10 ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR THYROID HEALTH

Feeling tired all the time? Too hot? Too cold? Thinning hair? Constipated? Lots of diarrhea? Unexplained weight gain? Infertility? Brain fog? Depression? Eczema? Low libido?

These, and a number of other seemingly minor symptoms, could indicate you have a thyroid issue. While symptoms alone don’t pinpoint a diagnosis, neither does laboratory work, because it doesn’t tell us WHY your thyroid is acting up. When dealing with thyroid issues, you might want to consider addressing adequate nutrient levels before jumping directly to thyroid medication. Below are the 10 Essential Nutrients for Thyroid Health, and a deficiency or even insufficiency in any or all of these may be the real issue your thyroid isn’t performing optimally.

If your TSH is low, you might have insufficient levels of…

1. Protein

Before your thyroid produces Thyroid Hormone, your Pituitary Gland must release Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). In order to do so, it needs adequate amounts of protein to synthesize enough TSH. We recommend .8-1.0 g of protein per kg of body weight, depending on how active you are. We also recommend sticking to humanely raised, pastured animal protein whenever possible.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is necessary in over 300 processes in the human body, and one of those is the production of TSH in the Pituitary Gland! Good food sources of magnesium include red bell peppers, spinach and other dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds (especially macadamia nuts), and avocados.

3. Zinc

Necessary for a proper taste of sense and smell, an appropriate immune response, and creating DNA in your cells, zinc is also vital for…you guessed it! Synthesizing TSH! Foods high in protein like eggs, poultry, and fish are great sources of zinc, as are nuts and seeds.

4. B12

Our last nutrient on the list of things your Pituitary Gland needs is B12. If you’re consuming enough high quality protein, you are likely also consuming enough B12. But for vegans and vegetarians, it’s vital to make sure you are taking a B12 supplement as the only good sources of B12 are animal products.

What if your TSH levels are fine, but you have low T4?

5. Iodine

TSH signals your actual thyroid gland to synthesize and release T4. But in order to do this properly, you must have sufficient levels of iodine. Iodized salt is where most Americans get their iodine, but seaweed like kelp is a much better source. You also want to make sure you’re not blocking your iodine receptors with substances like fluoride and chlorine, so ditch the tap water and opt for reverse osmosis or a Berkey water filter instead.

6. B2

Next on the list of things we need to produce T4 is Vitamin B2, aka Riboflavin. You can find this B Vitamin in high amounts in beef liver, but if organs aren’t your thing you can also opt for spinach, mushrooms, lamb, and yogurt. Riboflavin is also in fortified foods, but much like iodized salt, getting this nutrient from a natural source is much preferred.

7. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is well known for assisting our immune response, but it also helps build connective tissue in your joints, keeps your skin plump and healthy, and lends itself to creating T4. Believe it or not, it’s actually quite common for Americans to be deficient in Vitamin C. Oranges are well reputed as being high in Vitamin C, but red bell peppers and green chile actually have more Vitamin C than citrus fruits! Mangoes are also an excellent (and super delicious) source.

So your TSH looks good, your T4 is fine or maybe even high, but your T3 is lagging. What does this mean?!

8. Selenium

Once T4 reaches your peripheral tissues and organs, it’s converted to T3, which is the thyroid hormone actually utilized to make these tissues and organs function. Selenium isn’t known for much, but it’s very common for Americans to be deficient in this powerhouse nutrient. In concert with Vitamin E it acts as an antioxidant, and if you are lacking enough selenium, you won’t be able to convert T4 into T3! Eating 3-5 Brazil nuts each day is a perfect way to increase your selenium levels.

9. Vitamin A

Another superstar for your thyroid functionality, Vitamin A also must be at optimal levels. Along with selenium, it helps convert T4 into the useable form of T3. Cod liver oil is a great source if  you want to go the supplement route, but fish, cheese, butter, and liver are all fantastic sources of preformed Vitamin A. The Vitamin A found in fruits and vegetables must be converted before being utilized by the body, so preformed is preferable if your levels are low.

10. Vitamin D

Last but most certainly not least is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is used in too many body processes to list here, but a short list includes bone health, heart health, inflammatory response, immune system support, and hormonal regulation, as well as T4 to T3 conversion. From a functional standpoint, your Vitamin D levels should be above 50, and perhaps as high as 100, although we err towards 85 as a healthy upper limit. Fatty fish, eggs, butter, cheese, and of course liver all contain some Vitamin D, but the best way to increase levels is through time spent in the sun and possibly supplementing. It’s important to have a serum D3 panel run to evaluate your levels, and have it evaluated by a practitioner, in order to supplement appropriately.