What Causes Reverse T3 Dominance?

Prolonged stress is the major cause of reverse T3 dominance.

Unrelenting stress results in high levels of cortisol, the main hormone released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Elevated cortisol inhibits conversion of T4 into T3, reducing active T3 levels. T4 is instead converted to reverse T3, an inactive form of triiodothyronine (T3)

Reverse T3 dominance may persist even when your stress levels settle down and cortisol levels return to normal. This is because the reverse T3 continues to inhibit the conversion of T4 to T3, perpetuating production of the inactive T3 hormone.

T3 is the active thyroid hormone and every cell in the body has molecular docking stations for T3. If you have reverse T3 dominance T4 is no longer converting to T3, but is being shunted towards the production of inactive 'reverse T3'.

Reverse T3 has the same molecular structure as T3 however it is a mirror image of T3 and therefore fits into the receptor upside down. This prevents the active T3 from binding to the receptor site and activating the appropriate thyroid response.

Reverse T3 slows metabolism, causing weight gain. It also causes the typical signs & symptoms of hypothyroidism.

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