The thyroid gland is not as widely discussed as many other parts of the human anatomy. Yet, when it malfunctions, the symptoms range from being highly unpleasant to high risk.
What is your thyroid, and what does hypothyroidism mean? The answer to these questions leads us to explore how diet has been linked to this condition. As well as the growing belief that naturopathy can contribute to its treatment.
First, the background
Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland, situated low down at the front of your neck.
What does your thyroid do? This gland is responsible for producing key hormones, which are then transported in your bloodstream to where they are needed. This includes hormones associated with your metabolism (your body’s system for breaking down food to produce energy). They are also involved in regulating your body temperature and heart rate.
These thyroid hormones are called triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).
What can go wrong with a thyroid gland?
There are two primary categories of thyroid disease. One causes the gland to become enlarged due to either benign or cancerous growth. You may see these growths referred to as nodules or a goitre. Treatment varies according to the seriousness and could involve simply leaving it alone if it poses no risk.
The second category of issues with a thyroid relates to its ability to produce hormones. The gland can become overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism).
An overactive thyroid
Having too many hormones is detrimental to your health. It can lead to something called thyrotoxicosis; also referred to as a thyroid storm or thyroid crisis. This puts you at risk of serious health problems.
Even if it doesn’t progress that far, the symptoms of an overactive thyroid are disconcerting, including sleeplessness, nervousness, irritability, twitching, trembling and heart palpitations.
The causes of hyperthyroidism include genetics and some autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes. Treatments include medications to block the gland’s ability to produce hormones, beta-blockers to stop the overabundant hormones from working, radioactive iodine to shrink the gland or surgical intervention to remove your thyroid. This often leads to the gland becoming ineffectual or non-existent, so you experience hypothyroidism.
An underactive thyroid
Hypothyroidism affects approximately 2 in every 100 people in the UK. Women are 5 to 10 times more likely to have this condition, compared to men.
Treatment for an overactive thyroid can cause hypothyroidism. However, most cases (around 90%) are due to autoimmune Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Hashimoto's disease causes are unclear, but you have an increased risk if you have another immune system disorder, such as type 1 diabetes.
In some parts of the world, poor levels of dietary iodine lead to an underactive thyroid. Certain viruses and medications can also interfere with your thyroid’s function.
It’s impossible to know how many people in the UK have undiagnosed thyroid problems because mild symptoms are easily blamed on something else. Also, deficiency in thyroid hormones can be slow to take effect, adding to the reasons hypothyroidism can be undiagnosed for years.
As your thyroid hormones impact metabolism and therefore energy, a key symptom of hypothyroidism is tiredness. Others include depression, weight gain, aches and muscle weakness, pain, numbness and tingling sensation in hands and fingers, constipation, and excessively dry skin, hair or nails.
If left untreated, symptoms include a slow heart rate, anaemia and hearing loss. The biggest risk of hypothyroidism though is a heart attack. That’s because a lack of thyroid hormones can lead to clogged arteries.
Hypothyroidism treatment
An underactive gland is diagnosed using a thyroid function test. This looks at levels of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) in a blood sample. Blood tests can also check levels of triiodothyronine (T3).
The standard treatment is hormone replacement drugs called levothyroxine (T4) and liothyronine (T3). They’re taken daily for the rest of your life.
Ways to treat hypothyroidism via a nutritional route are of growing interest to medical science Also, what you eat when you have thyroid disease can be crucial to your entire health and wellbeing.
Thyroid UK says on its website: “Lack of certain vitamins and minerals can cause thyroid deficiency and if you have thyroid deficiency, the vitamins you are taking in are unable to be processed properly.”
The charity also says: “One thing doctors don’t tend to do now unless you go to an alternative therapist is check you for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. You might be surprised to find that you are deficient in quite a few of these, especially vitamin D and vitamin B12.”
Which nutrients improve thyroid health?
The correct diet can help protect you from some autoimmune problems like hypothyroidism, and aid management after diagnosis too.
Nutrients linked to thyroid health include vitamins A, B, C, D and E. Vitamin B-12 is particularly essential for thyroid health and your biological response to the hormones it produces.
Which minerals are important?
Iodine
Iodine deficiency has already been mentioned as a cause of hypothyroidism. However, in the UK we get sufficient from foods such as fish, eggs, and dairy products. Too much iodine from unnecessary supplementation can damage your thyroid.
Selenium
Selenium is an antioxidant enzyme that supports your thyroid's ability to produce hormones. If you have too little, you also experience a build-up of hydrogen peroxide, which may destroy thyroid cells.
At one time, the view was that selenium deficiency only led to thyroid issues if iodine levels were also low. However, a 2020 study in the Biological Trace Element Research journal reported a case of hypothyroidism caused by a lack of selenium.
There have also been other studies that show the importance of selenium in managing the complications associated with all autoimmune conditions. Possibly due to its anti-inflammatory effect.
Good sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, eggs, tuna, sardines and legumes.
Magnesium
Magnesium is needed by your thyroid to support the conversion of one hormone(T4) into another (T3).
Not only do some diets include too little, but evidence suggests that diets high in refined foods and caffeine can encourage the loss of magnesium through your urine.
Nuts, seeds and whole grains are good sources of magnesium, along with fish and bananas.
Zinc
There’s growing evidence that ensuring you consume enough zinc helps your body to regulate TSH, which is the hormone that activates the thyroid gland to its vital hormones. Making zinc supplementation of interest in the treatment of hypothyroidism.
Foods that are good sources of zinc include shellfish, beef, and chicken.
More insights on protecting thyroid health
Regulating your thyroid function – especially when you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism – is problematic. It is why getting advice from a naturopathic practitioner is important. They can explain the best ways to create a balance of minerals, including supporting thyroid function using juicing techniques and recipes.
People with an underactive thyroid need to avoid consuming too much of a compound called goitrogens. These are in popular juicing ingredients kale and spinach. Instead, focus on such nutrient-packed options as apple, carrot, cranberries, peppers, beetroot and fresh ginger or turmeric.
If you consider supplementation as a way to manage or treat thyroid problems, it’s especially recommended you consult a qualified naturopathic practitioner. You can have too much of a 'good thing'.
Also, there are compelling reasons to use supplements containing organic minerals. We explore the topic of organic v inorganic minerals elsewhere (LINK) but it revolves around ensuring you consume a bioavailable version of selenium, magnesium and zinc.
Additional sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/underactive-thyroid-hypothyroidism/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/overactive-thyroid-hyperthyroidism/)
https://thyroiduk.org
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hypothyroidism-diet
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