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Can Diet Cure Hypothyroidism?

By HERWriter
 
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Hypothyroidism related image Photo: Getty Images

Approximately 10 million Americans, including 10 percent of all women, have an issue with hypothyroidism. (EndocrineWeb.com) That adds up to a lot of people looking for a quick fix to ease the symptoms of their condition.

Some sources claim there is a diet that can cure hypothyroidism. But the Mayo Clinic and other medical sources disagree.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is a chemical messenger used by the brain to control many functions in the body including metabolism, which is how the cells use energy.

As a fast-food-loving society, it may be a natural thing to assume we can “fix” a thyroid problem simply by improving what we eat. A search online shows many diets for hypothyroidism as well as hypothyroidism diet supplements that claim to help the thyroid gland produce more thyroid hormone. But these claims are not supported by published medical studies.

In writing for the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Todd B. Nippoldt says, “Although claims about hypothyroidism diets abound, there’s no evidence that eating or avoiding certain foods will improve thyroid function in people with hypothyroidism.”

That being said, people with hypothyroidism do need to be aware of certain diet restrictions when it comes to taking prescribed thyroid hormone replacements. The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is a pill containing either synthetic or animal thyroid hormone to supplement the body’s own production of the hormone.

Because the hormone is taken as a pill, it must be digested in the stomach and intestine in order to enter the bloodstream to carry out its function. Certain foods and supplements interfere with the body’s ability to process and use the thyroid hormone pill. If you are taking thyroid hormone replacement, be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions.

Thyroid hormone replacement should usually be taken on an empty stomach. If you take the pill in the morning before eating, you will probably need to wait half an hour or more before having breakfast. Or if you have eaten, you may need to wait several hours for your stomach to empty before taking the hormone pill.

Do not take these at the same time as your thyroid hormone:

• Fiber supplements
• Calcium supplements
• Iron supplements or multivitamins that contain iron
• Antacids that contain aluminum or magnesium
• Certain ulcer medications including sucralfate
• Some cholesterol-lowering drugs including cholestyramine and colestipol

High-fiber and high-soy diets may affect the way your body absorbs thyroid hormone. Talk to your doctor about your thyroid hormone supplements if you are on one of these diets.

Sources:

Mayo Clinic. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Todd B. Bippoldt, MD. Web. December 26, 2011.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism-diet/AN01478

Medline Plus. Hypothyroidism. Web. December 26, 2011.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000353.htm

Endocrine Web. Hypothyroidism: Too Little Thyroid Hormone. James Norman, MD, FACS, FACE. Web. December 26, 2011.
http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/hypothyroidism-too-little-thyroid-hormone

Reviewed December 27, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a Comment2 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Is so important to have a healthy lifestyle. My husband had many health problems because of being overweight. I'm so happy to after so many failures he found a healthy weight loss program from TIPSTODIET.COM and he succeed to lose around 40 lbs in a very short period of time. And the most important, he still maintain this weight. Good luck to all!

December 27, 2011 - 1:54pm

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Auntlello1

And don't forget coffee! Many thyroid patients and even their doctors are not aware that coffee can block thyroid medications as well.

Some patients have even had to switch taking their medication before bed, something worth investigating if you have other medications that you take when you first get up, or require coffee to get up.

Also worth looking into is waiting to take your thyroid medication until after your blood draw on days of testing your levels.

Thanks for a great
Thyr

December 27, 2011 - 9:01am

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Denise DeWitt
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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