Hundreds of thousands of individuals at the moment are taking drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro) to handle blood sugar or drop some weight. These medication work, and for many individuals they’ve made an actual distinction. They’re a really highly effective crutch.
However there is a intestine downside that is quietly exhibiting up in a number of the folks taking these drugs, a intestine downside that the majority docs aren’t warning their sufferers about, as I’ve written about beforehand. It is known as SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. And in case your thyroid gland is not working correctly, your danger may even be increased.
First, What Is SIBO?
Your digestive tract is house to trillions of micro organism. The micro organism are concentrated within the colon, the massive gut. SIBO occurs when these micro organism take up residence in your small gut, the place they do not belong in massive numbers.
Having micro organism in your small gut is an actual downside. They trigger a whole lot of bloating, fuel, persistent constipation, or diarrhea that results in fatigue, mind fog, and poor nutrient absorption.
Your physique has hassle absorbing key nutritional vitamins and minerals, resembling B12, iron, and magnesium, in addition to different vitamins it must perform nicely. SIBO might be very disruptive to your life, making it exhausting to eat regular meals and making social interactions centered round meals extraordinarily tough. Carbohydrate-containing meals are notably tough to digest, resulting in a whole lot of bloating and ache.
Why GLP-1 Medication Can Set off SIBO
GLP medication may help you management your blood sugar. A method they do that is by slowing down how shortly meals strikes by way of your intestine, and that is on goal. It prevents the blood sugar spikes after meals. However a sluggish intestine can also be the right atmosphere for micro organism to develop the place they do not belong.
A big 2025 examine by Dr. Yan Solar and colleagues at Case Western Reserve College examined greater than 216,000 sufferers with diabetes. These taking GLP-1 medication had greater than twice the chance of growing SIBO in comparison with folks on different diabetes drugs. The researchers concluded that docs ought to check sufferers for SIBO earlier than giving them these medication.
Now Add a Sluggish Thyroid
Your thyroid gland — a small butterfly-shaped gland in your neck — controls your metabolism. This consists of how nicely your meals strikes by way of your intestine. When your thyroid is low, your total digestive system slows down.
The muscle tissue that push meals ahead by way of your intestines (peristalsis) do not work very effectively in case your thyroid perform is low. That is the identical slowdown that GLP-1 medication trigger, and the analysis reveals that hypothyroidism (low thyroid perform) already considerably raises SIBO dangers by itself.
In a widely known examine, Dr. Elisa Lauritano and colleagues in Rome discovered that 54% of sufferers with low thyroid perform had SIBO, in comparison with simply 5% of individuals with regular thyroid perform. Cease for only a second and take into consideration that. Greater than half of individuals with low thyroid perform had SIBO, however folks with regular thyroid perform hardly had it in any respect. So, low thyroid perform is a big danger issue for SIBO.
A 2025 examine by Dr. Ming Wei and colleagues at Cedars-Sinai discovered comparable outcomes, with SIBO in practically one in three hypothyroid sufferers versus one in six within the management group. So that is confirmed in multiple examine. Low thyroid perform could be very a lot linked to SIBO.
And this is the shocking half: You do not have to have a severe thyroid downside to your danger to go up. A examine by Dr. Biao Wang and colleagues discovered that ladies with borderline low thyroid (a situation known as subclinical hypothyroidism that usually goes undiagnosed and untreated) had SIBO charges of 57% versus 32% in these with regular thyroid ranges. Borderline thyroid issues are much more frequent than folks notice.
If a GLP-1 drug is already slowing your intestine, and your thyroid is including extra of the identical, these two issues are working collectively in a manner that might make your life very depressing very quickly.
It Goes Each Methods
The interplay goes each methods. SIBO would not simply consequence from thyroid issues; it may possibly additionally assist trigger them. Analysis by Dr. Sina Mehravar and colleagues at Cedars-Sinai discovered that individuals with SIBO have been 2.5 occasions extra prone to develop Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune thyroid situation) over the next six years. A struggling intestine seems to set off immune system dysfunction, which then assaults the thyroid.
The intestine and thyroid are linked in ways in which run in each instructions. You may’t totally take care of one whereas ignoring the opposite.
What You Can Do to Decrease Your Danger of SIBO
The excellent news is that you would be able to help your thyroid perform naturally with meals and way of life. You do not normally want drugs.
Selenium
Selenium is crucial nutrient right here. A 2024 overview of 35 scientific trials by Dr. Valentina Huwiler and colleagues at Bern College Hospital discovered that selenium decreased immune markers related to thyroid harm in Hashimoto’s sufferers. Brazil nuts are probably the greatest pure sources — one or two a day is sufficient. Sunflower seeds and complete grains additionally present selenium.
Our Hallelujah Weight loss program Glutathione Promoter not solely has N-acetylcysteine in it, but additionally 200 micrograms of selenium per capsule, which could be very protecting to your thyroid.
Iodine
Iodine issues too, since your thyroid wants it to make the hormones that regulate your metabolism. However watch out with iodine dietary supplements in case you have Hashimoto’s — an excessive amount of can really worsen the autoimmune response in some folks. Getting iodine from meals (like sea greens in reasonable quantities) is protected for most individuals. Hallelujah Weight loss program Nascent Iodine might be diluted to protected ranges for most individuals as nicely. Verify along with your supplier earlier than supplementing.
Anti-Inflammatory Weight loss program
Past particular vitamins, an anti-inflammatory, plant-based, whole-foods weight-reduction plan helps each the thyroid and the intestine. Eliminating processed meals, consuming crops, and extra fiber straight reduces the irritation that drives autoimmune thyroid illness, and helps maintain intestine micro organism the place they belong.
Two Easy Steps to Take Now
First, in case you’re on a GLP-1 drug, ask your physician to examine your thyroid. A fundamental TSH and free T4 blood check is all that’s wanted. Even borderline outcomes are price addressing, particularly whenever you’re already on a drugs that slows your intestine.
Second, in case you have SIBO, ensure your thyroid is a part of the dialog. The bacterial overgrowth is only a symptom of impaired intestine motility. Meals just isn’t transferring by way of quick sufficient, and that’s what must be addressed. The analysis has clearly proven that your thyroid perform is a serious participant in your intestine perform.
GLP-1 medication are a crutch, and they’re a robust one which many individuals try out. They provide folks hope that life might be completely different.
You continue to must make way of life and dietary adjustments to maintain the burden off. Take a look at our full information on wholesome weight reduction for extra concepts. You actually cannot keep on the GLP-1 medication ceaselessly. However whilst you’re utilizing them, you wish to be sure you help your thyroid perform in order that you do not find yourself with SIBO. That will put you in a worse place than you began in.
At Hallelujah Weight loss program, our mission is to equip you in order that your well being empowers you to perform the mission that God has for you. Undecided the right way to get began? Be taught extra proper right here.
References
Huwiler, V. V., Maissen-Abgottspon, S., Stanga, Z., Mühlebach, S., Trepp, R., Bally, L., & Bano, A. (2024). Selenium supplementation in sufferers with Hashimoto thyroiditis: A scientific overview and meta-analysis of randomized scientific trials. Thyroid, 34(3), 295–313.
Lauritano, E. C., Bilotta, A. L., Gabrielli, M., Scarpellini, E., Lupascu, A., Laginestra, A., Novi, M., Sottili, S., Serricchio, M., Cammarota, G., Gasbarrini, G., Pontecorvi, A., & Gasbarrini, A. (2007). Affiliation between hypothyroidism and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. The Journal of Medical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92(11), 4180–4184.
Mehravar, S., Wei, M., Leite, G., Barlow, G., Rezaie, A., Naji, P., Pimentel, M., & Mathur, R. (2025). SUN-396 Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth related to increased danger of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 9.
Solar, Y., Veccia, D., Liu, B. D. X., Tse, W., Fass, R., & Tune, G. (2025). Diagnostic analysis of an elevated danger of growing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth related to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and twin GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists: A world retrospective multicenter cohort evaluation. Diagnostics, 15(17), Article 2264.
Wang, B., Xu, Y., Hou, X., Li, J., Cai, Y., Hao, Y., Ouyang, Q., Wu, B., Solar, Z., Zhang, M., & Ban, Y. (2021). Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in subclinical hypothyroidism of pregnant girls. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12, Article 604070.
Wei, M., Mehravar, S., Leite, G., Naji, P., Barlow, G., Hosseini, A., Rashid, M., Sanchez, M., Fajardo, C., Pimentel, M., & Mathur, R. (2025). Relationship between hypothyroidism, danger of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and duodenal microbiome alterations. The Journal of Medical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Advance on-line publication.
