Supplements for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to Boost Thyroid Function & Conversion

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october 30

note: this article has been updated on to contain new information

do you ever get confused

today i want to show you what i consider to be the best supplements

why i like them

let's look at the facts and the science so you can get on the right track to feeling better and treating your hashimoto's

zinc - enhances thyroid conversion and reduces inflammation

selenium - enhances thyroid conversion and boosts immune function

adrenal support - promotes energy and cortisol balance

probiotics and prebiotics - balances gut function and may enhance thyroid conversion

vitamin d

supplements

supplements

more

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your supplements should be targeted to your body and your needs

the "basic" supplements every hashimoto's patient should consider using

zinc

selenium

adrenal support

probiotics and prebiotics

vitamin d3

vitamin b12

gi supplements

a word iodine

references

not all supplements are created equal

this should go without saying

unlike the pharmaceutical industry

this can be frustrating

walgreens and they don't feel any different after taking them

they are a waste

they are

your supplements should be targeted to your body and your needs

before we jump into which supplements are the best and why we need to talk the approach that i take when recommending supplements

in general

you read online that it helps

supplements can be very helpful

literary studies

my own personal clinical experience

what i've seen works

the "basic" supplements every hashimoto's patient should consider using

in my office

this is the ideal approach

however

sometimes

in some cases

when you read through this list keep all of these in mind

zinc

but before you run out and supplement

not all formulations of zinc are equally effective because they are not all equally absorbed

citrate have superior absorption when compared to other forms

why it's

zinc can help boost t4 to t3 conversion in those who are deficient

lowers inflammation and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent

balances and regulates the immune system - those who are zinc deficient often find themselves getting sick repeatedly

how to supplement

why i like it

powerful anti-oxidant

many patients are deficient in zinc

includes other factors that may reduce inflammation

may help increase peripheral t to t3 conversion

how to use/dosing

use zinc in the morning and take doses ranging from 5mg to 60mg

learn more zinc here

selenium

selenium is another fantastic nutrient and supplement

selenium has been shown in some studies to reduce inflammation and antibody levels in patients

this is important whether your antibody levels are elevated

why

because it is estimated that of patients

that means there is a chance that your hypothyroidism is caused by an autoimmune disease and you may benefit from looking at your immune function

why it's

first

third

fourth

how to supplement

why i like it

may reduce thyroid antibodies

may help improve immune function if deficient

may help boost t to t3 conversion

how to use

some individuals

use selenium in combination

take selenium each day at least minutes away from your thyroid medication

learn more selenium here

adrenal support

after testing hundreds of hypothyroid and hashimoto's patients i've never found a patient that didn't also have adrenal related problems

why it's

the adrenals and thyroid function are intricately linked

as tsh levels increase

your body uses a combination of cortisol and thyroid hormone to control metabolism and energy production

when one system isn't working as intended the other increases to pick up the slack

unfortunately

feeling "wired but tired

cravings

difficulty sleeping

anxiety and inability to "shut off" your brain

experiencing a crash in the midafternoon

reliance on caffeine

because almost everyone can relate

using adrenal glandulars

adrenal glandulars can be used

note that my preferred adrenal supplement is a glandular. i find that this works the best in hypothyroid patients

using adrenal adaptogens

adrenal adaptogens help the body tolerate day to day stress levels. i find these may be necessary to use in combination

adaptogens can be used )

using phosphatidylserine

phosphatidylserine can help attenuate cortisol levels in patients

patients

how to supplement

why i like it

may boost energy and being

almost all hypothyroid patients have adrenal problems

helps the body tolerate continued stress

most patients experience improvement in months

how to tell if you need it

not all patients will need cortisol testing prior to using these supplements

you have many options when it comes to cortisol testing but i routinely recommend starting

serum cortisol - am cortisol should be between 14-16

how to use

tablets

adrenal glandulars and adaptogens can be used at the same time but should not be taken at the same time as your thyroid medication

adrenal glandulars

learn more adrenal glandulars here

adrenal adaptogens

get adrenal adaptogens here

get phosphatidylserine here

probiotics and prebiotics

but not just any probiotics

just like supplements

in my patients

this variety in probiotic species more rapidly helps improve intestinal bacterial concentration and helps improve immune function more rapidly

why it's

thyroid hormone is converted in the gut

this means that a serving of thyroid hormone is activated in the gut

gut imbalance

this is also the major reason that your gut can't be ignored if you have hypothyroidism

how to supplement

why i like it

may also enhance weight loss efforts

heat stable packaging and probiotics to preserve potency and increase deliverability

how to tell if you need it

most people

you don't necessarily need to use probiotics every day

i typically recommend probiotic use off and on

how to use

daily x15 days - this will jump start immune function and load the body

start

learn more ultra immune boosting probiotics here

focus on probiotics

vitamin d3

new research shows that you can increase your vitamin d

it's

vitamin d is another one of the most common nutrient deficiencies that i see in my patients

unless patients are supplementing

many patients

your body must be uncovered

you must not be wearing any sunscreen

how many people actually meet those criteria

not many

that's why i recommend that most patients take vitamin d as a supplement

i don't

please get your levels checked before supplementing as there are downsides to over supplementing

why vitamin d is

it is estimated that around billion people suffer from vitamin d deficiency

regulates immune function

prevents onset and development of autoimmune disease

acts as a steroid pro-hormone

helps maintain calcium homeostasis in the body

these are functions not related to thyroid function

in my experience patients

i also recommend the use of vitamin k in addition to vitamin d3 due to potential issues

how to supplement

why i like it

highly absorbable and highly potent

affordable pricing

tolerated

no allergenic fillers

how to tell if you need it

check serum levels of vitamin d and aim

do your best to increase your d by naturally increasing your exposure to sunlight and uvb rays

how to use

use no more than 1

take in am

vitamin b12

vitamin b is very important

thyroid hormone is required

in addition to the mechanism mentioned above patients

recall that having autoimmune disease puts you at risk

this is another mechanism by which hypothyroid patients may be at risk

when you combine these mechanisms some studies show that up to of hypothyroid patients are vitamin b1 deficient

in addition to being deficient

many patients may have so-called "normal" serum b levels but still

some patients even report an improvement in vitamin b at supraphysiologic levels of vitamin b

supraphysiological levels refer to higher than normal levels - and indeed some patients simply respond better to these levels

i have many personal patients who notice increased energy levels

why b is

replacing vitamin b is very important because many of the symptoms of b deficiency may mimic symptoms of hypothyroidism

this may explain why some patients who take medication may remain symptomatic

difficulty catching your breath

changes in mood including depression

inability to pay attention

macrocytic anemia

numbness

you can find more info b12 shots in this post. if you can't find b12 then your second best option is sublingual b12 which should be used over tablet/capsule supplements

how to supplement

why i like it

may boost energy levels and reduce fatigue

helps improve mood and increase concentration

generally works very quickly

how to tell if you need it

serum b12 - should be > 1

homocysteine levels - should be

mcv - should be

any values outside of this range then a trial of b may be appropriate

problem

how to use

take capsules of methylcobalamin each day combined

if you are severely deficient in vitamin b you may need to use methylcobalamin injections

methylated formulations of b and v vitamins are safe if you have the mthfr genetic defect

when i create treatment plans

not only this but sleep plays an important role in regulating your immune system. decreased sleep may cause an increased risk of triggering autoimmune disease

in addition

because the tsh is increasing this is probably due thyroid resistance and elevated reverse t levels in this state of chronic stress

sleep reduces immune function and thyroid function

if your sleep is suffering then you absolutely need to focus on it and make it a priority

it's just as important than supplementing

so how do you know if you need to work on improving your sleep

hours minimum of sleep

improving your sleeping conditions if you don't have a

ensuring hormone imbalances

address adrenal factors that may be causing increased energy levels at night

the truth is that most patients who don't get enough sleep know it and generally know they need to do something it

consider the use of earplugs to reduce noise

consider the use of a sleep mask if you can't get your room pitch

reduce the temperature in your room

glasses to remove from electronics 3 hours before bedtime

set an alarm

if it takes you minutes to fall asleep make sure to set your alarm

fluid hours prior to bed

avoid caffeine after noon and never consume more than 200mg

avoid stimulating activities and exercise programs at night

how to supplement to boost and improve sleeping patterns

why i like it

may help to improve energy levels

may helps to reduce levels of inflammation

helps reduce brain fog and mental fogginess

required lifestyle change

how to tell if you need these supplements

you should be getting hours of sleep each and every night

if you find yourself waking up exhausted then you should consider checking

those living at elevation may need an overnight pulse oximetry test

how to use

as recommended below

start

get 5-htp here

get melatonin here

get gaba/serotonin potentiators here

gi supplements

patients

if your gi tract isn't moving properly you will have constipation

in addition to all of these

as a result

some gi conditions will require the addition of thyroid hormone to completely eliminate. that's just the way it is

if you have decreased motility due to lack of thyroid hormone potentiating your sibo

make sense

so in addition to the therapies recommended below make sure to treat the underlying cause

don't take the shotgun approach to gi health and supplementation

how to supplement

why i like it

may improve overall health

many thyroid patients have gi issues contributing to overall health

may help to reduce inflammation and autoimmunity

up to of hashimoto's patients have some gi related issue

how to tell if you need these supplements

target your supplements at the gi problem you are experiencing: constipation

when in doubt consider advanced stool testing to find actionable data including bacterial/fungal sensitivities and more information using comprehensive stool analysis

how to use

as recommended below

get magnesium citrate here

get atrantil here

get betaine/hcl here

get gi revive here

a word iodine

iodine gets a lot of attention in patients

my experience suggests that iodine is both safe and necessary even

from supplements

how to supplement

why i like it

may improve thyroid function

may help detox harmful halides

if deficient will improve other systemic symptoms

generally works very quickly in deficient patients

how to use

doses of around 75mcg to 150mcg

learn more iodine here

note: if you are using my recommended t conversion booster then you don't need to supplement

wrapping it up

if you have hashimoto's then there are some supplements that can make a huge impact on your overall health

zinc

selenium

adrenal support

probiotics and prebiotics

vitamin d3

supplements

supplements

iodine

now it's your turn

i want to hear from you

what supplements have you tried

what has worked the best

help other patients out by giving your advice below

references

this post was most recently updated on october 30th

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