In my previous article on the hypothyroid epidemic, I talked about why hypothyroidism is so prevalent today in society. If you have not read the article yet, I suggest that you read it first by clicking here. In addition, I suggest that you also read my article on Adrenal Fatigue / Insufficiency since adrenal problems many times will precipitate hypothyroidism. After you have read this article you should try and take measures to avoid the talked about thyroid toxins at all costs. Once you have taken this first, very important step I suggest that you begin adding the supplements which will follow in this article.
I like to think of solving thyroid insufficiency as a two part equation. The equation goes like this:
AVOIDANCE of toxins + SUPPLEMENTATION of thyroid nutrients = Normal Thyroid Function.
It is really that simple.
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| Lugol's Liquid Iodine |
By far and large the most important nutrient for proper thyroid function is iodine. When it comes to iodine supplementation, you must completely disregard what you already know and start from scratch. Chances are you have been taught that we only need 150 micrograms (.15 milligrams) of iodine each day. This is misinformation and could not be further from the truth. Evidence is piling up from iodine literate doctors such as Dr. David Brownstein which shows that the human body needs a MINIMUM of 12.5 milligrams of iodine daily in order to prevent deficiency. Take the Japanese, for example. In Japan, the average person consumes about 13 milligrams of iodine each day from a seafood-rich diet. Consequently, incidences of prostate and breast cancer as well as hypothyroidism are much lower in Japan than they are in the Western World. If you want to start optimizing your thyroid function today, you must start incorporating this essential nutrient into your supplement regimen. The best form of Iodine to use for supplementation is either Lugol's liquid iodine or Iodoral tablets. Either one will work fine, it just comes down to whether you prefer taking iodine as a tablet or liquid. See dosing of supplements below to learn how much to take.
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| Diagram of the Thyroid Hormone Cascade. |
While iodine is the most important supplement to take for thyroid optimization, it should also be taken with other "companion" nutrients which work together in concert. Of these companion nutrients, none other is more important than selenium. Without the aid of selenium, you body cannot convert inactive thyroid hormone (t4) into active thyroid hormone (t3). The active thyroid hormone t3 must be produced at adequate levels in order to correct thyroid imbalances. Without adequate selenium, this essential conversion will not be possible.
Knowing this, it is not hard to see why Synthroid and other such drugs are many times ineffective when it comes to alleviating hypothyroid symptoms. You see, while synthroid supplies your body with inactive t4 (in synthetic form) it fails to provide the body with active t3. This fact makes makes supplementation with Armour and other forms of dessicated thyroid a better option since these do contain the t3 that the body needs for normal thyroid function.
After selenium, I would say that tyrosine would be next on the list of overall importance. When supplementation with an adequate amount of both iodine and selenium for several months does not bring thyroid function to normal, tyrosine can be added and will many times be the missing "spark" that is needed. Tyrosine (along with iodine) is a major ingredient used by the thyroid gland to produce thryoid hormone. When you consume a healthy diet with adequate protein, tyrosine deficiency is rare and generally not needed. Supplementation can, however, have utility for certain individuals and so its use should not be discounted.
Beyond those supplements which I just mentioned, I also recommend that you take a high quality multivitamin/mineral supplement in order to ensure that all other essential vitamins and minerals are covered. Sadly, our diets today are largely devoid of nutrients (especially minerals). Therefore, taking a good multivitamin is cheap insurance.
So to summarize, to optimize thyroid gland function you should be taking the following supplements daily:
1) Iodine- 12.5 - 50 milligrams daily in the form of Lugol's liquid or Iodoral tablets.
2) Selenium- 200 micrograms daily in selenomethionine form.
3) Tyrosine- If extra support is needed, take 500 milligrams morning and afternoon.
4) Multivitamin- As directed on the label.
Take the aforementioned measures and I can assure you that you will experience some improvement in your thyroid function. Just remember to be patient and stick with it. It takes many people 3 months or more to see significant improvements. Rome was not built overnight. Stay tuned for my next article "Synthroid, Armour and Drug Alternatives" which will be coming soon!
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