Loading...

PODCAST

Thyroid Answers Podcast

Dr. Eric Balcavage

Thyroid Answers podcast is focused on providing answers to the most common question people who have a thyroid problems and thyroid symptoms need and want answers to. The podcast is hosted by Dr Eric Balcavage and Dr Erica Riggleman. Both are doctors of functional medicine, chiropractors and certified nutrition specialists. Their practices focus on helping people with thyroid conditions improve their symptoms and regain their health using functional medicine.

health & fitness alternative health

All Episodes

45:05

Episode 251: When "Normal" vs "Optimal" Becomes the...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/10/06

You can feel terrible, have significant symptoms, and still be told your lab work is normal. So you start looking for optimal ranges instead. But is replacing "normal" with "optimal" really helping us understand what's happening? In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains why laboratory values need to be interpreted in the context of symptoms, other lab findings, metabolic demand, and overall physiologic state. A number can be normal but inappropriate, or abnormal but appropriate for the state

en

45:05

Episode 251: When "Normal" vs "Optimal" Becomes the...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/10/06

You know you don't feel well. You're tired. You're gaining weight. You're not recovering the way you used to. Maybe you're dealing with constipation, cold intolerance, low libido, brain fog, or thinning hair. But every time you get your blood work done, you're told everything looks normal. So you go looking for another answer. Maybe someone tells you that your labs aren't actually optimal. Your TSH is technically normal, but perhaps it's not in the "optimal" range. Your Free T3 isn't where someone

en

55:25

Episode 250: When Thyroid Optimization Becomes...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/09/29

What if the reason you keep getting stuck in thyroid care isn't that you haven't found the right treatment yet? What if you've simply been given another number to chase? You started this process because you didn't feel well. Maybe you were tired, gaining weight, cold, dealing with brain fog, constipation, hair loss, or simply didn't feel like yourself. But somewhere along the way, the focus can shift from why you don't feel well to which laboratory value isn't where someone thinks it should be

en

24:56

Episode 249: Why More Effort Can Make Thyroid...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/09/22

You can be doing everything you've been told is "healthy" and still feel like you're getting worse. You cut calories. You cut carbohydrates. You exercise more. You add strength training, cardio, sauna, cold exposure, supplements, and more. Then you look at your labs and see that your free T3 is low, so you add thyroid medication to try to bring that number up. At some point, getting healthy can become a full-time job. The problem is that more effort does not automatically produce more recovery

en

53:39

Episode 248: Your State Determines Whether a Thyroid...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/09/15

Before you decide you need more T4, more T3, a different diet, another supplement, a gut protocol, or hormone replacement, there is a more important question: Did you correctly interpret what was happening in the first place? Every treatment strategy starts with information. A clinician collects laboratory values, symptoms, history, medications, nutrition, lifestyle information, and other relevant data. That information is interpreted, an intended outcome is established, a strategy is chosen, and an

en

01:11:46

Episode 247: Are You Defending the Wrong Hill?

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/09/08

Are You Defending the Wrong Hill in Your Thyroid Recovery? What if the reason you're still struggling with your thyroid symptoms isn't that you haven't tried hard enough? What if you're spending enormous amounts of time, energy, attention, and money defending things you've been told are critical to your recovery, when they may not actually be the most important problem to solve? In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explores the idea of the "hill" you've decided is worth

en

01:03:47

Episode 246: The Optimal Free T3 Myth: Does Your Free...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/09/01

Have you been told your Free T3 needs to be above 4.0 for you to feel good, lose weight, or have "optimal" thyroid function? It's a common claim in the thyroid world. But where did that number actually come from, and does the research support it? In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage takes a closer look at the idea of an "optimal" Free T3 range and why chasing a specific lab value can prevent us from asking the more important question: What does this number actually mean

en

35:26

Episode 245: Is Your Phone Keeping Your Body in...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/08/25

You finally crawl into bed after a long day, grab your phone, and start scrolling. It feels like downtime. But is your body actually experiencing it as recovery? In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explores how your digital habits, especially in the evening, can influence sleep, nervous system activation, recovery, and thyroid physiology. Your phone isn't just a device. Every email, notification, news story, social media post, health video, and late-night Google search

en

53:00

Episode 244: Are Your Healthy Habits Helping You...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/08/18

What if the things you're doing to improve your health are actually creating more demand than your body can handle? Exercise, fasting, cold plunges, sauna, breathwork, supplements, and other popular wellness practices can absolutely be beneficial. But a habit isn't automatically healthy just because it's labeled that way. In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains why the effectiveness of any health strategy depends on your current physiological state and your

en

01:01:57

Episode 243: Are You Nourishing for Optimal Thyroid...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/08/11

Can eating "healthy" actually make your thyroid symptoms worse? In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage continues his series on rhythms and thyroid physiology by exploring one of the most overlooked aspects of thyroid recovery: the signals your eating patterns send to your body. Many people with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's focus on what they eat... cutting gluten, dairy, carbohydrates, or calories... in hopes of improving their thyroid health. But what if the bigger issue isn't food quality... it's

en

54:54

Episode 242: Why Thyroid Recovery Starts With Better...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/08/04

Dr. Balcavage's new book, Is This The Hill?, is now available. Go to drericbalcavage.com/hill for the information or to order. ---------- Is your thyroid medication helping your lab numbers... but you're still exhausted, cold, struggling with brain fog, or unable to lose weight? In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage challenges one of the biggest misconceptions in thyroid care: that replacing thyroid hormone is the same as restoring healthy thyroid function. While thyroid medication and supplements can

en

58:24

Episode 241: Why Mitochondrial Support Isn't Always...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/07/28

Dr. Balcavage's new book, Is This The Hill?, releases at the end of July. Get on the waitlist to receive updates, exclusive bonus content, and early announcements at drericbalcavage.com/hill. Just because a supplement is designed to support mitochondrial function doesn't mean it's supportive for your body right now. In this final episode of Dr. Eric's mitochondrial series, he explores one of the biggest misconceptions in functional medicine: assuming that low mitochondrial function automatically

en

33:17

Episode 240: What Mitochondrial Testing Can and...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/07/21

Mitochondrial testing has become increasingly popular for people dealing with fatigue, hypothyroidism, chronic illness, brain fog, and low energy. But what does an abnormal mitochondrial test actually tell you? In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains why abnormal mitochondrial markers should never be viewed in isolation. While testing may show that mitochondrial function is reduced, it does not automatically explain why. Dr. Eric discusses why low Complex I,

en

01:32:45

Episode 239: Stress, Food, and the Hypothyroid Body...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/07/14

In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage welcomes back functional medicine health coach, chef, and cookbook author Ginny Mahar to discuss the role nutrition, stress, and lifestyle play in supporting thyroid physiology and long-term health. Ginny shares her personal journey from being diagnosed with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's to discovering how food, lifestyle, and root-cause focused care transformed her health after years of being told everything was "normal." Together,

en

47:49

Episode 238: Mitochondrial Dysfunction: The New...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/07/07

In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage challenges one of the biggest trends in functional and integrative medicine: the idea that chronic fatigue, brain fog, poor recovery, and persistent thyroid symptoms are simply the result of "mitochondrial dysfunction." He explains why altered mitochondrial function does not automatically mean your mitochondria are broken, and why reduced energy production is often an adaptive response to the body's current physiologic state rather

en

01:07:06

Episode 237: Why Thyroid Medications and Supplements...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/06/30

In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains why temporary improvement does not always mean true recovery. He explores how thyroid medications, supplements, diets, exercise programs, and other health strategies can create meaningful short-term improvements while failing to address the underlying physiologic state that caused symptoms in the first place. Dr. Balcavage introduces the concepts of resilient physiology, chronic strain, and overload physiology, explaining

en

35:42

Episode 236: Why Does Cholesterol Rise When Thyroid...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/06/23

Many people are told their elevated cholesterol and LDL levels are simply the result of diet, lack of exercise, or genetics. But what if rising cholesterol is actually a clue that thyroid physiology is slowing down? In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains the important relationship between thyroid signaling, T4 to T3 conversion, cellular metabolism, liver function, bile production, and cholesterol regulation. He discusses why cholesterol is essential for health,

en

01:11:46

Episode 235: Your Thyroid Labs Are "Normal"… But Are...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/06/16

If you've ever been told your thyroid labs are "normal" but you still feel exhausted, cold, constipated, anxious, inflamed, or unable to lose weight, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage explores one of the most misunderstood concepts in thyroid care: the difference between a thyroid lab value being normal and being appropriate for your physiology. He explains why thyroid lab markers such as TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and thyroid

en

01:13:38

Episode 234: The GI Connection to Hormone Disorders...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/06/09

Why do so many people continue to struggle with thyroid symptoms, hormone imbalances, fatigue, weight gain, digestive issues, and poor health even when their lab work looks "normal"? In this episode of The Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage sits down with board-certified endocrinologist Dr. Cassie Smith to discuss her new book, Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones, and the critical role gut physiology plays in hormone health. Dr. Smith shares her journey from traditional endocrinology to a more

en

01:17:09

Episode 233: Why So Many People with Thyroid Problems...

Thyroid Answers Podcast ·

2026/06/02

Many people with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's are surprised when they begin experiencing symptoms like bloating, constipation, food sensitivities, gallstones, fat intolerance, reflux, or elevated cholesterol. These issues are often treated as separate conditions, but they may all be connected through one important physiological relationship: the connection between thyroid function, bile flow, gallbladder health, and digestion. In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage explains why thyroid physiology

en

222 results

Similar Podcasts

Доктор Тройняшкин

Доктор Тройняшкин

Healthy Chat

DR ALI BANIHAMOUR

Dingue ‐ RTS

RTS - Radio Télévision Suisse

Optimal Health Daily - Fitness and Nutrition

Optimal Living Daily | Dr. Neal Malik

Muscles by Brussels Radio

Dani Taylor