The thyroid gland is the butterfly-like gland present in your neck. It is the master gland because the hormones produced by it control metabolism in your body, interact with every other hormone and keeps your body working like a well-oiled machine. This is why when your thyroid gland isn’t working optimally, it can trigger many symptoms and diseases. Proper nutrition is incredibly important for a well-functioning thyroid gland. Any deficiency puts our body into defense mode and slows down metabolism, which has a wavelike effect. This is why these five supplements are necessary to keep the thyroid functioning properly.
1. Vitamin B12
Research shows that 40% of those suffering from hypothyroidism, particularly Hashimoto’s, are deficient in vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is vital for converting food into energy and proteins that leads to new DNA and RBC. How do you know if you need it? If you’re experiencing excess fatigue, sleeplessness, hair fall and anxiety attacks, you might be deficient in this vitamin. To get it confirmed, you should first get a vitamin B12 deficiency test done. A positive result means you should start on sublingual methylcobalamin supplements that are easily absorbed by your body. Its effect can be seen as early as in one or two weeks.
2. Selenium
The thyroid is the gland with the highest amount of selenium. A thyroid dysfunction usually results from a deficiency in selenium. A healthy thyroid means there is enough selenium to convert the inactive thyroid hormone T4 into the active T3 hormone. Metabolism of food and other activities require T3 in sufficient amounts. Apart from this, selenium is a key contributor in the body’s defense. Enough selenium can be got from garlic and a few Brazil nuts every day. The problem arises if your body cannot absorb it in its natural form. In that case, try taking a selenium methionine supplement which works to alleviate symptoms of a faulty thyroid gland.
3. Magnesium
Lab tests often don’t identify this deficiency correctly since your RBC magnesium might be normal while intracellular magnesium might be very low. This is because hypothyroidism causes an increased excretion of both magnesium and zinc from the kidneys. A deficiency in magnesium can also be very dangerous because it can affect your heart. Take a magnesium citrate supplement to make up for any deficiencies you might have. This also goes a long way in treating constipation which is often a problem for most people having thyroid disorders.
4. Probiotics
Probiotics are most often associated with gut health, so it might be surprising to know that they can also affect your thyroid gland. 20% of T3 to T4 conversion actually happens in the stomach. The thyroid also promotes the secretion of stomach acids. The thyroid and the gut have a symbiotic relationship and a problem with one can affect the other. A thyroid deficiency slows down digestion and in turn causes inflammation and autoimmunity. Probiotics help to create a more healthy environment in the gut. It will not cure an existing disease but if you start on probiotics early enough, they can go a long way in preventing these disorders.
5. Iron
Iron is crucial for the production of hormones in the thyroid gland and so, iron deficiency can cause poor thyroid secretion. Ironically, hypothyroidism can also aggravate iron deficiency. You can not be anemic but still have low iron content in your body. In such cases your iron deficiency might get overlooked. If you suffer from shortness of breath, hair loss, brittle nails or cold hands and feet, get a lab test done to confirm iron deficiency. If you need to go on supplements, choose liquid iron rather than tablet forms. It’s best to have it along with vitamin C or a glass of lime juice. However, be sure to not take it with your thyroid tablets because it could interfere with them.
