From Hopeless to Healing: Reducing Hashimoto’s Antibodies
Reversing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis with the Functional Medicine – From Hopeless Diagnosis to Vibrant Health
When Anna (name changed for privacy) first came to my practice last August, she felt completely defeated. Recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and full-blown hypothyroidism, she was overwhelmed by fatigue, recurrent infections, weight gain, digestive problems, poor sleep and hair loss. To make matters worse, her primary care doctor told her there was “nothing she could do about her thyroid antibodies—that they would “never change.”
This was an awful nocebo effect, to say the least: a statement that not only strips a patient of hope but also closes the door to healing possibilities. Anna wasn’t ready to accept that and based on her own research she understood that her health journey would only spiral downward, if she she didn’t take any action. Functional medicine became her last resort—and ultimately, her pathway to transformation.
Reversing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis requires a multifaceted approach that emphasizes lifestyle changes, nutrition, genetics, gut health and holistic healing.
Understanding the importance of reversing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is crucial for anyone facing this condition.
The Starting Point: Sky-High Antibodies and Daily Struggles
Her initial lab results revealed Anti-TPO antibodies close to 2,000 IU/mL (normal is under 35). These antibodies are hallmarks of Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis, reflecting an extremely aggressive autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland which can over time ultimately destroy thyroid gland.
Her main complaints and concerns included:
- Getting sick every month!
- Severe fatigue and low energy – not a surprise considering that she was getting sick on monthly basis and her body was having battles with constant viruses
- Brain fog
- Poor memory and concentration
- GI issues and poor digestion
- Sleep disturbances
- Gaining significant amount of weight and inability to lose weight (despite trying different diets)
- Prescription Adderall for appetite control that failed to help
- Frustration of ineffectiveness of Levothyroxine, a thyroid medication that did not improve any of her symptoms and didn’t move the needle in reducing her Anti-TPO antibodies
Why Levothyroxine Wasn’t Enough
Like many people with Hashimoto’s, Anna was prescribed Levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone. While this medication can normalize TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels, it does nothing to address the root cause of Hashimoto’s: the autoimmune attack itself.
This is why, despite her TSH looking “better” on paper, her antibodies remained at the same extremely high level and she continued to suffer from debilitating symptoms—fatigue, weight gain, digestive issues, recurring viral infections, poor sleep, hair loss, brain fog and poor memory.
It was clear that her thyroid dysfunction was not just a hormone problem. It was an immune system problem, fueled by deeper triggers and root-causes that Levothyroxine alone could never fix.
Looking Deeper at the Root-Causes: The Functional Medicine Lens
In functional medicine, we always ask “Why?” rather than stopping at a label and diagnosis. Hashimoto’s is not just a thyroid problem—it’s an immune system dysregulation often driven by deeper root causes such as toxins, infections, nutrient deficiencies, and gut dysfunction.
Anna’s history, symptoms, and resilience pointed me toward a likely culprit: toxic overload. To investigate further, we ran Vibrant’s Total Tox Burden Test, a comprehensive analysis of environmental toxins, heavy metals, and mycotoxins.
What We Found: Toxic Triggers for Autoimmunity
The results were eye-opening:
Mycotoxin (DAS): Clinically Elevated
- DAS is an immunosuppressive fungal toxin. It impairs the immune system’s ability to fight pathogens and also weakens the body’s detox pathways, allowing other chemicals to accumulate. Toxic effects of DAS also include cytotoxic, anemia (which further was driving her hypothyroidism), hypotension (causing her weakness), , inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis, inhibition of mitochondrial function (further driving her hypothyroidism and causing weakness and inability to fight infections), impaired cell division and cell membrane function.
BPA (Bisphenol-A): Clinically Elevated
- BPA, a chemical found in plastics, is known to disrupt hormones, mimic estrogen, and worsen autoimmunity. Higher BPA levels are correlated with higher rates of subclinical hypothyroidism and occurrence of thyroid antibodies.
Phthalates (MEOHP): Alarmingly High Levels
- These are endocrine disrupting chemicals from plastics, cosmetics, cleaning products (and more). Phthalates can increase risk for cancer, contribute to insulin resistance (one of her triggers for her weight gain and inability to lose weight) subsequently increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They can damage thyroid cells, disrupt hormone signaling, and induce thyroid inflammation that may contribute and worsen autoimmune thyroiditis.
The Interconnected Web: Toxins, Immunity, Oxidative Stress & Autoimmunity
Anna’s case highlighted the complex interplay between toxins, immune dysfunction, and autoimmunity:
- Weakened Immunity from Mycotoxins
- Mycotoxins like DAS suppressed her immune system, leaving her more vulnerable to frequent viral illnesses.
- Viruses are well-documented triggers for the activation and progression of autoimmune thyroiditis. Each infection was essentially “poking the bear” of her immune system, worsening the attack on her thyroid and reducing her nutrient reserves which made it impossible to counter the viruses and oxidative stress.
- Impaired Detox Pathways
- Mycotoxins also burdened her liver and detoxification systems.
- With impaired detox, phthalates and BPA accumulated to even higher levels in her body.
- Oxidative Stress is a Hallmark of Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Phthalates, BPA, mycotoxins and viral infections generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributing to oxidative stress which damages thyroid cells and promote inflammation and tissue damage.
- This fed back into the cycle of antibody production and chronic inflammation and physiological stress in her body.
It was a vicious cycle: toxins → weakened immunity → viral infections → more autoimmunity → impaired detox → accumulation of toxins. Breaking this cycle was the key to her healing.
The Healing Journey
I built a personalized Functional Medicine Program for Anna that addressed root causes, not just symptoms. Key pillars included:
- Pharmaceutical-grade supplements designed to:
- Support safe detoxification of BPA, phthalates, and mycotoxins
- Support thyroid function
- Rebuild antioxidant reserves to reduce oxidative stress
- Balance immune function and reduce autoimmune activity
- Optimize gut health and nutrient absorption
- Lifestyle interventions
- Dietary changes
- Rest and sleep hygiene practices to promote healing and restore energy
The Results: A Life Transformed
The changes were nothing short of remarkable.
- 3 Months In:
- Antibodies dropped by about half (from ~1,740 to 900s)
- She stopped getting sick monthly
- Energy levels rebounded, allowing her to exercise again
- She began to lose weight naturally
- 1 Year Later:
- Anti-TPO antibodies dropped to 255 IU/mL – by over 85% in one year!
- She lost 40 pounds—without restrictive dieting or stimulant medications
- She is finally feeling vibrant, strong, and back in control of her health
When she recently stopped by to pick up supplements, she proudly showed me her lab results and said:
“You literally changed my life.”
Of course, her Anti-TPO antibodies are still elevated and she continues to work on lowering them further and reversing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
However, the progress over the past year has been remarkable, with levels dropping dramatically (over 85%) in direct correlation with her symptom improvements.
And, contrary to the conventional belief that antibodies cannot be changed, her results prove the exact opposite.
Why This Matters
Anna’s story is proof that Hashimoto’s is not a life sentence of decline. By uncovering and addressing the root causes and triggers—in her case, environmental toxins playing a triggering role—we were able to reverse the autoimmune storm and restore her vitality.
Conventional medicine often overlooks toxins, viral triggers, oxidative stress, and gut-immune-thyroid connections. Functional medicine bridges that gap, offering patients not just symptom management but true healing.
✨ If you are ready to stop feeling trapped in your symptoms and want to address the root causes, my Functional Medicine Program could be your turning point.
As a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner my Expertise Encompasses:
- Immune System: frequent illness, UTIs, yeast infections
- Allergies, Asthma
- Skin Problems: acne, cystic acne, rosacea, dermatitis, ichthyosis, psoriasis, vitiligo, melasma
- Inflammation: arthritis, rhinitis, joint & muscle pain, migraines, headaches
- Sleep Problems, Insomnia
- Gut Problems: IBS/IBD, bloating, acid reflux, gas, constipation, diarrhea, parasites, fungal/yeast overgrowths
- Hormonal Imbalances: PCOS, PMS symptoms, weight problems/inability to lose weight, thyroid problems
- Hair Loss, Alopecia
- Sleep problems/Insomnia
- Mood Imbalances: anxiety, depression, irritability
- Metabolic Dysfunction, Type 2 Diabetes
- Optimizing Wellness for Successful Pregnancy
- Autoimmune Conditions
- Bone Health: osteopenia/ osteoporosis
- Effective Anti-Aging Strategies without Injectables with the inside-out & outside-in approach
- Detoxification of Heavy Metals, Mycotoxins, Environmental Toxins
- Reversing Breast Implant Illness
- Preparation for the Explant Surgery and Optimization of Wellness & Vitality Post-Explant
With Love & Gratitude,
Natalie Maibenko
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