Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck—but it has a massive impact on how you feel every day. It helps regulate metabolism, energy production, mood, weight, heart rate, and body temperature. When your thyroid isn’t working properly, it can feel like your whole body is “slowed down” or out of sync.

Thyroid problems are extremely common, especially hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune form of low thyroid function. Many people in Del Mar and the surrounding coastal communities struggle with symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, hair loss, and low mood for years before getting answers.

This is where natural thyroid care and personalized bioidentical thyroid treatment can make a real difference.

Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all prescription, a natural, integrative approach looks deeper—at hormone levels, but also at autoimmunity, nutrient status, gut health, adrenal function, and lifestyle. Bioidentical thyroid treatment uses hormones that closely match what the body naturally produces and can be tailored to the individual’s needs, helping restore more balanced metabolism and energy.

The Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine, located in Encinitas and serving Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad, La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, and the broader North County area, is a trusted resource for patients seeking this kind of comprehensive care. Under the guidance of Dr. Mark Stengler, patients receive evidence-based, root-cause, and faith-respecting thyroid care—without new-age practices, and with prayer available upon request for those who desire it.

Understanding Thyroid Function and Thyroid Imbalance

The Thyroid’s Role in the Body

Your thyroid produces two primary hormones:

• T4 (thyroxine) – the storage form of thyroid hormone
• T3 (triiodothyronine) – the active form that your cells actually use

T4 is converted into T3 in various tissues, including the liver and gut. Adequate T3 is essential for:

• Metabolism and weight regulation
• Brain function and mood
• Heart and cardiovascular health
• Energy production and body temperature

All of this is controlled by the hypothalamus–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis. The hypothalamus in the brain signals the pituitary gland, which then produces TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). TSH tells the thyroid to make T4 and T3. When this axis is disrupted—or when conversion and cellular sensitivity are impaired—symptoms can develop even if basic labs look “okay.”

Common Thyroid Conditions

Several thyroid conditions frequently show up in clinical practice:

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid):
  The gland doesn’t produce sufficient thyroid hormone, or the body isn’t using it effectively.
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune hypothyroidism):
  The immune system mistakenly attacks thyroid tissue, gradually weakening its function. This is one of the most common causes of low thyroid in women.
• Subclinical hypothyroidism:
  Thyroid function is “borderline”—labs may be only slightly off or technically within normal ranges, but symptoms are present.
• Hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease (less common but important to acknowledge):
  The thyroid becomes overactive, leading to symptoms like rapid heart rate, anxiety, weight loss, and heat intolerance.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction

Thyroid issues can affect almost every system in the body. Common symptoms include:

• Fatigue and low energy, even after a full night’s sleep
• Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight despite diet and exercise
• Hair loss or thinning hair, including thinning of the outer eyebrows
• Cold hands and feet, or generally feeling cold when others are comfortable
• Low body temperature
• Brain fog, poor concentration, or memory issues
• Low mood, irritability, or anxiety
• Constipation and sluggish digestion
• Dry skin, brittle nails
• Menstrual changes, including irregular or heavy periods

What Is Bioidentical Thyroid Treatment?

Bioidentical Thyroid Hormones Explained

“Bioidentical” thyroid hormones are hormones that are structurally identical to those your body naturally produces. In other words, their molecular structure matches human thyroid hormone, so your cells recognize and use them in the same way they would your own hormones.

The main thyroid hormones used in treatment are:

• T4 (thyroxine) – the storage form, which can be converted into T3
• T3 (triiodothyronine) – the active form that drives metabolism and energy at the cellular level

Bioidentical thyroid therapy may include:

• T4 and T3 in forms that closely match human thyroid hormone, and
• Carefully selected forms of natural desiccated thyroid or combination T4/T3 preparations (without naming specific brands), tailored to the patient’s needs.

How Bioidentical Thyroid Therapy Differs from Standard Care

In standard care, most patients receive a single synthetic T4-only medication at a standard dose that is gradually adjusted to normalize TSH. While this works well for some, many others continue to feel tired, foggy, or “off” despite “normal” numbers.

Bioidentical thyroid therapy is different in several key ways:

• Customized dosing of T4 and T3
  Doses are individualized based on symptoms plus comprehensive labs, not just a single TSH value.
• Flexibility in T4:T3 ratios
  Some patients feel best with more T3 support, while others do well with more T4. Bioidentical therapy offers the ability to fine-tune these ratios to improve symptom control.
• Focus on tissue-level T3
  Instead of only aiming for normal lab ranges, the goal is to optimize tissue-level thyroid activity—how your body actually feels and functions: energy, mood, digestion, body temperature, and cognitive clarity.

Safety and Monitoring with Bioidentical Hormones

When prescribed and monitored properly, bioidentical thyroid hormones can be a safe and highly effective option.

Key safety measures include:

• Evidence-based dosing
  Doses are carefully selected and adjusted based on clinical guidelines, research, and the patient’s unique health profile.
• Regular lab testing and clinical follow-up
  Ongoing monitoring of TSH, Free T4, Free T3, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies, along with symptom review, helps ensure that hormone levels remain in a safe, effective range.
• Screening for contraindications
  The Stengler Center evaluates heart health, bone density risk, and other factors to avoid over-treatment and protect long-term wellbeing.

The Stengler Center’s Approach to Natural Thyroid Care

Comprehensive Thyroid Evaluation

At the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine, thyroid care begins with a thorough, whole-person evaluation, which typically includes:

• Detailed history and symptom review
  Exploring your energy, mood, weight changes, sleep, digestion, menstrual cycle, and other factors.
  
  
• Full thyroid lab panel, which may include:
  
  • TSH
  • Free T4
  • Free T3
  • Reverse T3
  • Thyroid antibodies (such as TPO and Tg antibodies)
• Related labs, such as:
  
  • Adrenal function (cortisol patterns)
  • Sex hormones when appropriate
  • Micronutrient levels (iron, vitamin D, B12, zinc, selenium, etc.)
  • Inflammation markers

This deeper assessment allows for a much more precise diagnosis and treatment plan than a TSH-only approach.

Personalized Bioidentical Thyroid Treatment Plans

Using the results of your evaluation, Dr. Stengler develops a customized thyroid plan that may include:

• Tailored thyroid hormone dosing using T4, T3, or a combination, depending on your physiology and lab findings.
• Adjustments over time based on your symptoms, lab trends, and overall response.
• Coordination with existing prescriptions from other providers when needed, ensuring that care is safe, seamless, and well-communicated.

The goal is not just to normalize numbers, but to help you experience real, day-to-day improvements in energy, mental clarity, mood, weight management, and quality of life.

Faith-Respecting, Patient-Centered Care

A hallmark of the Stengler Center is care that honors both your health and your values.

• The clinic provides a Christian-respecting environment, avoiding new-age practices while embracing a compassionate, ethical, and respectful approach to every patient.
• Prayer is offered upon request, for those who would like spiritual support as part of their healing journey.
• There is a strong emphasis on integrity, honesty, and clear communication, so you always understand your options and feel supported in your decisions.

For patients in Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad, La Jolla, and throughout North County, this combination of advanced functional medicine, personalized bioidentical treatment, and faith-respecting care makes the Stengler Center a unique and trusted place for natural thyroid healing.

Find Personalized Natural Thyroid Care in Del Mar

Optimal thyroid health is never just about one number on a lab report. It requires a careful, thoughtful look at the root causes that impact how your thyroid functions day to day—autoimmunity, nutrition, gut health, chronic stress, adrenal balance, sex hormones, and environmental toxin exposure. When these areas are properly evaluated and supported, the thyroid is far more likely to respond and stabilize.

Through bioidentical thyroid treatment combined with integrative support, many patients experience real, meaningful change. You don’t have to settle for being told “everything looks normal” when you still feel far from your best. If you’re living with “normal labs but abnormal symptoms,” it’s time to seek a more complete evaluation—one that listens to your story, respects your values, and looks at the full picture of your health.

If you live in Del Mar or the surrounding North County area, the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine is here to help you pursue true healing, not just symptom management.

Contact the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine

Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine
📍 324 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas, CA 92024
📞 760-274-2377 📞 855.DOC.MARK
📧 clinic@markstengler.com 🌐 https://www.markstengler.com/contact

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