What do you do/take to combat an underactive thyroid, i'm told i'll need medication soon, but in the meantime, i know exercise + healthy diet would be good to combat the weight gain, but what can you do to help the thyroid function? Herbs, supplements? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Underactive thyroid
- Thread starter alexia
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mariacallas
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Virgin coconut oil, or coconut oil. If you google "thyroid" and "coconut oil" you will get a wealth of information Alexia.
redsky1718
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i think you will need to take medication for the rest of your life for that!
zombiesarepeaceful
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I already take medication for hypothyroidism. Due to lack of iodine (I think?) My thyroid is swelling. So make sure you eat enough iodine. Other than that I don't know, I eat whatever, my thyroid function is normal after going o nmedication yet my thyroid is still swollen.
malakaix
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Don't mean to hijack the thread here, but for you people with an over or under-reactive thyroid.. does the swelling sensation feel like something is stuck in the left side of your throat?
Yesterday after eating an apple, i noticed it felt like something was caught in my throat.. 20+hours and i still have the feeling, though im thinking it may be my thyroid gland.. i was massively fatigued before this happened and strangely enough now i feel healthier and have more energy with this swollen feeling, its just uncomfortable.
Yesterday after eating an apple, i noticed it felt like something was caught in my throat.. 20+hours and i still have the feeling, though im thinking it may be my thyroid gland.. i was massively fatigued before this happened and strangely enough now i feel healthier and have more energy with this swollen feeling, its just uncomfortable.
lostNfound
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Are you on thyroxine then already?
Sentience
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Consult your doctor before taking my advice or anyone elses, but my unprofessional and unofficial opinion is that if your symptoms are mild enough to not be life threatening that you might want to try exhausting holistic and dietary/herbal therapies first. The standard medical treatment is to supplement thyroid hormones and this results in atrophy of the thyroid gland with severe implications if you ever end up in a situation without access to your medication. Its definitely something to consider and not take lightly, but on the other hand some thyroid problems can become dangerous or life threatening so its good that we have the option as a last resort.
There are a few different potential causes of thyroid problems. It can be auto-immune, related to problems with other glands, be the result of a nutritional deficiency or the over use of stimulants.
http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/holistic_treatment_of_hypothyroidism
http://www.holistichealthtopics.com/HMG/thyroid.html
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/brownstein-hormones.htm
Just a few links to get you started.
There are a few different potential causes of thyroid problems. It can be auto-immune, related to problems with other glands, be the result of a nutritional deficiency or the over use of stimulants.
http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/holistic_treatment_of_hypothyroidism
http://www.holistichealthtopics.com/HMG/thyroid.html
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/brownstein-hormones.htm
Just a few links to get you started.
thanx. I agree that the choice to go on meds is serious, thats why i declined them in jan (it was said I could go without them but would definetly need them in about 6 months). Long story cut short, I came off various psych meds including MASSIVE doses of anti-psychotics/benzos etc as well as and my health is completely different, thyroid massively better, healthy/good weight, clearer skin/eyes, more energy etc. Thanx to all who replied and for the links, i'll check them out cos i want to do all i can to improve/make sure it dosen't get worse if i can help it.
yucatanboy2
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Can you be more specific about what health changes you made to get your thyroid function under control? I am trying to do the same thing.
atara
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Iodine is good, but you need to watch out for the Wolff-Chaikoff effect. Eating a reasonable amount of iodized salt and/or fish is good, taking loads of iodine might not be.
With regard to coconut oil: I hadn't heard of this, so I googled it. The Mayo Clinic is beyond skeptical, offering a flat no: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coconut-oil-thyroid/AN01367/
I figured it was worth looking into anyway. Rabbits fed coconut oil had lower TSH levels and gained less weight compared to rabbits fed soybean oil. The authors state this:
The consumption of saturated fats has shown to assist in regulating the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland and combating the hypothyroid like symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, water retention that may arise through a modern diet high in polyunsaturated fats.(6)
But the citation is bunk. The study is good, but I'm not yet convinced. There are a number of claims -- you'll find them online -- that polyunsaturated fats are bad for thyroid function, and most claimants recommend substituting with saturated fats. Unfortunately, the layer of documented empirical evidence that floats to the top of this Internet bullshit slurry is rather thin, but it goes hand-in-hand with better, more reliable evidence regarding other bodily functions that seems to recommend a lowered polyunsaturated fatty acid intake.
And then there's Mark's Daily Apple. I like Mark, he knows his shit and checks his sources.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/hypothyroid/#axzz21tikCvN2
Mark links us to an extensive compilation of resources re: thyroid disorders. Among the recommendations is selenium, a mineral which is incredibly hard to pin down in foods -- the soil food is grown in can result in the same food having several times as much selenium in the United States as in selenium-deficient soils in China. So selenium is the odd mineral you might actually want to consider supplementing, and the pills are really cheap since you only need a tiny amount.
And coconut oil? While its impact on thyroid function is uncertain, it is known to help with weight maintenance and seems to increase thermogenesis and thus the basal metabolic rate. It may alleviate some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, though its impact on the underlying problem is unclear.
Goat cheese and butter contain some of the same fats as coconut oil. If you don't like the taste of coconut, they're a viable (if expensive) option.
With regard to coconut oil: I hadn't heard of this, so I googled it. The Mayo Clinic is beyond skeptical, offering a flat no: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coconut-oil-thyroid/AN01367/
I figured it was worth looking into anyway. Rabbits fed coconut oil had lower TSH levels and gained less weight compared to rabbits fed soybean oil. The authors state this:
The consumption of saturated fats has shown to assist in regulating the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland and combating the hypothyroid like symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, water retention that may arise through a modern diet high in polyunsaturated fats.(6)
But the citation is bunk. The study is good, but I'm not yet convinced. There are a number of claims -- you'll find them online -- that polyunsaturated fats are bad for thyroid function, and most claimants recommend substituting with saturated fats. Unfortunately, the layer of documented empirical evidence that floats to the top of this Internet bullshit slurry is rather thin, but it goes hand-in-hand with better, more reliable evidence regarding other bodily functions that seems to recommend a lowered polyunsaturated fatty acid intake.
And then there's Mark's Daily Apple. I like Mark, he knows his shit and checks his sources.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/hypothyroid/#axzz21tikCvN2
Mark links us to an extensive compilation of resources re: thyroid disorders. Among the recommendations is selenium, a mineral which is incredibly hard to pin down in foods -- the soil food is grown in can result in the same food having several times as much selenium in the United States as in selenium-deficient soils in China. So selenium is the odd mineral you might actually want to consider supplementing, and the pills are really cheap since you only need a tiny amount.
And coconut oil? While its impact on thyroid function is uncertain, it is known to help with weight maintenance and seems to increase thermogenesis and thus the basal metabolic rate. It may alleviate some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, though its impact on the underlying problem is unclear.
Goat cheese and butter contain some of the same fats as coconut oil. If you don't like the taste of coconut, they're a viable (if expensive) option.
CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT
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OP posted this thread three years ago. Chances are they are no longer a part of BL, and re not looking out for responses to this thread.
yucatanboy2
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Wait... atara, are you saying I can eat MORE saturated fats?!?! Holy shit! I gotta check out the info on this. Healthy living is killing my thyroid! Just kidding, but I will examine the links, thanks for posting them!
modern buddha
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All I had to read was "Mark's Daily Apple" and I was able to guess the rest of what you were going to say. Good thinking on mentioning it.
beccassecret98
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If you have hypothyroidism, you're going to need Levothyroxine. And you'll need it for the rest of your life. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel once it starts working. Any symptoms you may have had (weight gain, fatigue, depression, goiter) should go away soon after your body adjusts to the medication.
If you have Hashimoto's disease (the most common cause of hypothyroidism) be aware that it is an autoimmune disorder, and if you have one autoimmune disorder, you are at risk for others, such as anemia, osteoporosis, and celieac disease.
DO NOT LET YOUR HYPOTHYROIDISM GO UNTREATED. While rare, it is possible for long-term untreated hypothyroidism to cause myexedma coma, which is when your TSH levels get so low for so long that you go into a coma.
Do your research and see a doctor. Ask questions and be informed. With the right treatment your quality of life will improve so much.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hashimotos-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20351855
https://www.healthline.com/health/myxedema
If you have Hashimoto's disease (the most common cause of hypothyroidism) be aware that it is an autoimmune disorder, and if you have one autoimmune disorder, you are at risk for others, such as anemia, osteoporosis, and celieac disease.
DO NOT LET YOUR HYPOTHYROIDISM GO UNTREATED. While rare, it is possible for long-term untreated hypothyroidism to cause myexedma coma, which is when your TSH levels get so low for so long that you go into a coma.
Do your research and see a doctor. Ask questions and be informed. With the right treatment your quality of life will improve so much.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hashimotos-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20351855
https://www.healthline.com/health/myxedema