Natural Thyroid Treatment

Untreated thyroid problems can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. There are a range of natural thyroid treatment options. These include both hyperthyroid and hypothyroid natural treatment options targeting areas of nutrition, lifestyle and environmental changes along with (where necessary) natural thyroid extracts.

Assessing Thyroid Problems

The first step in natural thyroid treatment is proper assessment. Assessing thyroid function is not as simple as just completing a blood test. Experts in the area recommend that a proper assessment should involve collecting information from multiple sources. This includes:

• Blood tests. Simple blood tests are available to test for the levels of TSH, T4 and T3. Presently, most doctors are only testing for TSH levels, and if this is out of the clinical range, will then test for T3 and T4. Unfortunately, research shows that TSH is an unreliable indicator of thyroid hormone levels,. Blood tests should assess for at least all three hormones to provide a more accurate measurement of thyroid output. Blood tests for thyroid antibodies, and reverse T3 (the inactive form of T3) can also provide useful information.

• Physical examination. There are numerous physical signs of thyroid problems including thinning eyebrows, swelling under the eyes, dry skin, puffy eyes, ridged or splitting fingernails, scalloping of the tongue, and inflamed cheeks. These physical signs (plus many more) should be taken into consideration when determining thyroid function.

• Symptom assessment. Thyroid problems can result in a range of symptoms (see common symptoms of thyroid disease). Such symptoms should be seriously considered when determining the possibility of thyroid problems.

• Basal body temperature. Monitoring of basal body temperature can give an indication of thyroid health. Hypothyroidism often results in lowered body temperature (below 36.5 degrees) while people with hyperthyroidism often have an elevated body temperature. Assessing body temperature is best done first thing in the morning before getting out of bed.

• Nutritional assessment. Because of the importance of a range of nutrients for thyroid hormone production, nutritional testing can be invaluable in determining specific deficiencies e.g., iodine. Such tests can be completed through blood, urine and hair.

• Toxic metal testing. Hair and urine testing can provide information about possible toxic metals that could be impairing thyroid hormone production.

Natural Thyroid Treatment Options

Effective treatment for thyroid problems is multi-faceted, involving nutritional, psychological and lifestyle changes. For many people, medication may be also be an integral part of treatment.

• Thyroid medication. If diagnosed with hypothyroidism, thyroid medication will likely be required to increase thyroid hormone levels. Because the thyroid gland is not producing adequate levels then they will need to be increased by an external source (i.e., medication). There are a range of prescription medication options available ranging from synthetic thyroid medication to more natural thyroid extracts. Thyroid extracts are more commonly used by doctors practicing nutritional medicine.

• Dietary changes. Poor diet will exacerbate thyroid problems and in some cases can be a major cause of thyroid dysfunction. Junk food diets and excessive alcohol intake will deplete the body of nutrients required by the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones.

• Stress management. High stress and corresponding high cortisol levels can impair thyroid hormone production. Stress management techniques in the form of meditation, yoga and more formal psychological counselling can be beneficial.

• Lifestyle changes. Having adequate sleep, time to relax, engaging in pleasurable activities plus a whole range of other lifestyle-related factors are important in improving thyroid function.

• Adrenal support. Just like high cortisol levels can impair thyroid production, so can cortisol levels that are too low. Low cortisol is often the result of a poor adrenal state often referred to as 'adrenal fatigue.'’ This is a crucial component of thyroid treatment because without adequate adrenal function, treatment is unlikely to be effective.

• Chelation therapy. If the body contains excess metals in the body then it is important that chelation treatment be undertaken. This involves the use of medication and supplements to help the body excrete toxic metals from the body.

• Supplementation. A range of nutrients are required for thyroid health and thyroid hormone production. Supplementation with nutrients such as iodine, selenium, tyrosine, zinc, vitamin C, iron, and B-vitamins can help improve thyroid hormone production. This can be particularly useful for people experiencing problems converting T4 to T3. Antioxidants can also be helpful in reducing free radical damage which can impair thyroid production.

• Other treatments. Mainstream treatment for hyperthyroidism can consist of medication (e.g., antithyroid medication), radioactive iodine and/or surgery to remove the thyroid gland.

Click here for common symptoms of thyroid disease