Improved Thyroid Health with Natural Thyroid Supplements
A sluggish or underactive thyroid can have a significant impact on daily life. Symptoms like fatigue, depression, mental fog and a host of many others can make it difficult to get through the day. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism is actually a step in the right direction. Once you know what is causing these life-altering symptoms, you can make changes to get your life on track.
In addition to medication your doctor might prescribe, there are also natural thyroid supplements that may aid in better thyroid health. Before you start any new change to your diet or supplementation, you should discuss it at length with your health care provider. In the first weeks of starting medication, it may be necessary for your doctor to do regular blood tests of the levels of the hormone in your system in order to determine the best dosage for you, therefore it’s important to discuss these changes with him.
There are several natural thyroid supplements on the market today, however, their efficacy has not been established since nutritional supplements are not subject to testing by the FDA. This is why it is important to discuss such supplements with your doctor or health care provider before adding them to your daily regime.
Natural Thyroid Supplements – The Short List
Some of the natural thyroid supplements available for people with an underactive thyroid include:
1. Iodine: today, it is very rare to suffer from hypothyroidism due to an iodine deficiency if you live in a developed country. However, it does happen. Iodine is used by the thyroid to manufacture the hormones necessary for the metabolic processes of the body. Too much iodine can have the reverse effect and suppress thyroid function, so care must be taken to get the level just right.
2. Selenium: this is a trace mineral required for good thyroid health. Selenium helps regulate the thyroid function and is contained in foods such as tuna, chicken, oatmeal, brown rice and walnuts.
3. Tyrosine: tyrosine is an amino acid which the thyroid uses and converts to triidothyronine, an essential hormone in almost every process in the body.
4. Bladderwrack: a seaweed, bladderwrack is rich in iodine but also contains other important nutrients for thyroid health such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.
5. Flaxseed oil: fatty acids such as flaxseed oil are thought to have many health benefits, including improving thyroid functions.
In addition to these natural thyroid supplements, there are some dietary restrictions that apply to people who have an underactive thyroid. Although there is some debate about foods to improve thyroid function, the following foods have been found to actually depress thyroid function and should be avoided.
Cauliflower
broccoli
cabbage
kale
spinach
soy products
dairy foods such as cheese and milk
refined foods
sugar
alcohol
caffeine
wheat
Even small modifications to diet or thyroid supplementation can make a big difference in thyroid levels. The best place to start is with a good multi-vitamin and a few changes in your diet. Make sure to check with your physicians before adding any natural thyroid supplements to your regimen to make sure you’re on the right track to better thyroid health.
