Dr. Anshul Gupta turned his own health struggles—including unresolved reflux and fatigue—into a catalyst for transforming how we approach thyroid and gut health. In this empowering conversation, he shares why standard care often falls short and how root-cause healing through functional medicine can reverse Hashimoto’s, reduce reflux, and restore vitality. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or feeling stuck, Dr. Gupta’s story offers practical insight and renewed hope.
Dr. Anshul Gupta’s Journey into Functional Medicine and Reflux
Josef Kreitmayer
Welcome to another amazing session here at the Reflux Summit. I’m happy to welcome our wonderful guest, Dr. Anshul Gupta.
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Thank you so much for having me. It’s really a pleasure.
Josef Kreitmayer
Dr. Gupta is a former Cleveland Clinic medical doctor and now a functional medicine practitioner on a mission to help one billion people improve their health. He specializes in thyroid disorders, Hashimoto’s, and gut health, with a patient-first, empowerment-focused approach. He was awarded Best Doctor in Virginia’s Northern Neck in 2018 and currently runs a fully online practice. Dr. Gupta, is there anything you’d like to add?
Dr. Anshul Gupta
That covers it well. I trained traditionally in family medicine, but my own health struggles led me to explore alternative treatments and ultimately transition into functional medicine. I now work with patients worldwide to help them regain their health.
Josef Kreitmayer
You mentioned that reflux was part of your personal journey. Can you tell us more?
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Absolutely. After finishing my residency and starting practice, I began experiencing unexplained stomach pain—sharp, burning, and random. Along with that came bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain.
Being an MD, I assumed it was reflux and started omeprazole. When that didn’t help, I added H2 blockers like ranitidine, then antacids, but nothing worked.
Eventually, I consulted GI specialists. Despite multiple tests—endoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasounds—everything looked normal except for mild gastritis and a small hiatal hernia. More medications were prescribed, but I wasn’t improving.
I was only 32 and taking five different medications. It felt unsustainable.
A friend suggested functional medicine. I got trained, investigated my root causes, and changed my lifestyle—diet, gentle workouts, stress management, basic supplements, and gut microbiome testing.
Within a month, the pain was gone. Six months later, I was off all medications, lost over 40 pounds, and had so much energy that I ran a 5K. That experience completely changed my perspective and inspired my functional medicine practice.
The Power of Diet and Lifestyle Changes
Josef Kreitmayer
That’s such a relatable story. What do you think were the most important changes that helped?
Dr. Anshul Gupta
It wasn’t just one thing—it was a combination. The biggest factor was diet. During residency, my eating habits were terrible—on-the-go meals, lots of caffeine, and processed food.
I discovered dairy was a major trigger for me, even though allergy tests didn’t show anything. Cutting dairy helped significantly, as did reducing caffeine.
Managing stress was also critical. I began deep breathing and meditation for 10 to 15 minutes a day.
Lastly, I started eating dinner earlier and taking short walks afterward, which greatly improved digestion and nighttime reflux.
Gaps in Conventional Reflux Treatment
Josef Kreitmayer
These insights aren’t commonly discussed in conventional medicine, are they?
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Not at all. Even as a doctor, I didn’t believe lifestyle factors mattered. My specialist friends didn’t mention them either.
The biggest issue is time—doctors often have only a few minutes per patient. There’s no room to explore diet, stress, or habits.
Ideally, care should involve a team approach with health coaches or nutritionists supporting patients, while physicians rule out serious disease.
Unfortunately, the current system mostly offers PPIs, H2 blockers, and surgery. Many patients are on long-term PPIs without realizing they were never meant to be permanent.
How Thyroid Dysfunction Can Cause Reflux
Josef Kreitmayer
As a thyroid specialist, can you explain the connection between thyroid disorders and reflux?
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Yes. Not every reflux patient has thyroid issues, but many thyroid patients experience reflux.
Thyroid hormones affect the entire GI tract—from the esophagus to the intestines. In hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, the lower esophageal sphincter can weaken, allowing acid to flow upward.
Thyroid dysfunction also slows gut motility, causing food to sit longer, ferment, and create gas and acid. Constipation is common and can lead to SIBO, further worsening reflux.
Understanding Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Disease
Josef Kreitmayer
What are the different types of thyroid dysfunction, and how common are they?
Dr. Anshul Gupta
There’s hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and Hashimoto’s—an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the thyroid, often leading to hypothyroidism.
Hashimoto’s is now the leading cause of hypothyroidism worldwide and often goes undiagnosed.
In the U.S., 10 to 30 percent of middle-aged women may have hypothyroidism, and many are never tested for Hashimoto’s.
Most doctors only check TSH, which isn’t enough. Proper testing includes T4, T3, and antibodies like TPO and thyroglobulin.
Symptoms and Testing for Thyroid Dysfunction
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, depression, constipation, cold intolerance, menstrual irregularities, infertility, and chronic pain.
You don’t need all symptoms to justify testing—thin people can have thyroid disease too.
Testing should include TSH, free T4, free T3, and thyroid antibodies. Unfortunately, most providers only test TSH.
What to Do If You Have Hashimoto’s or Low Thyroid
Dr. Anshul Gupta
If antibodies are elevated but hormones are normal, conventional medicine usually does nothing. When hormones drop, levothyroxine is prescribed—but that doesn’t address the autoimmune root cause.
Functional medicine focuses on lowering antibodies and preserving thyroid function, which can prevent progression and sometimes reduce or eliminate the need for medication.
Root Causes of Hashimoto’s and Functional Medicine’s Approach
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Hashimoto’s results from genetics plus environmental triggers. We can’t change genes, but we can change exposures.
The five major root causes are food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, infections, and toxins.
Common triggers include dairy, gluten, soy, nutrient deficiencies like selenium and zinc, infections such as Epstein–Barr virus or parasites, and toxins like mold, heavy metals, and plastics.
Functional medicine addresses each factor step by step.
Nutritional Support and Supplementation
Dr. Anshul Gupta
Supplements can help short term, but food is foundational.
Selenium can come from one to two Brazil nuts daily.
Zinc from seafood, pumpkin seeds, and legumes.
L-tyrosine from animal protein or plant combinations like lentils and seeds.
Magnesium from spinach and pumpkin seeds, though supplements are often needed.
Avoid magnesium oxide. Use citrate for constipation, glycinate for sleep, and threonate for brain fog.
Iodine should come from food sources like seaweed or iodized salt—too much or too little can worsen Hashimoto’s.
Hidden Infections and Mold Exposure
Dr. Anshul Gupta
H. pylori is a common infection linked to both reflux and Hashimoto’s. Testing can be done through stool or breath tests.
Parasites like Blastocystis are often missed and require PCR-based stool testing.
Mold exposure is another hidden trigger—even without visible mold. Mycotoxins can disrupt immune function.
Candida overgrowth is also common and can be detected through stool, blood, or urine organic acid testing.
Real-World Outcomes: A Case Study
Dr. Anshul Gupta
A 36-year-old woman came to me with years of fatigue, bloating, depression, and Hashimoto’s. Medications hadn’t helped.
We identified dietary triggers, mold exposure, gut infections, and adrenal imbalance.
Within one month, her energy returned. After six months, her thyroid antibodies dropped from over 1,000 to 150.
Her conventional doctor was shocked. Most importantly, she got her life back.
Final Message of Hope
Dr. Anshul Gupta
If you’re struggling with reflux or thyroid issues, don’t give up. I was there myself.
Ten years later, I’m healthy and medication-free.
You can heal too—find the right practitioner, identify root causes, and take action.
