Thyroid problems
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What supplements do you take? What kind of food should be avoided?
Thyroid conditions can only be diagnosed by an endocrinologist after reviewing your full thyroid panel.
There are no supplements to take. There are no foods which will help or harm. There is no Thyroid Diet.
Thyroid issues are resolved by medicine through prescriptoin of hormones or competing blockers. Anyone telling you otherwise is marketing woo.
Thyroid issues have a minimal impact on metabolism, but seem to be the latest excuse and marketing gimmick of the diet industry. Through laboratory observation this has ~5% impact on BMR.9 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »What supplements do you take? What kind of food should be avoided?
The supplement I take is 1 Body Thyriod support supplement you can get it off amazon for about $25, they also sell it at Vitamin Shoppes if I'm not mistaking
The main food I stay away from is gluten, because it's more difficult for people with Hyothriodism to break down food that contain gluten, you don't have to give it up completely just minimize your intake. I kind a gave it up completely because that's what works for me.
Also some veggies, particually cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale because it interferes with thyriod production especially if you have an iodine deficiency. These are some of my fave veggies I still eat them just not as much
All of this does not necessarily apply, and I feel it's premature to suggest this before the OP has her thyroid functions under control with the proper medication.
I have hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) and find that the things you mention - specifically gluten and cruciferous vegetables - are not an issue for me.
And taking the "Thyroid Supplements" that are available can actually be dangerous:
http://www.consumerreports.org/vitamins-supplements/never-take-thyroid-supplements/
This issue needs to be addressed with a medical doctor. It's not something to screw around with on one's own.
Of course everyone should consult with a doctor first before taking anything, but they should also look for alternatives if you don't want to take drugs, at least with supplements you know exactly what's inside of it. You can consult with a doctor that will give you meds that have worse side effect than what these Supplements contain which is really none at all, I looked at many options is this is the best if you want to take care of it naturally with out side effects from harmful drugs. And Everyone is different what might work for me may not work for others, but at least I can share for those who are willing to try it out.
Doctors are alway trying to steer people away from natural cures, I did a lot of research both medically and other wise so like I said this is what worked for me so I shared it.
Here's where you are misinformed. There are absolutely *no* regulations regarding the content, strength, purity or efficacy of any supplements that are available that proclaim to aid (or in some cases even cure) thyroid issues, among many other ailments.
I've had Hashimoto's for 35 years. It is well managed and controlled by taking varying levels of prescribed medication depending on what stage my disease is currently in. I feel it is irresponsible to suggest foregoing proper medication in favour of unregulated and potentially dangerous supplement alternatives, regardless of how "natural" you may think they are.
tl;dr : Big Pharma is *not* evil.
Like I said everyone is different and different things work for different people, I'm not old enough to have had to deal with this for that many years, but the years that I've have this has worked for me better than any prescription has ever. I think it's better to let someone know about these alternative because they could be like me, and has tried many things but can't find what works for them.
There's no reason to be condescending, everyone is entiled to there opinion, and I'm just sharing my experience just like everyone else, I'm not talking out of my butt or making things up out of thin air, these are thing I actually took time to educate myself about through tons of reseach, questions and evidence.
and there are just certain drugs I don't take especially if they have too many side effects, it will just make your condition worse than what it already is.
Here's an article written by a colleague on those wonderful "alternative" health sources:
http://www.acsh.org/news/2016/12/06/pfizers-centrum-silver-multivitamins-contain-pesticide-paint-glass-10544
The simple fact that regulatory agencies do not regulate these products tells you that they can have little to no impact on the body. ...but placebo is a powerful force.
You are certainly entitled to an opinion, but an uniformed one? Stick to peer reviewed publications and reproducible results and you'll find your opinion more meaningful.
Most of the "side effects" listed on medicine are simply there because they were reported by someone taking the medication. This does not mean that the product causes this, but are listed because someone who was taking the drug also had the side effect.8 -
I have Hashimoto's and have taken Synthroid for 20 years. I've gained and lost the same 30 lbs over these years too. It is a constant struggle for me. I've counted calories for the most part for several years and get daily exercise (have a sedentary job though). But since Menopause struck I really can't seem to lose weight. I work harder now instead of daily walks I do Body Combat and Spin classes but my weight is not going down. I do believe that Hashimoto's does make it more challenging to stay fit!1
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Some caution is required here, I think. Placebo can help considerably with nonspecific subjective symptoms, but there's no evidence they do anything at all for the underlying pathology. With a placebo treatment, someone with hypothyroidism might feel less tired or otherwise symptomatic, but they'll still at elevated risk for the complications normally associated with hypothyroidism.The simple fact that regulatory agencies do not regulate these products tells you that they can have little to no impact on the body. ...but placebo is a powerful force.
There's a discussion of this very subject at SBM today, as it happens.1 -
<snip> ...and there are just certain drugs I don't take especially if they have too many side effects, it will just make your condition worse than what it already is.
<snip> Most of the "side effects" listed on medicine are simply there because they were reported by someone taking the medication. This does not mean that the product causes this, but are listed because someone who was taking the drug also had the side effect.
Just wanted to elaborate on the great point that @CSARdiver made above.
The FDA requires that *all* potential side effects of an approved medication be listed for legal purposes, regardless of how rarely they may occur. The supplement industry, being unregulated, has no legal requirement to do so, so of course, they don't.
How many drug commercials have we all seen for a medication that cures something rather benign like, say, toe fungus, that lists a plethora of potential side effects from incredibly minor all the way up to and including death? It happens all the time. It always makes me laugh to think, "Well, at least the person will have some awesome looking toenails when they breathe their last!"
But as mentioned, FDA approved medications are required - by law - to list every single potential side effect that anyone in the history of having taken that medication may have experienced. And I suspect that the law also errs on the side of legal caution to include symptoms that may not be entirely contributable solely to the medication used, but where a combination of meds or a pre-existing medical condition may have been a large contributing factor. Perhaps CSARdiver can elaborate on this.
Tl;dr - These days, you have a much better chance of winning the lottery than be affected by a devastating side effect of an FDA approved medication.
With unregulated supplements you really have no clue what those side effects could even be. Just because they don't have to be listed, doesn't mean they don't exist. Not by a long shot!
This is where I think a lot of people are mislead into believing that unregulated supplements are somehow safer than approved medications.
And it's a false and potentially dangerous assumption to make.
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snickerscharlie wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »What supplements do you take? What kind of food should be avoided?
The supplement I take is 1 Body Thyriod support supplement you can get it off amazon for about $25, they also sell it at Vitamin Shoppes if I'm not mistaking
The main food I stay away from is gluten, because it's more difficult for people with Hyothriodism to break down food that contain gluten, you don't have to give it up completely just minimize your intake. I kind a gave it up completely because that's what works for me.
Also some veggies, particually cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale because it interferes with thyriod production especially if you have an iodine deficiency. These are some of my fave veggies I still eat them just not as much
All of this does not necessarily apply, and I feel it's premature to suggest this before the OP has her thyroid functions under control with the proper medication.
I have hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) and find that the things you mention - specifically gluten and cruciferous vegetables - are not an issue for me.
And taking the "Thyroid Supplements" that are available can actually be dangerous:
http://www.consumerreports.org/vitamins-supplements/never-take-thyroid-supplements/
This issue needs to be addressed with a medical doctor. It's not something to screw around with on one's own.
Of course everyone should consult with a doctor first before taking anything, but they should also look for alternatives if you don't want to take drugs, at least with supplements you know exactly what's inside of it. You can consult with a doctor that will give you meds that have worse side effect than what these Supplements contain which is really none at all, I looked at many options is this is the best if you want to take care of it naturally with out side effects from harmful drugs. And Everyone is different what might work for me may not work for others, but at least I can share for those who are willing to try it out.
Doctors are alway trying to steer people away from natural cures, I did a lot of research both medically and other wise so like I said this is what worked for me so I shared it.
Here's where you are misinformed. There are absolutely *no* regulations regarding the content, strength, purity or efficacy of any supplements that are available that proclaim to aid (or in some cases even cure) thyroid issues, among many other ailments.
I've had Hashimoto's for 35 years. It is well managed and controlled by taking varying levels of prescribed medication depending on what stage my disease is currently in. I feel it is irresponsible to suggest foregoing proper medication in favour of unregulated and potentially dangerous supplement alternatives, regardless of how "natural" you may think they are.
tl;dr : Big Pharma is *not* evil.
Like I said everyone is different and different things work for different people, I'm not old enough to have had to deal with this for that many years, but the years that I've have this has worked for me better than any prescription has ever. I think it's better to let someone know about these alternative because they could be like me, and has tried many things but can't find what works for them.
There's no reason to be condescending, everyone is entitled to there opinion, and I'm just sharing my experience just like everyone else, I'm not talking out of my butt or making things up out of thin air, these are thing I actually took time to educate myself about through tons of reseach, questions and evidence.
and there are just certain drugs I don't take especially if they have too many side effects, it will just make your condition worse than what it already is.
I fail to see where I was condescending.
But I will stand by it being inappropriate to even mention supplements to a person who hasn't had her thyroid issues (if they exist) addressed by her physician as yet. At this point, were she to follow your advice and look into supplements, it could have some potentially dangerous consequences for her.
I honestly feel that your education in this area may be incomplete or perhaps just one-sided. Please put forward your "tons of research and evidence" if you are certain your idea has merit, because the legitimate medical community strongly disagrees with you.
Most of my research was done by asking different doctors directly about both prescription and supplements and looking into every single thing used in the supplements thoroughly before I even considered taking them, I'm very caution of what I put in my body.
And as it concerns the OP I didn't tell her to take anything I simply told her what I do, I would think that anyone would consult a doctor before taking any medication or supplement to see if it's right and safe for them. so I agree with you there, she should see if she actually has a thyroid problem before looking into how to treat it.
Of course, there is a huge disagreement, there is also a huge disagreement with taking certain prescription drugs doesn't mean they don't work for some people. Even with us you have what works for you, and I have what works for me and it's all cool as long as everyone is healthy.
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I really don't have anything to add but 2 of my older dogs are on thyroid medication. Its an inexpensive twice a day pill that has corrected their health amazingly. The same one someone here mentioned, Lyvoxy-whatever (generic). Cheap online. Improved weight, improved coat etc. It just seems that thyroid issues are fairly common and have a decent prognosis with maintenance medication. (Call it a supplement if it makes you feel better.)0
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I've been on medication for my thyroid for nearly 10 years. It's not any harder to lose weight with my thyroid condition because I have it under control. See a doctor. Get on the proper medication if that is what is required. DO NOT TAKE SUPPLEMENTS! Believe me, you do not want to mess with your thyroid. It can make you sick and miserable. Get a good doctor that you trust (it took me years to find a good thyroid doctor).
I can't stress any of this enough. Don't mess with your health by taking unregulated supplements.5 -
I've been on medication for my thyroid for nearly 10 years. It's not any harder to lose weight with my thyroid condition because I have it under control. See a doctor. Get on the proper medication if that is what is required. DO NOT TAKE SUPPLEMENTS! Believe me, you do not want to mess with your thyroid. It can make you sick and miserable. Get a good doctor that you trust (it took me years to find a good thyroid doctor).
I can't stress any of this enough. Don't mess with your health by taking unregulated supplements.
^^^So much THIS
BTW, hey, me too! Well, actually, 11 years since diagnosis. When I hit my highest weight 3 years ago I was convinced it "HAD" to be because of hypothyroidism. Got my levels checked: nope, all normal. Darn! So I had to just focus on CICO like all the other mortals out there ;-)4 -
Talk to your doctor about going on T-3 or T-4 to lower your thyroid to lose weight. I've taken T-3 on a diet and it works good for men. 2 weeks on, 1 off, then repeat.0
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Some caution is required here, I think. Placebo can help considerably with nonspecific subjective symptoms, but there's no evidence they do anything at all for the underlying pathology. With a placebo treatment, someone with hypothyroidism might feel less tired or otherwise symptomatic, but they'll still at elevated risk for the complications normally associated with hypothyroidism.The simple fact that regulatory agencies do not regulate these products tells you that they can have little to no impact on the body. ...but placebo is a powerful force.
There's a discussion of this very subject at SBM today, as it happens.
I would say extreme caution is required. This is in no way an endorsement, but the highest criticism of the supplement industry.
The very fact that it is a supplement is an advertisement that is has little to no potential to have any meaningful impact. These products basically come with a label saying "Go ahead and take my money, but this will do nothing for you"
This is about the closest I come to anger on this site, when people give dangerous advice recommending supplements or diet when medicine is absolutely required under the observation of a medical professional.6 -
Would a GP be able to diagnose hypothyroidism based on a basic blood test from a checkup? I am discussing my bloodwork with my GP next month but didn't ask them to take a special look at my thyroid. My mom has hypothyroidism and I've always suspected I do too because we share symptoms.0
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if these supplements worked so great we would have no need for endocrinologists or thyroid meds prescribed by them. everything has side effects sure, but drugs prescribed by a dr are regulated by the FDA and the over the counter ones are not.a thyroid issue is nothing to mess with and can get worse over time.That would be like having kidney disease and using cranberry pills to try and cure it.3
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phlegmfatale1 wrote: »Would a GP be able to diagnose hypothyroidism based on a basic blood test from a checkup? I am discussing my bloodwork with my GP next month but didn't ask them to take a special look at my thyroid. My mom has hypothyroidism and I've always suspected I do too because we share symptoms.
A GP could request a TSH to begin with, especially if you have genetic history. The new normal range is 0.2-2.0. From there you may request a full thyroid panel if necessary, but you need an endocrinologist to dig into the data and make the determination, or an exceptional and devoted GP.
There is simply too much information available to sort through for a GP.2 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »if these supplements worked so great we would have no need for endocrinologists or thyroid meds prescribed by them. everything has side effects sure, but drugs prescribed by a dr are regulated by the FDA and the over the counter ones are not.a thyroid issue is nothing to mess with and can get worse over time.That would be like having kidney disease and using cranberry pills to try and cure it.
There are actually a ton of ways to cure thing naturally but aren't recommended by doctors because; one, they would the Pharmaceutical companies would lose money, and two, doctors are not really suppose to recommend them to us, plus natural things don't always world for everyone just like medicine doesn't always work. And just because something is FDA approved doesn't mean it good for us either.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »if these supplements worked so great we would have no need for endocrinologists or thyroid meds prescribed by them. everything has side effects sure, but drugs prescribed by a dr are regulated by the FDA and the over the counter ones are not.a thyroid issue is nothing to mess with and can get worse over time.That would be like having kidney disease and using cranberry pills to try and cure it.
There are actually a ton of ways to cure thing naturally but aren't recommended by doctors because; one, they would the Pharmaceutical companies would lose money, and two, doctors are not really suppose to recommend them to us, plus natural things don't always world for everyone just like medicine doesn't always work. And just because something is FDA approved doesn't mean it good for us either.
Since when did supplement companies become non-profit? Last I checked this was a $5B industry. An industry profiting with absolutely no shred of scientific proof.
There are no regulations about what a physician can or cannot recommend - the are not under the authority of the FDA and can do pretty much whatever they want under their medical board and license. OTC products are regulated by the FDA. Supplements are protected from regulation simply because THEY HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE BODY. Regulations are risk based - Scheduled Rx under the highest regulations, then Rx, then OTC.
If something is "good for you" then you should be able to reproduce the data.
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »if these supplements worked so great we would have no need for endocrinologists or thyroid meds prescribed by them. everything has side effects sure, but drugs prescribed by a dr are regulated by the FDA and the over the counter ones are not.a thyroid issue is nothing to mess with and can get worse over time.That would be like having kidney disease and using cranberry pills to try and cure it.
There are actually a ton of ways to cure thing naturally but aren't recommended by doctors because; one, they would the Pharmaceutical companies would lose money, and two, doctors are not really suppose to recommend them to us, plus natural things don't always world for everyone just like medicine doesn't always work. And just because something is FDA approved doesn't mean it good for us either.
which is why I said everything has side effects, as for natural things,supplements are not natural,they are all man made,I mean prescribed meds are too. thyroid issues are nothing to mess with though and you should not just take an over the counter supplement. you have to see a dr regularly to check your levels and so on. how are they going to monitor your levels if you are on a supplement they know nothing about? they cant adjust your levels if need be due to that. if you have a thyroid issue why are you not seeing a dr and letting them take care of it?0 -
phlegmfatale1 wrote: »Would a GP be able to diagnose hypothyroidism based on a basic blood test from a checkup? I am discussing my bloodwork with my GP next month but didn't ask them to take a special look at my thyroid. My mom has hypothyroidism and I've always suspected I do too because we share symptoms.
A GP could request a TSH to begin with, especially if you have genetic history. The new normal range is 0.2-2.0. From there you may request a full thyroid panel if necessary, but you need an endocrinologist to dig into the data and make the determination, or an exceptional and devoted GP.
There is simply too much information available to sort through for a GP.
yeah my daughters GP did a thyroid test(what they could do) and it said she has an underactive thyroid. she was referred to a endocrinologist,where she has been tested 4 times in the last year or so and guess what? her thyroid is in normal range,she doesnt have a thyroid issue,no PCOS, no insulin resistance like the first endo stated(she has saw 2 in this time,the first one was rude and didnt know her butt from a whole in the ground).. she goes back to her other endo in jan to keep an eye on things, this just goes to show you that a GP can be wrong and so can their tests,but then again they are limited to how they test certain things0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »if these supplements worked so great we would have no need for endocrinologists or thyroid meds prescribed by them. everything has side effects sure, but drugs prescribed by a dr are regulated by the FDA and the over the counter ones are not.a thyroid issue is nothing to mess with and can get worse over time.That would be like having kidney disease and using cranberry pills to try and cure it.
There are actually a ton of ways to cure thing naturally but aren't recommended by doctors because; one, they would the Pharmaceutical companies would lose money, and two, doctors are not really suppose to recommend them to us, plus natural things don't always world for everyone just like medicine doesn't always work. And just because something is FDA approved doesn't mean it good for us either.
Since when did supplement companies become non-profit? Last I checked this was a $5B industry. An industry profiting off absolute no shred of scientific proof.
There are no regulations about what a physician can or cannot recommend - the are not under the authority of the FDA and can do pretty much whatever they want under their medical board and license. OTC products are regulated by the FDA. Supplements are protected from regulation simply because THEY HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE BODY. Regulations are risk based - Scheduled Rx under the highest regulations, then Rx, then OTC.
If something is "good for you" then you should be able to reproduce the data.
Never said supplement companies didn't profit, but the pharmaceutical industry is almost a $500 billion industry they're banking in way more, anyway I'll explain myself a little more.
one thing that I learned about my condition is that I have an Iodine deficiency that caused Hypothyroidism, because of that my doctor wanted to give me a combo prescription of iodine and some other stuff, long story short after trying some meds that made me sick, I wanted to go a natural route in which I looked for natural ways to ingest Iodine. After talking to a couple of doctors I found that if you take Iodine you usually have to take it with selenium to balance it out and protect your body. So I found a natural supplement that contained both Iodine and selenium at the right dosages, did some research and talked to a couple of doctors to make sure it was safe to take and how it would effect my body.
This is an article about Iodine and selenium the doctor in this article doesn't even agree with taking supplements but he explains how iodine can be both bad and good for you
https://chriskresser.com/iodine-for-hypothyroidism-like-gasoline-on-a-fire/
and this one explains how it affects those with Hashimoto
http://jeffreydachmd.com/hashimotos-selenium-and-iodine-part-two/
Like I said I looked into what was in the supplements, for me, these two things were the most important but there were other things that were included in the supplement that is also beneficial in controlling my condition.
I'll admit it was careless of me to mention the supplement with advising the OP to consult with a doctor first, but I thought that was obvious.
Anyway I'm done here I enjoyed this vigorous discussion, but I find it a bit pointless going back in forth, so Peace ✌️ and have a good day.
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