This post discusses the connection between thyroid issues and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome).
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Table of Contents
Who is Betsy Leighton?
I’m a writer, blogger, and healer dedicated to helping individuals reconnect with their innate peace and wholeness by healing nervous system dysregulation. My personal experience with chronic illness called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) shapes my work, and my content offers tools to empower those with chronic illness to improve their well-being and take charge of their health.
I created the Sacred Self-Healing Method and am a trained and certified Safe and Sound Protocol provider, an author, blogger, and A Course in Miracles Teacher. I hold a Master of Divinity in Spiritual Counseling and am a trained spiritual mentor, with certificates in sound healing, aromatherapy, nutrition, and Sacred Deathcare. I offer a self-study certificate program in the Sacred Self-Healing Method, provide spiritual counseling and coaching, courses, and supported subscriptions for the Safe and Sound Protocol.
What is MCAS?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. It can cause severe, disabling symptoms every day, including potentially fatal anaphylaxis.
The common triggers for MCAS are infections, toxic exposures including mold exposure and EMFs, trauma, concussions, and stress.
MCAS often occurs with other chronic conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Managing MCAS is challenging because many healthcare providers are unaware of it, and diagnostic tests can be unreliable. Treatments include antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers in the form of medications and supplements, along with avoiding triggers. Check out this post on managing MCAS.
The case of the suspicious thyroid nodules
When my MCAS symptoms blew up in 2020, I also learned that I had thyroid nodules. It was puzzling to me because I didn’t have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, and my markers indicated that I didn’t have thyroid cancer. I had elevated thyroid antibodies, suggesting that my thyroid was “under attack” by something. But what?
Going low-oxalate
After a year on the low-oxalate diet, trying to lower my thyroid antibody levels (on the assumption that oxalates were contributing to calcification in my body, which was causing the thyroid nodules to form, which in turn were causing my elevated thyroid antibodies), I was no better off. In fact, I had a new thyroid nodule. Ugh!
Eliminating plastics
So then I stripped all plastics from my life as I blogged about here and here. No more Nalgene water bottles. I switched to a Lucite mouthguard for my jaw clenching, and I stopped using all forms of plastic food containers. But my labs still showed the same picture. Hmm.
The “aha!” moment when I connected my thyroid issues and MCAS
Then, when I was researching my post on Cromolyn Sodium, on a whim I googled “cromolyn sodium and thyroid,” and it all came together. It turns out that MCAS can “cause” thyroid issues because the mast cell overactivity affects every organ system. I’m convinced that my overactive mast cells were going around my whole body, crying “wolf!” At the same time that I developed MCAS, I also developed premature atrial contractions (PACs), or extra heartbeats, estrogen dominance, my neuropathy pain went out of control, my joint pain went through the roof, I developed SIBO (more on that coming soon), and it created the conditions for my thyroid nodules to form.
Mast cells cause a spiral of inflammation
Overactive mast cells don’t just cause trouble for no reason. They congregate in areas where you have a past injury or issue. By congregating in areas where they suspect an attack, they send the message that an attack is underway, even though they started it by massing in areas of past injury. So, the body reacts by sending inflammation to that area, which signals for more mast cells to come on the scene, and it spirals out of control. Pretty soon, you have a full-blown issue at the site of a past injury.
I suspect that I had a predisposition for thyroid issues because two of my grandparents did. So it seems plausible that when my mast cells went haywire they massed in the places in my body that were already “hot” spots — my joints, nerves, and heart already had some inflammation from chronic Lyme Disease; likewise, I already had a leaky gut from chronic illness. So it wasn’t a stretch for mast cells to congregate at my thyroid as well.
The bucket theory
The bucket theory simplifies understanding symptom reactions with MCAS. Imagine your body as an empty bucket you don’t want to overflow. Reactions to various stimuli fill the histamine bucket at different rates, forming the total histamine level (how full your bucket is). More histamine means more symptoms. By managing triggers, reducing exposures, and taking medications and supplements, you can control your bucket’s level.
Know your typical symptom progression
Understanding your symptom progression during a flare is key to developing your rescue plan. This post discusses how to recognize symptom progression so you can be prepared to address them.
Get my free ebook, symptom log, and meal plan!
Want a tool to easily track your symptoms?
How thyroid issues and MCAS are interrelated
So, what is the relationship between thyroid issues and MCAS? The research I’ve read points to an interrelation in which, on the one hand, mast cells store and express thyroid hormones. On the other hand, when mast cells degranulate and release their mediators, this can affect thyroid function.
“Among hormones, mast cells can store thyroid hormone (T3) and express membrane-bound thyroid-stimulating hormone receptors (TSHRs), thus suggesting from one hand that thyroid function may affect mast cell function, on the other that mast cell degranulation may impact on thyroid function.” – Source
Another source showed that mast cells play a role in thyroid function. – Source
The link to Cromolyn Sodium
Since I started taking Cromolyn Sodium, I’ve been keen to understand how it works in the body to calm mast cells. I’ve learned that Cromolyn Sodium is a mast cell stabilizer, which prevents mast cells from releasing their mediators. In this post, I discuss how Cromolyn Sodium can reduce obesity, cholesterol levels, and liver dysfunction, and even reverse thyroid cancer.
“The proliferation of thyroid cancer cells and their vascularization were reverted by sodium cromoglycate (Cromolyn), a specific MC degranulation inhibitor, suggesting that mast cells are cornerstone elements in the inflammatory microenvironment of thyroid cancer” – Source
So, it makes sense to me that MCAS precipitated my thyroid issues. And I’m thrilled to be using Cromolyn Sodium to hopefully reverse my thyroid issues.
Check out these circadian health tools!
I’m an affiliate with Bon Charge, a company that makes tools for circadian health, and you can receive 15% off your order with my coupon code BETSYL.
Bon Charge offers tools such as yellow– and red-tone blue-blocking glasses, red light therapy devices, PEMF mats, infrared saunas, and EMF-blocking products.
Sign up for the SSP!
I’ve found the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) to be the most helpful bottom-up healing strategy if your nervous system has been overloaded with toxic exposures, including mold or non-native EMFs, chronic infections, concussions, stress, or trauma. The SSP is a passive listening therapy that helps heal nervous system dysregulation. Many people with MCAS and other chronic conditions have nervous system dysregulation stemming from infections, toxic exposures, concussions, and trauma. The SSP is an easy-to-use app that lets you listen to specially filtered music for 30 minutes each day as part of a 5-hour cycle. Studies show the SSP has a profound effect on mental health and chronic conditions. Here’s a short podcast describing the Safe and Sound Protocol.
You can sign up for the SSP here!
Heal your mind!
While the SSP is a bottom-up, somatic therapy for healing the nervous system, the Sacred Self-Healing Method I offer is a top-down nervous system-healing modality that focuses on cognition, attention, perception, and emotion, using the mind’s higher functions. The SSP and the Sacred Self-Healing Method complement each other and together produce lasting results. Here’s a short podcast on my self-healing practice.
I provide one-on-one in-person and remote chronic illness and caregiver coaching, as well as Sacred Self-Healing Sessions based on the Sacred Self-Healing Method, a proven, novel co-creative healing modality detailed in my Books.
Order my books!
Here’s a short podcast highlighting my five books.
My latest book, Living In The Light: Healing with Forgiveness, Sound, and Light, is all about the tools that have been most helpful for me to heal: forgiveness, sound, through nervous system retraining using the Safe and Sound Protocol, and light, through entraining my circadian rhythm with the energy of the sun. Living In The Light is available here!
Rocks and Roots chronicles my solo backpacking journey on the Superior Hiking Trail and my efforts to overcome nervous system dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome symptoms to complete the 328-mile hike successfully.
The Sacred Self-Healing Method ebook is available here and in most ebook retailers!
The Sacred Self-Healing Workbook is available for purchase here!
Betsy’s first book, Sacred Self-Healing: Finding Peace Through Forgiveness, is available here
Companion Recordings
The companion audio recordings of chants, guided meditations, and sound healing demonstrations that accompany the Sacred Self-Healing Method are available for free on my YouTube channel here
What do you think?
I’d love to have your reply below!
Disclaimer
The preceding material does not constitute medical advice. This information is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, cure, or treatment.
