The tiny gland in our neck does a lot more for our mood, metabolism and weight than we think. Whether you have thyroid issues or not, paying attention to the nutrients involved in thyroid function is very important for optimal function. Let’s start with some background info.
Hyperthyroidism
An overactive thyroid is considered HYPERTHYROID and often shows up on blood work with a LOW TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). Traditionally, hyperthyroid individuals experience:
- Weight Loss
- Increased Sweating
- Heart Racing or Palpitations
- Fatigue
- Nervousness, Anxiety, Insomnia
Hypothyroidism
An underactive thyroid is considered HYPOTHYROID and often shows up on blood work with a HIGH TSH. The most common symptoms associated with hypothryoidism are:
- Weight Gain
- Decreased Appetite
- Hair Loss
- Weakness, Fatigue
- Muscle Aches
In my experience, few people ever fall into just one of these categories. I have seen people with normal blood work and all of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and people with high TSH and no symptoms at all!
But our bodies are smart! The thyroid rarely ever acts alone. When one organ is under stress, the body will take resources from other organs to compensate. Before considering treatment for just the thyroid, consider these other systems that can affect thyroid function:
- Adrenal system – Stress management, whether it be mental-emotional stress or physical stress
- Sex hormones – Resulting in a hormone imbalance, more pronounced menopause or PMS symptoms
- Iron Deficiency Anemia – Iron is an important co-factor for thyroid-related pathways
Important Nutrients for Thyroid Function
Selenium
- Thyroid hormone exists in the body as less active T4, which then converts to the more active form T3 to regulate metabolism. This conversion from T4 to T3 requires selenium and a variety of other nutrients to ease the process.
Vitamin B12
- An important B vitamin for mental and neurological health. B12 is also important in helping to make TSH – thyroid stimulating hormone. It is also an important factor in the production of red blood cells. This means that if you are B12 deficient, your low energy might be a combination of thyroid and red blood cell issues.
Zinc
- We all know zinc to be an important player in the immune system. But zinc is also a key ingredient to making TSH and without it, we’d be left with thyroid imbalance.
Magnesium
- MMagnesium is an integral part of almost every energy reaction in the body, and improves muscle function, sleep and anxiety. Part of the reason everyone feels better when they take magnesium could be because of its role in producing TSH, which as we know, is important in signalling thyroid hormone production.
Iodine
- Without iodine, the thyroid is not able to produce thyroid hormone. Thanks to the addition of Iodized Salt in North America, many thyroid issues have been reduced. Before you overindulge on the seaweed however, it is important to note that high iodine intakes can also be harmful to the thyroid gland.
Vitamin C
- Vitamin C plays a large role in our skin, hair, nails, teeth and immune system. But many are not aware that Vitamin C is also important in the formation of T4 and thyroid function.
Vitamin D
- When active T3 is released into the body, it requires Vitamin D to help it enter into the cell and carry out its function. A vitamin D deficiency would then result in a whole bunch of active T3 floating around the body with nowhere to go!
As you can see, there are many nutrients involved in thyroid function and many ways that deficiencies can affect thyroid function. For your best results, consult your healthcare provider to find out exactly how much of these nutrients you need to take.