Thyroid Supplements and Your Thyroid
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped, innocuous little gland located at the base of the throat. For most of your life, you will hardly notice it’s there let alone even think about the need for thyroid support supplements.
However, the job of the thyroid is much bigger than its size suggests, and unfortunately, most people will not realize this until something goes wrong. This small gland regulates many of the body’s metabolism processes, including temperature sensitivity, the conversion of food to energy and the body’s usage of other hormones.
Hypothyroidism, also known as an underactive thyroid or sluggish thyroid, can occur in people of any age, although it is most common in women in middle-age. Often, the symptoms are mistaken for other illnesses or conditions, such as menopause, arthritis, an immune system dysfunction or diabetes. Some of the most common symptoms of an underactive thyroid are:
fatigue
weight gain
constipation
low tolerance for cold
joint pain and stiffness
dry skin
hair loss
poor mental processes
depression
hoarseness
lack of menstrual periods
Treating Hypothyroidism with Thyroid Support Supplements
While a doctor may prescribe a thyroid support supplement such as levothyroxine, a synthetic form of the hormone produced by the thyroid, other thyroid support supplements may also help.
The first step in determining what treatment is appropriate for you is to have your thyroid levels checked by a physician specializing in disorders of the thyroid, also known as an endocrinologist. Once the problem has been identified, a treatment plan and the best thyroid support supplements can be implemented.
There has been some debate about how diet and nutrition affects the function of the thyroid. Some foods believed to depress the thyroid function include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, spinach and soy. Refined sugar, wheat, alcohol, caffeine and dairy products should also be limited or eliminated all together from the diet.
Most people who live in developed countries get enough iodine in their daily intake, so unless an iodine deficiency is determined to be a factor, additional supplements may not be needed. Tyrosine is an amino acid which is needed by the body in order to manufacture thyroid hormones from iodine, and some patients may benefit from this thyroid supplement.
Keep in mind, as with all heath care treatments, there is no one answer for everyone. It may take some experimentation to find the right combination of treatments to solve the problem of a sluggish or underactive thyroid. Often, it can take weeks or even months to gain the upper hand of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Your doctor may have to change the dosage of the medication prescribe several times, and you will have to undergo repeated blood tests to monitor the progress. Small changes in diet and lifestyle can make a big difference in the symptoms and your recovery.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for a underactive thyroid, and many people may not even know they have this problem until blood tests confirm it. This one tiny gland has a big impact on the activities of daily living, and if it is not working properly, you can find yourself unable to participate in many of the activities you once did. However, once the condition is identified and a treatment plan that includes some form of thyroid support supplements is implemented, most people who suffer from hypothyroidism lead very active, normal lives.
