Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — thyroid health

Weight loss failure is rarely just about willpower or diet — hormones are almost always involved. In this Q&A, Dr. Alyssa Burns-Hill of ZRT Laboratory tackles the most common questions from people struggling to lose weight despite their best efforts: from thyroid interference by the contraceptive pill and stress-driven cortisol cravings, to estrogen-reducing supplements, natural progesterone for menopause, and why 5-HTP can be a game-changer for mood, sleep and comfort eating.

Reverse T3 (rT3) is one of the most misunderstood markers in thyroid testing. Often called the “hibernation hormone,” it is frequently claimed — without scientific basis — to block thyroid receptors and slow metabolism. In Part 2 of this series, Margaret Groves of ZRT Laboratory examines what the peer-reviewed literature actually says about rT3, when elevated levels are clinically meaningful, and how to interpret the T3/rT3 ratio in the context of a comprehensive thyroid assessment.

Environmental pollutants are in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink — and in excess, they can profoundly disrupt thyroid hormone synthesis and action. This article explains how iodine and selenium deficiencies develop, how antagonists like bromine, arsenic and mercury exacerbate thyroid dysfunction, and why urine testing for these five elements can reveal the hidden environmental drivers of thyroid symptoms that standard blood tests miss.

Iodine deficiency is more common than many realise. This guide walks through how to assess iodine status using dietary recall, symptom profiling, and a three-part laboratory panel — including thyroid function, thyroglobulin, and urinary iodine and bromine testing.

Thyroid cancer is now among the top 10 most common cancers worldwide, with incidence rising by an average of 5.5% per year. But experts are divided: is this a genuine epidemic, or an epidemic of diagnosis driven by more sensitive imaging? This article reviews the evidence on both sides, explores the role of iodine deficiency, radiation exposure and environmental factors, and explains why thyroid awareness — and monitoring — matters year-round.