Hypothyroidism
3 Effective Natural Supplements for Thyroid
May 26, 2017The thyroid gland plays an important role in the functioning of our body. When the body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, it leads to hypothyroidism. Listed below are three natural supplements for thyroid.
1. Selenium
Selenium is an enzyme that is essential for the conversion of thyroxine (T4) into triiodothyronine (T3) hormones. T3 and T4 are hormones produced by the thyroid gland. Insufficiency of selenium can slow down the production of T3 causing Hashimoto’s disease, which is a common cause of hypothyroidism. Foods like Brazil nuts, garlic, seafood like oysters and tuna fish, sunflower seeds are high in natural selenium.
2. Iodine
Iodine is a vital element for the production and utilization of T3 and T4 hormones. Every single cell of the body utilizes T3 for the production of energy. This means a deficiency of iodine can impact every system of the body. Insufficiency of iodine can also lead to goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Iodine insufficiency is a major health problem around the globe. According to a study, one-third of the global population is estimated to have low-iodine intake. One of the best food sources of iodine is iodized salt. Milk, yogurt and cheese are other rich sources of iodine.
A note of caution. Iodine must be supplemented under the supervision of a qualified nutritionist or a functional medicine practitioner. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder in which the patient can swing from low thyroid hormone in the blood and high thyroid hormone in the blood. During the high-thyroid-hormone phase, called “hyperthyroidism”, the patient can have severe side effects like palpitations and tremors with supplemental iodine use. It is best to get iodine with the right balance of iodide in it, often best obtained from natural sources like kelp.
3. Omega – 3 Fatty acids
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is caused by the inflammation of the thyroid gland. Anti-inflammatory foods such as Omega – 3 fatty acids help in reducing inflammation and pain in the body. Foods such as fish oil, flax seed oil, seafood and walnuts are considered as rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega-3 can also be consumed in the form of dietary supplements.
Check out our article Eat Your Way to Thyroid Health! to know more.
Mahesh is a hormone health counsellor & holistic health expert. He has a Mastery Certification in Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis from the US, is certified in Functional Nutrition from Washington State University and uses a wide array of healing modalities to guide his clients to vibrant health and well-being.
Latest posts by Mahesh Jayaraman (see all)
- Getting Pregnant: Your Foundational Health is Most Important - February 15, 2022
- Getting Pregnant after 35 – You CAN do it! - February 1, 2022
- Fertility Testing for Men and Couples Decoded - January 29, 2022
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20172466
