spikes. Thyroid hormones initiate both gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, so our energy needs are met. When blood glucose levels drop, thyroid hormones tell the liver to produce and release more glucose to prevent hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can impair brain function, leading to brain fog and decreased overall performance.

Gluconeogenesis involves producing glucose from non-carbohydrate sources like amino acids, lactate, and glycerol. Thyroid hormones activate the enzymes for this process to increase glucose production to keep the supply steady. 

Glycogenolysis, on the other hand, is the breakdown of glycogen, the stored form of glucose in the liver. Thyroid hormones enhance the activity of enzymes that drive glycogenolysis, so glucose can be released into the bloodstream to maintain our energy levels.

Thyroid hormones are responsible for stimulating the liver for both gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, so there is a continuous energy supply even in the absence of food. This regulatory mechanism is vital for maintaining metabolic balance.

Thyroid Hormones Also Influence Other Organs and Systems Needed For Managing Blood Sugar

Thyroid hormones affect the function of the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin and glucagon which are directly responsible for blood sugar regulation. Thyroid hormones help maintain the balance between insulin and glucagon secretion, so blood sugar levels remain stable.

Thyroid hormones enhance the sensitivity of peripheral tissues (such as muscle and fat tissues) to insulin. Improved insulin sensitivity means that these tissues are better able to respond to insulin, so they can take in glucose which lowers sugar levels in the blood.

Thyroid hormones also influence fat metabolism. Thyroid hormones signal the breakdown of fats (lipolysis) to help reduce insulin resistance. Excess fat, particularly visceral fat (fat around our organs-the dangerous type of fat), leads to insulin resistance.

Thyroid hormones increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. This is the system that protects you in times of danger and is also activated under stress. When the sympathetic nervous system is increased, more glucose is needed in the blood, so you can “Fight or Flight.” For instance, increased sympathetic activity increases the breakdown of glycogen in the liver, releasing more glucose into the bloodstream. This is good when you are in danger.  When we are stressed but not in danger, this still occurs and creates excess inflammation.

Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders and Blood Sugar

Autoimmune illnesses like as Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease can complicate the relationship between blood sugar and thyroid health. Autoimmune thyroid diseases disrupt normal blood sugar regulation, and people with these conditions frequently experience blood sugar swings.

Stress, Cortisol, and the Thyroid

Stress is a key factor in all of these conditions. Chronic stress raises cortisol levels(activates the Sympathetic Nervous System), which inhibits thyroid function and raises blood sugar. This creates a vicious cycle of stress and inflammation.

So, what can you do to correct this balance between blood sugar and thyroid hormones?

1. Watch What You Eat

Focus on a whole food, balanced diet rich in fiber, rainbow veggies, high in leafy greens, and full of healthy fats. Get rid of processed foods including refined carbohydrates, foods high in saturated fats like cheese, and foods cooked in oils which just fuels inflammation. Did you know Jen has Food Videos?

• Get Regular Exercise

Physical activity helps improve insulin sensitivity and supports thyroid function. BUT, be mindful of your exercise. Over-exercising can create too much strain and stress in an already stressed body.

• Stress Management

Find ways to add stress-reducing practices such as yoga, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises into your daily routine to help manage cortisol levels.

• Routine Testing

Do you know your numbers?  Regularly check your thyroid hormones and blood sugar numbers to stay on top of any changes. Everyone should know their HbA1C (Hemoglobin A1C), fasting glucose, and fasting insulin, and it should be checked along with a full thyroid panel that includes T3, T4, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, and Antibody testing.

The Bottom Line

Understanding the connection between blood sugar and thyroid hormones is important for anyone dealing with unexplained weight changes, energy slumps, or mood swings. By paying attention to your diet, exercise, and stress levels, you can support both your thyroid and your metabolic health.

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