34: Getting to the Root Cause of Fatigue: A Functional Medicine Approach with Dr. Alex Carrasco

In this episode of The Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations Podcast, Dr. Izabella Wentz interviews Dr. Alex Carrasco, a board-certified physician, bestselling author, and founder of Nourish Medicine. Together, they unpack the many root causes of fatigue that go far beyond thyroid function. Dr. Carrasco shares how nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins like mold, and even genetic polymorphisms can contribute to chronic exhaustion, especially in women with thyroid conditions. Listeners will walk away with a better understanding of why fatigue is a multifactorial issue and how to reclaim their energy with actionable strategies that include smarter supplementation, personalized testing, and simple lifestyle upgrades. Tune in to learn more about how to uncover and address the real causes behind chronic fatigue. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why fatigue is rarely caused by just one thing — and how to uncover all the hidden “logs” in your bonfire. Dr. Carrasco shares her metaphor of fatigue as a bonfire fueled by many logs — like nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, chronic infections, and emotional stress — and how removing them one by one can lead to real healing. The critical nutrient deficiencies that can mimic thyroid issues (it’s not just B12!).  Low levels of thiamine, ferritin, vitamin D, and CoQ10 can all contribute to fatigue, brain fog, and other symptoms that are often misattributed to thyroid dysfunction alone. The sleep mistake almost everyone makes — and how a simple circadian reset can help. Unfiltered morning sunlight and limiting blue light at night can dramatically improve sleep quality and energy levels throughout the day. The genetic blueprint that could explain your symptoms (plus what foods can help!). Polymorphisms like MTHFR and COMT can impact how your body handles nutrients, stress, and neurotransmitters, and knowing your genetic tendencies can help you eat and supplement smarter. The overlooked environmental factor that might be hiding in your home, office… or car. Mold exposure can suppress the immune system, drain your energy, and even impact mood and cognition. Be sure to subscribe to the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast so you don’t miss an episode! Sign up for the Thyroid Pharmacist Weekly Thyroid Solutions Newsletter here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/gift/ For the full list of resources and products mentioned in this episode, and to get the full episode transcript, see complete show notes here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/podcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices