Thyroid

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What appears to hurt thyroid (& brain) function:

Flouride by depleting iodine

Bromine in breads & added to other foods may hurt thyroid function

What appears to help thyroid function:

iodine appears to limit the damage of flouride to the thyroid

Thyroid

What causes hyper and hypothyroidism?

People who ingested the most nitrates, present in processed meats, may have the most thyroid disorder.

Biphenol A, found in soda and food can linings (except for Edens, Westbrae, & others), may disrupt the thyroid and sex hormones, increasing breast cancer.

Flouride

Flouridation may lower thyroid function, increasing depression & weight gain. Flouride in toothpaste is so highly concentrated that ingesting a tube can cause death in children. 24,000 flouride ingestion poisonings are reported yearly. Absorbtion of many chemicals in the mouth under the toungue and through the gums is far more efficient than swallowing them, making use of flouride toothpaste highly unsafe.

Whitford GM. (1987a). Fluoride in dental products: safety considerations. Journal of Dental Research 66: 1056-60.
Are fluoride levels in drinking water associated with hypothyroidism prevalence in England? A large observational study of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water S Peckham, D Lowery, S Spencer

J Epidemiol Community Health doi:10.1136/jech-2014-204971
A comparative study of fluoride ingestion levels, serum thyroid hormone & TSH level derangements, dental fluorosis status among school children from endemic and non-endemic fluorosis areas Navneet Singh,corresponding author Kanika Gupta Verma, corresponding author Pradhuman

Verma, corresponding author Gagandeep Kaur Sidhu, corresponding author and Suresh Sachdevacorresponding author Springerplus. 2014; 3: 7. doi: 10.1186/2193-1801-3-7 PMCID: PMC3890436

Flouride & thyroid

Higher flouride levels appear to correspond to lower thyroid hormone levels, especially if iodine is low.

A Scoping Review of Iodine and Fluoride in Pregnancy in Relation to Maternal Thyroid Function and Offspring Neurodevelopment, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 14, Issue 2, 2023, Pages 317-338, ISSN Adrianne K. Griebel-Thompson, Scott Sands, Lynn Chollet-Hinton, Danielle Christifano, Debra K. Sullivan, Holly Hull, Susan E. Carlson,2161-8313, doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2023.01.003. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831323000030

Flouride and brain damage

Flouride lowers learning & memory in 32 of 34 animal studies and lowers IQ in 43 of 50 human studies. Some studies have found a drop in IQ at levels lower than 1mg/L.
Flouride should be completely avoided in toothpaste, where it is highly concentrated and used in the mouth where the tongue & gums absorb drugs & chemicals easily. Flouride should be banned as a drinking water additive, also because the form that is added is highly toxic and contaminated. Too much flouride can cause dental & skeletal flourosis, which can be painful & disabling.

http://fluoridealert.org/studies/brain01/
Flouride research:
“Over 100 animal studies showing that prolonged exposure to varying levels of fluoride can damage the brain, particularly when coupled with an iodine deficiency, or aluminum excess;
43 human studies linking moderately high fluoride exposures with reduced intelligence;
32 animal studies reporting that mice or rats ingesting fluoride have an impaired capacity to learn and/or remember;
12 studies (7 human, 5 animal) linking fluoride with neurobehavioral deficits (e.g., impaired visual-spatial organization);
3 human studies linking fluoride exposure with impaired fetal brain development.”
The National Research Council in 2006, the EPA in 2007, and a Team of Harvard researchers in 2012 all have come to the conclusion that flouride is a neurotoxin and reduces mental function.
http://fluoridealert.org/issues/health/brain/

Flouride causes brain damage in children, dropping IQ levels.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1104912/
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1104912
Volume 120 | Issue 10 | October 2012

Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Anna L. Choi, 1 Guifan Sun, 2 Ying Zhang, 3 and Philippe Grandjean1, 4

Children in low iodine, low flouride areas had 31% higher scores on the Wexler intelligence tests than children in low iodine, high flouride areas in one Chinese study.
A STUDY OF THE INTELLECTUAL ABILITY OF 8–14 YEAR-OLD CHILDREN IN HIGH FLUORIDE, LOW IODINE AREAS
Dali Ren, Kecheng Li, Dawei Liu Chinese Journal of Control of Endemic Diseases 1989;4(4):251.]

Alternatives to flouride toothpaste

There are a suprising number of toothpastes that use cleansers and antibacterials other than flouride. Using one with organic ingredients may help to prevent other toxins.

What may help hyperthyroid problems?
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the thyroid & is one cause of hyperthyroidism. Organic freshly ground or frozen flaxseeds may reduce antibodies for Hashimoto’s.

“Your Health” with Dr. Steven Becker & Cindy Becker, #1631 Managing Hormones the HealthyWay 08/29/17, 11/01/17

What may trigger autoimmune reactions?

Nightshade plants have alkaloids that may trigger autoimmune diseases:

Tobacco
Eggplant
Tomatoes & tomatillos
Peppers- all peppers (capsicum too), hot & not, except black pepper (safe)
Potatoes- the skin may be four times more reactive than the inside. (sweet potatoes & yams appear to be safe)

Lesser:

Okra
Sorrel
Paprika

Gooseberries
Pepino melons
Ground cherries
Blueberries (similar alkyloids)
Goji berries (similar alkyloids)
Huckleberries (similar alkyloids)
Spices & “natural flavors” may contain nightshades.
https://draxe.com/nightshade-vegetables/

Wheat & dairy

Wheat & dairy may either or both significantly increase inflammation. Spelt flour is a version of wheat that has a much more digestible, & less inflammatory, older type of gluten.

L-carnitine & hyperthyroidism

The amino acid L-Carnitine supplementation may help the side effects of hyperthyroidism, as without supplementation hyperthyroidism can deplete the body’s stores of L-carnitine. Successful treatment of the hyperthyroidism by itself may bring excretion of L-carnitine back to
normal. L-carnitine/acetyl-L-carnitine supplementation may improve mood, concentration, and energy. Hypothyroidism can reduce the excretion of L-carnitine and increase triglyceride levels-
successful treatment of hypothyroidism can then reduce triglyceride levels.

Usefulness of l-Carnitine, A Naturally Occurring Peripheral Antagonist of Thyroid Hormone Action, in Iatrogenic Hyperthyroidism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
Salvatore Benvenga, Rosaria M. Ruggeri, Antonia Russo, Daniela Lapa, Alfredo Campenni, and Francesco Trimarchi
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Volume 86, Issue 8

Urinary excretion of carnitine in patients with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism:
Augmentation by thyroid hormone
Maebashi, M. et al.
Metabolism – Clinical and Experimental , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , 351 – 356

Sinclair, C., Gilchrist, J. M., Hennessey, J. V. and Kandula, M. (2005), Muscle carnitine in hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Muscle Nerve, 32: 357–359. doi: 10.1002/mus.20336

BENVENGA, S., AMATO, A., CALVANI, M. and TRIMARCHI, F. (2004), Effects of Carnitine on Thyroid Hormone Action. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1033: 158–167. doi:
10.1196/annals.1320.015

What may help hypothyroid problems?
Nutrients:

Iodine if low
Selenium if low
Zinc
Tyrosine

Bladderwrack powder may be best in stimulating T4 & T3.

Royal jelly

Grave’s disease is an autoimmune disorder & one cause of hypothyroidism. Royal jelly may reduce the antibodies for Grave’s disease.

What helps both Grave’s & Hashimoto’s?

Royal jelly, vitamin D3 (8000 IU recommended according to FDA studies) with a meal, and low dose naltrexone may help reverse both conditions.

“Your Health” with Dr. Steven Becker & Cindy Becker, #1631 Managing Hormones the Healthy Way 08/29/17, 11/01/17

Iodine

Getting too much or too little iodine may induce hypothyroidism. Getting iodine levels tested can be essential. Hyper & hypothyroidism caused by too much or too little iodine may be resolved with a reduction or increase of iodine/iodine rich foods. Potassium iodide is also available to ameliorate too little iodine.

Environmental Iodine Intake Affects the Type of Nonmalignant Thyroid Disease
P. Laurberg, I. Bülow Pedersen, N. Knudsen, L. Ovesen, and S. Andersen.
Thyroid. July 2004, 11(5): 457-469. doi:10.1089/105072501300176417.

K. Markou, N. Georgopoulos, V. Kyriazopoulou, and A.G. Vagenakis.
Iodine-Induced Hypothyroidism

Thyroid. July 2004, 11(5): 501-510. doi:10.1089/105072501300176462.

Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism Used as an Indicator of the Degree of Iodine Deficiency and of its Control
F. DELANGE.
Thyroid. February 2009, 8(12): 1185-1192. doi:10.1089/thy.1998.8.1185.

Studies of Hypothyroidism in Patients with High Iodine Intake
JUNICHI TAJIRI, KIICHIRO HIGASHI, MITSUO MORITA, TERUHISA UMEDA, and TATSUO SATO
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jcem-63-2-412

Association between dietary iodine intake and prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in the coastal regions of Japan.
N Konno, H Makita, K Yuri, N Iizuka, and K Kawasaki
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jcem.78.2.8106628

Radioactive iodine for Hashimoto’s disease/hyperthyroidism?
Using radioactive iodine to reduce hyperthyroidism appears to cause early death, increase leukemia up to 570%, may triggers hypothyroidism over time, and may cause altered taste &
inflamed salivary glands.

Mortality after the Treatment of Hyperthyroidism with Radioactive Iodine
J.A. Franklyn, M.D., Ph.D., P. Maisonneuve, Ph.D., M.C. Sheppard, Ph.D., F.R.C.P., J. Betteridge, R.G.N., and P. Boyle, Ph.D.
N Engl J Med 1998; 338:712-718March 12, 1998DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199803123381103
Rising Incidence of Hypothyroidism after Radioactive-Iodine Therapy in Thyrotoxicosis
John T. Dunn, M.D.†, and Earle M. Chapman, M.D.‡
N Engl J Med 1964; 271:1037-1042 DOI: 10.1056/NEJM196411122712004

Long-Term Follow-up Results in Children and Adolescents Treated with Radioactive Iodine (131I) for Hyperthyroidism
Ali M. Safa, M.D., O. Peter Schumacher, M.D., Ph.D., and Antonio Rodriguez-Antunez, M.D.
N Engl J Med 1975; 292:167-171 DOI: 10.1056/NEJM197501232920401

Chamomile

People who drank chamomile tea two to six times a week in one study had a 70 percent lower risk of thyroid abnormalities including cancer, 80% lower if they drank it for thirty years.

The effect of Greek herbal tea consumption on thyroid cancer: a case-control study
Elena Riza, Athena Linos, Athanassios Petralias, Luca de Martinis, Leonidas Duntas, Dimitrios Linos
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckv063
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/04/chamomile-tea-lowers-thyroid-canc
er-risk.aspx e_cid=20150504Z1_DNL_B_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_co
ntent=art2&utm_campaign=20150504Z1_DNL_B&et_cid=DM74119&et_rid=939715989

Chamomille tea also helps moderate blood sugar.

J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Sep 10;56(17):8206-11. doi: 10.1021/jf8014365. Epub 2008 Aug 6.
Protective effects of dietary chamomile tea on diabetic complications.
Kato A, Minoshima Y, Yamamoto J, Adachi I, Watson AA, Nash RJ.Chamomille helps relaxation during the day and sleep at night.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that appears to stimulate T3 & T4 hormones, help the liver, and stabilize cortisol, which all improve thyroid function. Ashwaganda also helps reduce stress, tiredness, blood sugar, inflammation, and increase strength building.

J Ethnopharmacol. 1999 Nov 1;67(2):233-9.
Withania somnifera and Bauhinia purpurea in the regulation of circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in female mice.
Panda S, Kar A.
J Pharm Pharmacol. 1998 Sep;50(9):1065-8.

Changes in thyroid hormone concentrations after administration of ashwagandha root extract to adult male mice.
Panda S, Kar A.
THERAPEUTIC USES OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA (ASHWAGANDHA) WITH A NOTE ON WITHANOLIDES AND ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS SITANSU KUMAR VERMA AND AJAY KUMAR
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research Vol. 4, Suppl 1, 2011 ISSN – 0974-2441

Chromium & 7 keto dhea

Taking chromium &/or 7 keto dhea may help people convert T4 to T3.

Selenium & Zinc

People with low selenium and zinc are at risk for low T3, and in those people selenium & zinc supplementation may help T3 levels. Iodine levels should be tested and brought up to normal if low before supplementation of selenium, as sometimes selenium supplementation can trigger lower thyroid functioning in people with iodine deficiency. Only North & South Dakota appear to
have sufficient selenium levels in the water.

Biol Trace Elem Res. 1996 Jan;51(1):31-41.

Selenium, zinc, and thyroid hormones in healthy subjects: low T3/T4 ratio in the elderly isrelated to impaired selenium status.

Olivieri O, Girelli D, Stanzial AM, Rossi L, Bassi A, Corrocher R
Biofactors. 2003;19(3-4):137-43.
Selenium and thyroid function in infants, children and adolescents.
Chanoine JP
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013 Feb;78(2):155-64. doi: 10.1111/cen.12066.
Selenium and the thyroid gland: more good news for clinicians.
Drutel A, Archambeaud F, Caron P.
EFFECT OF SELENIUM SUPPLEMENTATION IN HYPOTHYROID SUBJECTS OF AN IODINE AND SELENIUM DEFICIENT AREA : THE POSSIBLE DANGER OF INDISCRIMINATE SUPPLEMENTATION OF IODINE-DEFICIENT SUBJECTS WITH SELENIUM.
B CONTEMPRE, DUMONT JE, NGO BEBE, THILLY CH, DIPLOCK AT, and J. VANDERPAS
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jcem-73-1-213
Int J Trichology. 2013 Jan;5(1):40-2. doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.114714.

Zinc deficiency associated with hypothyroidism: an overlooked cause of severe alopecia.

Betsy A1, Binitha M, Sarita S.
naturalnews.com/045918_thyroid_function_hypothyroidism_nutrients.html#ixzz37DN2msqc

Thyroid cancer

Encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma may not be cancer & may only  need lobectomy or thyroidectomy without radioactive iodine.

“Thyroid Cancer Epidemic of Overdiagnosis” by Sayer Ji,
Greenmedinfo.com/blog/thyroid-cancer-epidemic-overdiagnosis

Thyroid cancer has a 98% 5 year survival rate. Surgery is first, including taking out & testing the closest lymph nodes for cancer cells. If positive, then radioactive iodine is used to kill thyroid
tissue that has migrated to other sites after becoming cancerous. Radioisotopes can be very damaging when used in imaging in the body & brain. In treatment of thyroid cancer that has migrated the goal is the complete eradication of cancerous migrated thyroid cell tissue with high dose radioactive iodine treatment for migrated thyroid cancer congregates at thyroid cell tissue, so the damage is more confined.

With thyroid cells, surprisingly, incidental high level radioactive iodine exposure is safer than lower level, because the high exposure kills cells that would likely have become cancerous rather than just triggering future cancer by damaging but not killing the cells. Because the radioactive iodine concentrates so well in the thyroid tissue, using it to treat thyroid cancer appears to be highly successful in killing the cancer cells throughout the body & limiting exposure of healthy tissue.

Cutting out sugar, eating organic, taking anti-inflammatories and anticancer supplements, exercising right after eating all are geared toward helping your body survive the surgery, the possible radioactive iodine treatment, and the possibility cancer cells have migrated to other parts of your body. Cancer is a war everyone fights everyday, as we all have cancerous cells. Whether they multiply out of control are are slowed, found, & killed by our immune system is determined by
the amount of stress and inflammation on our bodies. Eating healthy and taking anti-inflammatories lowers or reverses the spread of cancer. Doing these increases survival rates of all cause mortality, not just cancer. Much of this is pulled verbatim from the websites referenced below.

Thyroidectomy

Removing all or most of the thyroid (thyroidectomy)- In most cases, doctors recommend removing the entire thyroid in order to treat thyroid cancer. Your surgeon makes an incision at the base of your neck to access your thyroid. In most cases, the surgeon leaves small rims of thyroid tissue around the parathyroid glands to reduce the risk of parathyroid damage. Sometimes surgeons refer to this as a near-total thyroidectomy.

Removing lymph nodes in the neck:

When removing your thyroid, the surgeon may also remove enlarged lymph nodes from your neck and test them for cancer cells.

Thyroid hormone therapy

After thyroidectomy, people take thyroid hormone medication for life.
This medication has two benefits: It supplies the missing hormone the thyroid would normally produce, and it suppresses the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland. High TSH levels could conceivably stimulate any remaining cancer cells to grow. People have blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels every few months until yourdoctor finds the proper dosage for you. Blood tests may continue annually.

Radioactive iodine

Radioactive iodine treatment uses large doses of a form of iodine that’s radioactive.  Radioactive iodine treatment is often used after thyroidectomy to destroy any remaining healthy thyroid tissue, as well as microscopic areas of thyroid cancer that weren’t removed during surgery. Radioactive iodine treatment may also be used to treat thyroid cancer that recurs after treatment or that spreads to other areas of the body. Radioactive iodine treatment comes as a capsule or liquid that you swallow. The radioactive iodine is taken up primarily by thyroid cells and thyroid cancer cells, so there’s a lower risk of harming other cells in your body.

Side effects may include:
Nausea
Dry mouth
Dry eyes
Altered sense of taste or smell
Pain where thyroid cancer cells have spread, such as the neck or chest

Most of the radioactive iodine leaves the body in your urine in the first few days after treatment. People are given instructions for precautions they need to take during that time to protect other
people from the radiation. For instance, they may be asked to temporarily avoid close contact with other people, especially children and pregnant women.

Chemotherapy/Radiation

Neither traditional chemotherapy nor radiation therapy appear to increase overall survival in people with thyroid cancer.

Chemotherapy with doxorubicin in progressive medullary and thyroid carcinoma of the follicular epithelium.
Matuszczyk A, Petersenn S, Bockisch A, Gorges R, Sheu SY, Veit P, Mann K
Horm Metab Res. 2008 Mar; 40(3):210-3.
The role of radiotherapy in the management of elevated calcitonin after surgery for medullary
thyroid cancer.
Fersht N, Vini L, A’Hern R, Harmer C
Thyroid. 2001 Dec; 11(12):1161-8.
Nocera M, Baudin E, Pellegriti G, Cailleux AF, Mechelany-Corone C, Schlumberger M.
Treatment of advanced medullary thyroid cancer with an alternating combination of
doxorubicin-streptozocin and 5 FU dacarbazine. British Journal of Cancer. 2000;83(6):715–71.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3379848/

Injecting alcohol into cancers
Alcohol ablation involves injecting small thyroid cancers with alcohol using imaging such as
ultrasound to ensure precise placement of the injection. This treatment is helpful for treating
cancer that occurs in areas that aren’t easily accessible during surgery. This appears to be
most useful for people who have recurrent thyroid cancer limited to small areas in your neck.

Targeted drug therapy
Targeted drug therapy uses medications that attack specific vulnerabilities in your cancer cells.
Targeted drugs used to treat thyroid cancer include:
Cabozantinib (Cometriq) approved medullary, a rate of patients alive and progression-free at 1
year of 47.3% for cabozantinib vs 7.2% for placebo (study didn’t last to see overall longterm
survival), cabozantinib has shown strong efficacy against other types of cancer in studies. Side
effects include severe hemoraging, so it is usually saved for treatment resistant cancer.
http://www.ascopost.com/issues/november-1,-2013/commentary-cabozantinib-in-medullary-thyr
oid-cancer-a-landscape-shaping-new-treatment.aspx

Sorafenib (Nexavar)-high side effects, no apparent improvement in overall survival
Vandetanib (Caprelsa)- may have a good success rate, can cause heart failure at tested doses
which requires special certification for doctors & pharmacies
One month of treatment is $5000-$10,000
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3379848/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thyroid-cancer/basics/treatment/con-20043551
http://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-cancer/

Thyroid supplement blends
Why get organic & individual supplements vs a blend?
According to Consumer Reports testing, blends may have been adulterated with actual thyroid
hormone, too much iodine directly & with kelp, cow glands with CJD (a brain wasting disease),
and make it difficult to determine correct prescription supplementation levels.
http://www.consumerreports.org/vitamins-supplements/never-take-thyroid-supplements/

Thyroid problems and personality change
Some people can become irritated/annoyed much easier when they are hypothyroid, or some
time after having their thyroid removed. People have gotten relief by having their medications
adjusted.
The website: Stop the Thyroid Madness has a lot of patient’s accounts of how they steered
through thyroid problems.
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

From:
What you must know about thyroid disorders and what you can do about them by Pamela
Wartian Smith MD
Before getting thyroid medicine for hypo or hyperthyroidism-

Check iodine levels (lots of people low, restaurants & processed food no longer iodine)
Take B vitamins (methyl B vitamin multi)
Take selenium (in a multivitamin) unless living in North Dakota or South Dakota, perhaps the
only places in the US with enough selenium in the water
A cortisol saliva test can be taken at home (8a,12p,4p,11p)
test iodine
test thyroid
thyroid can be inflamed if take thyroid or iodine when not needed
T4 only
Eltroxin
Levoxyl
Levothyroid
Synthroid
T3 only
Cytomel
Triostat (injection)
Liothyronine sodium
If thyroid medicine is needed, PWS cites studies that show 98% of people report they do better
on T4 & T3 than T4 alone. People often say they “feel” more normal emotionally after adding
T3 to T4 supplementation.
Multiple medicines offer a mix of T4 & T3 in different ratios- 4/3/ or 2 to 1 ratio
Armour 4 to 1 (porcine)
Thyrar (bovine)
S-P-T (pork in soybean oil)
Euthroid 4 to 1
Thyroid Strong 3.1 to 1
Liotrix 4 to 1
Thyroid USP 4.2 to 1
Thyrolar
A compounding pharmacy can tailor a mix of medicines to the exact ratio that works best for
you.
Low temperature can be a thyroid issue (temperature test) antiaging functional md
Wartofsky L.
Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2013 Oct;20(5):460-6. doi:

10.1097/01.med.0000432611.03732.49. Review.
PMID: 23974776
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jul;97(7):2256-71. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-3399. Epub 2012 May
16.
Combination treatment with T4 and T3: toward personalized replacement therapy in
hypothyroidism?
Biondi B, Wartofsky L.

5 Herbs To Help Overcome Your Thyroid Condition
Published January 15, 2011
Updated October 7, 2014
http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/5-herbs-to-help-overcome-your-thyroid-conditi
on/
“1. Eleuthero. This herb is one that many people with both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism
can take (including both Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease). The herb doesn’t directly
affect the thyroid gland, but instead affects something called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis, which helps the body to adapt to stressful situations, and this herb also provides
immune system support. For people with adrenal problems, which is common in people with
thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions, eleuthero is a very beneficial herb. This is one of the
herbs I took when I was initially diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, and many people who have
problems with their adrenal glands can benefit from taking this herb. Eleuthero is considered to
be an adaptogenic herb, and some other examples of adaptogenic herbs include ashwagandha,
rhodiola, and maca.”
“Bugleweed. This is my favorite herb for managing the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, as when I
was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease this herb did a great job to help manage the hyperthyroid
symptoms I was experiencing. Once again, this isn’t to suggest that everyone with a
hyperthyroid condition should take Bugleweed, as you do want to consult with a natural
healthcare professional first. But as someone who decided not to take any anti-thyroid drugs or
beta blockers, I will admit that I might have not been able to avoid taking prescription drugs if it
wasn’t for this herb. I also consult with people who are taking Methimazole or PTU and want to
try weaning off the medication and instead take Bugleweed, which essentially is an “antithyroid
herb”. As I mentioned earlier, this herb is contraindicated for people who have hypothyroidism,
and also shouldn’t be taken by those women with hyperthyroidism who are pregnant or
lactating.”
“Bladderwrack. This herb is for people with hypothyroidism. Taking this herb, along with other
herbs and supplements, plus incorporating other lifestyle factors, can help restore the health of

someone who has hypothyroidism. This can mean that some people who have been taking
synthetic or natural thyroid hormone may eventually be able to stop taking these drugs with the
help of this herb (under the supervision of their medical doctor of course). In fact, Dr. Janet
Lang, who is the founder of Restorative Endocrinology, talks about this herb as being “liquid
magic” for people with hypothyroid conditions. When combined with the herb ashwagandha this
herb can stimulate the production of thyroid hormone in some people with hypothyroid
conditions. I’m not suggesting that most people with hypothyroid conditions can stop taking
thyroid hormone medication and substitute this with bladderwrack and ashwagandha, as one
also needs to address the underlying cause of the condition.
This herb does include iodine, and as a result, some people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis don’t
do well when taking this herb. However, some people with Hashimoto’s don’t have a problem
taking this herb, although many will still choose to avoid it out of fear that it will exacerbate their
condition. I don’t consider this an “essential” herb for most people with hypothyroidism or
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, but for someone who wants to follow a natural treatment protocol and
isn’t taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone, taking Bladderwrack might be beneficial. This
herb shouldn’t be taken by those with hyperthyroidism, and is contraindicated in women who are
pregnant or breastfeeding.”
Ashwagandha. Yet another adaptogenic herb for people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid
conditions that has many different benefits. And this is one of the great things about most herbs,
as they usually benefit the body in many different ways if used appropriately. For example,
ashwagandha helps the body to cope with stress by affecting the HPA-axis, and is also
beneficial for the immune system. It also has some other benefits as well, as it has some
anti-inflammatory effects, and is also used as a tonic for children. I’ve written a separate article
entitled “Ashwagandha and Thyroid Health“.”
“Adrenal Complex. As the name implies, “Adrenal Complex” is a great product for people who
have adrenal problems…specifically low cortisol levels. Licorice is the main herb in this complex
that helps to extend the life of cortisol, although this herb has other benefits as well. Rehmannia
is another herb in this complex, and this herb offers both adrenal and immune system support. I
took both Eleuthero and Adrenal Complex to help address my adrenal glands. Of course just
taking these two herbs alone wasn’t responsible for restoring the health of my adrenals. Eating
well, getting sufficient sleep, and doing a good job of managing stress are all important lifestyle
factors when it comes to adrenal health.”
“Rehmannia Complex. This is another complex which consists of numerous herbs, and just like
some of the other herbs I mentioned in this article, this complex also helps with the immune
system, as well as offering some support to the adrenal glands. Another benefit is that it helps
support the liver in the removal of toxins. Perhaps the most important herb this complex
includes is Hemidesmus, as this is an herb which helps to suppress the autoimmune response,
which of course is important with both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.””
http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/5-herbs-to-help-overcome-your-thyroid-conditi

“>