Thyroid Disease and Dietary Supplements

Since the middle of the twentieth century, nutritional supplements have grown into a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry that encompasses pretty much everything from diet and weight loss to hair growth, skin health, sexual performance, muscle building – you name it, and there’s probably a whole industry’s worth of supplements that are supposed to help it. In recent years, a new addition has come along: natural supplements to help people who suffer with thyroid problems. While many in the medical professional question some of the more exaggerated claims made by less-than-forthright companies, it’s possible that some supplements meant to assist thyroid sufferers could be of some assistance. To see whether there’s any chance of this, let’s look not only at some of the common symptoms and causes of thyroid problems, but some of the supplements that claim to help – and if they do what they claim.

The thyroid is a gland in the neck that produces two hormones – thyroxine and triiodothyronine – which are responsible for helping regulating many different metabolic processes in the body, including body temperature. Thyroid problems occur when someone’s thyroid gland produces these hormones abnormally, either too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism). There are many causes of hyper- and hypothyroidism, including thyroiditis (an autoimmune disorder), toxic anedomas (nodules in the thyroid), and more.

What are the symptoms of thyroid problems? Well, there’s a long list. Because of how important thyroid hormones are to the body, problems with the thyroid’s output can cause some of the following:

• excessive sensitivity to cold or heat

• constipation

• low appetite

• fatigue

• diarrhea

• sweating

• irritability

• insomnia

Thyroid problems can only be diagnosed by a doctor – don’t make the mistake others have made by trying to self-diagnose. Treatment for thyroid issues range from the small to the extreme, depending on the issue: sometimes all it takes is a doctor-prescribed thyroid medication to either reduce overactive thyroid excretions or put more thyroid hormones into your body, surgery, and, in dire cases, even radiation therapy.

As the natural health movement has gained even more steam since the 1950s, more people have looked to health supplements as a way to help manage their thyroid problems. While no dietary supplement has, to our knowledge, been approved by the FDA for treating thyroid issues, some could be of some help to people who are suffering, and can assist them by ensuring they have an adequate amount of the nutrition their bodies need.

Thyroid-oriented health supplements commonly contain iodine, because the main cause (worldwide) of thyroid problems is iodine deficiency. However, in the United States, there’s plenty of iodine already in our diets, so supplements with too much iodine (over 150 mcg) should be avoided.

Other ingredients you’ll find in thyroid supplements include energy-boosting ingredients like gotu kola, a plant that contains large amounts of natural caffeine. This can help to offset the exhaustion and tiredness that often plague thyroid sufferers. You’ll also find other natural ingredients like schizandra, which is supposed to improve the body’s ability to deal with stress and to promote a healthy liver.

These supplements also contain minerals like selenium, zinc, and manganese, minerals which are all important in the process of synthesizing thyroid hormones. By ensuring you have an adequate daily dose, you’re making sure that your thyroid has enough of what it needs to do its best. Vitamin B12 is also a common ingredient, due to the association of hypothyroidism with low levels of this important vitamin.

As you can see, none of these supplemental ingredients are supposed to “treat” or “cure” hyper-/hypothyroidism. Instead, as the name suggests, supplements are meant to assist your body’s natural processes, ensuring that your systems have enough of the basic materials they need to perform at their best. As some people have a deficiency in some nutrients, especially if they have a unique or specialized diet, supplements are supposed to be of some help.

It’s also important to make sure you don’t look at these supplements as a replacement for professional medical treatment. Thyroid issues are extremely serious, and they require expert medical tests and opinions from trained doctors. That’s why, even when it comes to over-the-counter supplements, you should always make sure you speak to a doctor to make sure you should be taking them in the first place. Everyone’s situation is different, and supplements will be safer for some thyroid patients rather than others.

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about supplements, medical issues, and treatments, and soit’s important to go in wide-eyed and broadly-informed. That way you can make sure that no one will take advantage of you, and that your health will be the best it possibly can be. That’s what it means to be a smart consumer, and a smart (and healthy) human being.