Did you know that more than 12% of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime?
In fact, an estimated 20 million people in the U.S. currently have a thyroid disorder, and Levothyroxine (thyroid hormone) is the 2nd most prescribed drug in the country!
Genes play a significant role in determining whether or not you’ll be part of the 12% that develops thyroid issues.
But even if your genes show that you’re predisposed to autoimmune disorders, that doesn’t mean that it’s guaranteed or even likely to happen.
Many of the genetic variants can be counteracted by a healthy diet and lifestyle that is tailored to your genes.
Healthy thyroid function is especially critical now because of its importance in boosting your immune system, helping you fight infections that come your way.
Today, we’ll be covering 3 genes that affect thyroid health – the CTLA4, TPO, and FCRL3 genes.
The Immunity Genes That Affect Your Thyroid Health
CTLA4 Gene
The CTLA4 gene keeps your T-cells in control. If your T cells are too active for too long, your immune response will start to mistake your normal cells as foreign, and start attacking your thyroid! This can lead to hypothyroidism.
My genetic variants show some mixed results:
There’s a specific supplement that increases CTLA4 and counteracts the negative effects of this variant.
Find out whether you have variants that are linked to a 64% higher rate of Hashimoto’s Disease and what supplement to take to counteract the negative effects.
TPO Gene
The TPO gene codes for an enzyme that’s used in a critical step in the production of thyroid hormones.
But certain variants of the TPO gene suppress thyroid function, causing thyroid cell damage and increasing the risk of autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s Disease.
Find out which variants increase your chances of Graves’ and Hashimoto’s Disease by 45% and 64%!
There are specific toxins that increase anti-TPO antibodies, as well as supplements that can lower it. If you have or ever had anti-TPO antibodies, then you will want to understand how this gene is contributing to that and what you can do to counteract the effects.
FCRL3 Gene
Some variants can increase FCRL3 expression, which can cause inflammation by allowing the survival of self-attacking B-cells that create antibodies to your thyroid.
There’s a particular supplement that we speak about in the post that inhibits the inflammatory effects of FCRL3.
See if your FCRL3 gene is contributing to thyroid inflammation!
How To See Your Personalized Results
If you want to see your personalized results on the SelfDecode blog, just sign up for a membership and upload your DNA to see your genotypes for the three genes discussed above (plus more we didn’t discuss!). With an annual membership, you get unlimited access to the blog plus 3 DNA Wellness Report credits, so you can save one credit to use for the thyroid report when you get early access as a member! With a lifetime membership, you get access to all current and future DNA Wellness Reports at no extra cost so you’ll automatically have access to the report once it’s released.