Many people with hypothyroid, Hashimoto's, or under-active thyroid are seeking natural treatment for their thyroid. All three thyroid conditions can broadly be grouped together as having an inadequate hormone production from the thyroid gland. However the specifics and amount of deficiency vary as do how these deficiencies come about . As you will see in this article, many natural treatments for thyroid are available for all of these low thyroid states.
The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland located in the front of your neck. It has both right and left lobes joined together by an area known as the isthmus. The major role of this gland is to produce thyroid hormones (T4 and
Insufficient thyroid hormone therefore, slows down many reactions in the body. The most common symptoms include weakness, sluggishness, constipation, cold intolerance, difficulty with memory, depression, irregular menstrual cycle, infertility, weight gain, hair loss, etc.
Although the most common cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis), another equally important cause is iodine deficiency. Other causes include thyroidectomy, drugs (such as lithium, amiodarone, etc.) and radioiodine therapy.1
In Hashimoto's the output by the thyroid gland is limited due to the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and the antibodies disrupting the brain thyroid signaling. It is diagnosed by the presence of auto-antibodies (mainly anti-TPO). Below we will discuss some natural treatment options for hypothyroid due to Hashimoto's.
Under-active thyroid can be caused by a lot of different scenarios like nutrient deficiencies and interruption in the signaling from the brain to thyroid gland by stress. By definition under-active thyroid is not hypothyroid. It represents a state where the thyroid is working better than in hypothyroid but not ideal. This diagnosis is typically made when the TSH is above 2 or 2.5 and the patient has symptoms of hypothyroid as well.
The common hormonal and nutritional reasons for this elevated TSH will be discussed below. With the above mentioned thyroid scenarios, it is important to note that, there are cases of hypothyroid where the cause cannot be identified. In these cases a natural treatment for thyroid may take the form of a natural thyroid medication.
The most common treatment for hypothyroid is replacement of the deficient hormone by taking a synthetic form of thyroid hormone in a tablet known as synthroid (levothyroxine). However, this is not without side effects and interactions with other drugs. There are more natural forms of thyroid medication like Armour, Naturthroid, etc. We will not discuss them in detail here. Medication, natural or otherwise, is not always needed and this is what we want to discuss. Natural thyroid treatments are a good adjunctive or replacement to medication.
Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism
The basic idea is to reduce the antibody level by reducing the activation of the immune system. There are many opinions on which foods to consume and not to consume. However foods are the only cause or trigger to the immune system. Here are some things to consider:
Under-active Thyroid/ Hypothyroid
If your thyroid is slightly under-active it may make sense to implement or get screened for some of the nutrient deficiencies below.
Natural treatment for thyroid can be done by getting a thorough understanding of how all these components are working. This in addition to being diligent about monitoring thyroid function tests and symptoms will ensure your natural thyroid treatment is effective. If you want to know more about thyroid treatment options, click on the link below or leave a comment below.
References
Chakera AJ, Pearce SH, Vaidya B. Treatment for primary hypothyroidism: current approaches and future possibilities. Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2012;6:1-11. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S12894.
Pizzulli A, Ranjbar A. Selenium Deficiency and Hypothyroidism : A New Etiology in the Differential Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism in Children. Biological Trace Element Research. 2000;77(3):199-208. doi:10.1385/bter:77:3:199.
Zimmermann M, Köhrle J. The Impact of Iron and Selenium Deficiencies on Iodine and Thyroid Metabolism: Biochemistry and Relevance to Public Health. Thyroid. 2002;12(10):867-878. doi:10.1089/105072502761016494.