green tea and hypothyroidism

jadesign19

Hello! I've been on levothyroxine 0.137 mg for years. I've recently heard that green tea is bad for people taking thyroid meds. Has anyone else heard this? I love green tea and will be sad to miss it. But it might explain why my weight loss is negligible.
P.S. I tested two weeks ago and my hormone levels are good.

jennifer2977

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fiberartist219

I've read a lot of stuff on hypothyroidism, and I have never in my life heard that green tea is bad for you. Where did you see or hear this? (I'm curious.)

I even had a doctor recommend it to me when I was having some digestive problems. She told me to avoid coffee and pop for a little while and I gave her a sad face about the lack of caffeine. She said I could have green tea, and it has a lot of antioxidants, so she said I could enjoy that to no end. I don't think the digestive problems were related to hypothyroidism in that case, but she had my chart right there and saw what my hypo situation was.

I've heard that soy and certain veggies are bad too, but I haven't had that same experience. I just eat whatever I want, but I try not to eat around the same time as taking my meds.

I know some hypo folks have problems with caffeine interfering with their adrenals, but I don't know that I've ever had adrenal problems.

rebeccawalker1982

I would say as your enrocrinologist. Mine has never said anything about not eating or drinking this or that. Ive been on the Levo 125-137 (went up and down while I was preg) for about 2 yrs now and havent really had any problems that I know of with any of the foods that I eat.

sizzlinoverthefat

I'v been on meds for this and have been drinking green tea for a few weeks and have not had any problems. I've not heard anything about what you can anc can't have on the meds only taking it on an empty stomach.

RemDogzMa

I love my unsweetened iced green tea from Starbucks and I happen to be hypothyroid. I'd never heard of a connection between the two, but googled it.

It's not the green tea, but rather the presumed flouride from it. I would think you'd have to be drinking a pretty heavy amount of it for it to impact you, but if was still concerning to you, you could either use non-flouridated water to brew your tea OR use a non-flouridated toothpaste to counterbalance (we've used Tom's of Maine non-flouride toothpaste).

My personal opinion is that the health benefits of green tea outweigh the bad flouride. Unless you are drinking gallons of it weekly.

klynn81

As someone who is also hypothyroid I've read a lot, and while I've read there are lots of things to avoid, I've never once read that green tea is bad for someone who is hypothyroid.

scapez

As someone who is also hypothyroid I've read a lot, and while I've read there are lots of things to avoid, I've never once read that green tea is bad for someone who is hypothyroid.

This.

becoming_a_new_me

I would think that is a myth. Thinks like Kelp should be avoided, but green tea is an antioxidant.

tecallahan

I think green tea is good for you as a general rule, but I don't think it will do anything for hypothyroidism. I've had hypothyroidism since 1997, love green tea, but it doesn't help any of my symptoms or weight loss!


There is a Hypothyroidism group that you can join for support. You can also check out this website: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

"normal" hormone levels are not always normal!

cec57

Things to avoid

Soy products. Isoflavones are hormone-like substances found in soy products. High consumption of soy products have been found to suppress thyroid function in some people and can even cause or worsen hypothyroidism. In particular, an isoflavone called genistein, appears to reduce thyroid hormone output by blocking the activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. This enzyme is responsible for adding iodine onto the thyroid hormones.

Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mustard, rutabagas, kohlrabi, and turnips. Isothiocyanates are the category of substances in cruciferous vegetables that have been associated with decreased thyroid function. They appear to reduce thyroid function by blocking thyroid peroxidase, and also by disrupting messages that are sent across the membranes of thyroid cells. Cooking these vegetables does make the isothiocyanates less available. Also, because they are so good for us in other ways, only restrict this group if you have been actually diagnosed with hypothyroidism or have strong symptoms.

DO NOT TAKE IODINE SUPPLEMENTS IF YOU ARE ON THYROID MEDS WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR.

TAKE IRON OR CALCIUM 4 HOURS AFTER YOUR MEDS AND ALWAYS TAKE YOUR MEDS WITH WATER NOT MILK AS MILK CAN STOP THE MEDS WORKING .

ntm76

Research has shown that green tea in moderate doses is fine for hypothyroidism though it is not recommended to drink it when taking thyroid meds but it fine an hour after the medication is taken. Green tea is not recommended though for HYPERthyroidism.

DenverKos

Been on mere over 10 years and have never heard anything about green tea. I had heard about soy, and iodine, but hadn't heard about broccoli or brussel sprouts....crap!

tecallahan

Well, I can't picture life without broccoli and brussell sprouts! I'll ask my Naturopath, but I think that's hooey.

tecallahan

Here's what I found about eating cruciferous veggies with hypothyroidism:

t is true that cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower contain natural chemicals called goitrogens (goiter producers) that can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis. Other foods that contain these chemicals include corn, sweet potatoes, lima beans, turnips, peanuts, cassava (YUCA), canola oil and soybeans.

:flowerforyou: Fortunately, the goitrogens in these foods are inactivated by cooking, even by light steaming, so there is no need to forego the valuable antioxidant and cancer- protective effects cruciferous vegetables afford.

Yay! Bring on the veggies!

jmvh59

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism almost two years ago and my doctor's only dietary restrictions were to wait at least one hour before or after eating to take my synthroid generic (levothyroxine) and to avoid consuming grapefruit. Has anybody else heard this?

Grokette

I've read a lot of stuff on hypothyroidism, and I have never in my life heard that green tea is bad for you. Where did you see or hear this? (I'm curious.)

I even had a doctor recommend it to me when I was having some digestive problems. She told me to avoid coffee and pop for a little while and I gave her a sad face about the lack of caffeine. She said I could have green tea, and it has a lot of antioxidants, so she said I could enjoy that to no end. I don't think the digestive problems were related to hypothyroidism in that case, but she had my chart right there and saw what my hypo situation was.

I've heard that soy and certain veggies are bad too, but I haven't had that same experience. I just eat whatever I want, but I try not to eat around the same time as taking my meds.

I know some hypo folks have problems with caffeine interfering with their adrenals, but I don't know that I've ever had adrenal problems.

This is similar to what I was going to say.

Soy is a definite no no and some goitergenic foods such as cruciferous veggies (brocolli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc) should be eaten at least several hours after taking thyroid meds.

tamiesue2

Green Tea has caffeine, having hypothyroidism you are supposed to stay away from coffee, tea, and sodas. While the green tea has good benefits for other areas, I can see how it can be bad for people with hypothyroidism.

Grokette

Green Tea has caffeine, having hypothyroidism you are supposed to stay away from coffee, tea, and sodas. While the green tea has good benefits for other areas, I can see how it can be bad for people with hypothyroidism.

Most Endo's actually suggest increasing caffeine to assist the metabolism as my Endo and my previous Endo both have done.

nallie80

Check out this web page....It might help.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/489766-green-tea-thyroid-medicine/

panda0920

Green tea doesn't bother the thyroid. Believe me. I've been on synthroid since I was seven. I'm almost nineteen. If you're having problems with your thyroid then it's because you haven't regulated to your medication, yet. It took me 3-4 years, changing medication, and paitence before the symptoms technically went away. I don't even believe iodine affects a medicated thyroid. I'm autoimmune, so my thyroid is long dead, and and it has never bothered me. I lost about 30 pounds two years ago and got to 175 without plateauing. It's all about medicated regulation, so just keep in contact with an endocrine, so no worries about green tea and veggies. But I do agree with things such as soy, make sure you eat things like that and veggies at least four hours after medication begin taken just because the thyroid also regulates minerals/vitamins absorption and uptake, hence many hypothyroid paitents can also be diagnosed with gluten intolerence or sensitivity.

nadiahusssain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aaTGJa9xSE
check the link above.. it says green tea isnt good for thyroid

LQT003

Yes it's true! It is because it naturally absorbs fluoride and it interfere with thyroid function.

morovian

When any of you actually get serious about investigating whether green tea is a bad idea with hypothyroidism (and it doesn't sound like you are); http://www.precisionnutrition.com/rr-green-tea-hazards

There is very little out there in the world of food and drink that is "good for everyone".