When it comes to thyroid health and specifically hypothyroid symptoms, there are so many things you can do nutritionally. My primary job as a nutritional therapist is to ensure your body has all of the raw materials and nutritional balance it needs to support your body and it's natural desire for health!
So read on and discover the ways you can support your body naturally with vitamins and minerals (P.S. if you haven't already read this post on the influence of calcium and potassium on thyroid health, I strongly recommend reading it first as it's the place you'd want to start).
Do you have symptoms of hypothyroidism? This includes:
- Inability to lose weight
- Edema
- Dry skin
- Sluggish, lack of initiative
- Chronic constipation
- Poor digestion
- SAD Seasonal affectiveness disorder
- Easily fatigued, sleepy
- Poor circulation
- Cold hands and feet
- Hair loss
- Waking body temperature of under 97.8 degrees
- Hormonal imbalance
- High cholesterol
If you're dealing with these symptoms of hypothyroidism, the first line of nutritional defense may include foods rich in vitamin A as well as a pro-thyroid diet. According to the American Thyroid Association, more than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime. That's a WHOLE LOT of Americans that might just have a nutrient deficiency brought on by low-carb dieting and eating too much processed food, which is completely preventable!
Vitamin A is required for a healthy immune system, good vision, reproduction/hormone synthesis, production of T3 (thyroid hormone) and cellular communication, just to name a few! Without it, thyroid levels can suffer.
According to the Journal of Nutrition early signs of vitamin A deficiency resulted in hypothyroidism, "...the evidence presented demonstrates that a marginal vitamin A deficiency induces hypothyroidism, which appears quite early in the onset of the disease."
The connection between vitamin A and hypothyroidism should come as no surprise. Vitamin A is needed for healthy hormone production; when you have a lack of hormonal balance (by having estrogen dominance, for example), it will actually block thyroid production!
According to Dr. Ray Peat, "Estrogen blocks the release of hormone from the thyroid gland, and progesterone facilitates the release. Estrogen excess or progesterone deficiency tends to cause enlargement of the thyroid gland, in association with a hypothyroid state."
How could one become deficient in vitamin A?
It's important to note that vitamin A deficiency is rare in developed countries. Subclinical vitamin A toxicity is perhaps the more common problem which could also cause thyroid issues (so stick with food, not supplements for vitamin A).
I see two possible reasons for vitamin A deficiencies although it's rare in developed countries:
1) Low fat and fat-free diets: That egg white omelet, skim milk, and butter-less toast are at the center of this problem. You see, the fat soluble vitamins (like vitamin A, but also vitamins D, E, and K) are found in the FAT, and when you eat low-fat, you lose these hormone, thyroid and metabolism stimulating nutrients!
2) Saturated fat avoiding diets. When Americans were led astray by the mainstream media to DITCH saturated fat (ie. butter, lard, and coconut oil) for polyunsaturated fat (ie. butter for vegetable oils), our nutrition really suffered. Foods containing saturated fat (like egg yolks, butter, cream, whole milk) are naturally high in vitamin A, where as vegetable oils and margarine are not. Catch up on the how polyunsaturated fats contribute to disease and speed the aging process here.
Sources of Real Vitamin A (retinol- animal source)
It's important to note the difference between plant (beta-carotene) and animal sources (retinol) of vitamin A. Plants contain beta-carotene that is actually the precursor to Vitamin A, meaning it requires conversion by the body (and those who are vitamin A deficient are usually poor converters). The easiest way to ensure that you are getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin A is to eat foods like butter, eggs, whole milk, cream, and seafood such as salmon and shrimp.
Vitamin A Toxicity Warning
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, so excess vitamin A is stored in the body and not readily excreted. This means taking high dosages can put you at risk of vitamin A toxicity (from multivitamins or specific vitamin formulas). That's why I only recommend food sources of vitamin A, because by eating whole foods, it's a lot more difficult to get too much.
I hope this article helps point out that there are always underlying issues for weight gain (<--- a great read on why I stopped working with weight loss clients).
Whether it's caused by poor digestion, sluggish thyroid function, a slowed metabolism, hormonal imbalance (like estrogen dominance), stress, or a plethora of other bodily issues, focusing on just weight loss fixes nothing (in fact dieting often makes many things much worse!). In order to really get to the bottom of weight gain, you must focus on health as your number one priority. Only then does your body find your ideal weight as a natural byproduct of becoming the healthiest version of you.
P.S. If you want more practical tips, you’ll want to get your hands on my eBook Creating Wealth: The cure to nutritional debt. It’s designed to get your body and metabolism back on track so you can conquer your weight loss goals while avoiding restrictive dieting! Read more about it here so you can get healthy to lose weight naturally!
The first line of defense against disease like hypothyroidism should be a good nutritional foundation!
PIN IT:
References:
American Thyroid Association. Prevalence and Impact of Thyroid Disease. 2014. Retrieved on April 13, 2014 from http://www.thyroid.org/media-main/about-hypothyroidism/
Cheryl F. Nockels, David L. Ewing, Hope Phetteplace, Karen A. Ritacco, and Kendall N. Mero. Hypothyroidism: An Early Sign of Vitamin A Deficiency in Chickens J. Nutr. 1984 114: 9 1733-1736
Shamon, Mary. An Interview with Raymond Peat. Retrieved on April 13, 2014 from http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/ray-peat.htm
me
yeah I have a severe allergy (anaphylactic shock) to beef, pork, chicken, eggs and diary. and sluggish thyroid. this.did.not.help
You
What a pointless comment.
audrey
I c
Johanna
I'm intrigued by this article as I have had these exact symptoms for at least the past 7 yrs. I had Twins in 2008 and gained 68lbs, I've not lost all of it all these years later, but not for lack of trying. I'm very active and get modest exercise at our farm & nursery. I am always puffy, my legs will hold indents at the end of the day, and there are times near my cycle that I can't put shoes on. I have also had to learn to avoid the cold because it causes my fingers and toes to go white. I feel like a cold, bloated slug that can't bear the winter blues ,most of the time anymore. In these past 7 years I also found out I am chronically low in Vit B12 & D (cause unknown), my thyroid tests show I was in the low (but acceptable) range for T3 etc.,. I take B12 shots and D supplements ( 100,000 iu/ wk) and it's helped greatly, but it hasn't cleared up the symptoms mentioned here. My doctor is hopelessly clueless, but presently the only one available to me. I did change my diet 1yr ago to whole, natural & fermented foods, and eat everything in moderation, but I've not seen much improvement. Is it possible to be on a whole food diet for a year and not see a change? or will it take a bit longer?
I've also done myself a favor and ditched all products containing Triclosan (anti-bacterial soap etc.,) , BHA, BHT, Food Dyes, Sodium Benzoate, SLS, Fluoride, and eliminated refined sugars (opting for Stevia & Raw honey now) . Just not sure what the problem could still be, that could be causing these annoying symptoms. Maybe I've overlooked something? I'm hoping you could steer me in the right direction 🙂 Thank You!!
Pam
Johanna, Join the Magnesium Advocacy Group on FB....you may be surprised at what you find!
Sonya
I agree with Pam. The Magnesium Group is a great resource. I didn't lose weight until I supplemented with magnesium.
tammy
what type pf mag are you using and how much are you supplementing? I am currently using about 10 sprays of mag oil per day, when I dont forget. I also bought mag citrate pills but havent used them yet
ThyroidCrazy
Hmmm, not sure how I feel about this article. I have Hashimoto's disease and I feel like this article is not grounded around a true understanding of what it means to live with such a disease.
ThyroidCrazy
Sorry, didn't mean to reply to Johanna. I do however agree with Mike below. "More info can be found on:
http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/"
"Thyroid issues are complex"
Good luck!
Amber
If your thyroid is in the low but still acceptable range it may still be too low for your body, you may need to be on a thyroid supplement such as synthroid or the natural equivalent. That might make you feel a lot better. Your doctor should already know this, you may want to find another doctor that will treat you based on how you feel rather than tests alone.
mary
Johanna, look in to MTHFR mutation. All of your symptoms are similar to mine and I just found out I have the MTHFR defect. I am taking a product called Methyl Guard Plus to help my body methylate and it is helping. Good luck!
Bonnie Green
Mary I am responding to your post. What test is needed to find MTHFR?
I need a real good Endocrinologist as I have not had any luck.
Jo
I Had B12 Vit D and Iron defi.ciencies at the same point finding these I found I had Hypothroydism I also had confirmation of Coeliac (Celiac) disease a week later.
I had no problems dietary that I noticed, but I had back issue my disc hit my spinal cord and slowed my bowels down as affected my nerves (we now realise) but in looking into this we found all the above problems.
I thought I would let you know, as you mention you still are having problems and bloating and cause unknown for B12 & Vit D deficiencies.
I guess it can be many other things but Coeliac disease was the problem with me, thats why I was having nutrional deficiencies.
Might be worth checking out, there must be a reason see your Doctor.
Msry
I agree a very simplistic article. While food may be culprits in some things, the emphasis in food vs disease is at time dangerous. In my case, food has not been an issue. I've got hypothyroidism (in fact I no longer have a thyroid due to inactivity) and it is so severe that we are now trying to find out what is wrong with my heart. The article doesn't mention that severe hypothyroid may lead to heart issues. I've got bradycardia (slow heart beat) amongst other symptoms but after undergoing a cardiac cath yesterday the good news is I do not have blockage nor coronary heart disease m
Peg
Have your doctor change your meds to Armour thyroid. I experienced the same symptoms until my doctor changed to Armour. I no longer am freezing cold, no matter the season. Also, my endocrinologist advised taking the daily med in the middle of the night with as little water as possible. This and the 800 calorie diet also helped.
Carol
sorry for all your frustration....look into having a smple blood test for the MTHFR genes....go to Dr. Lynch's web page...see if this sounds like you....I have one genetic MTHFR and it answers a lot....you need Vit B12 with a METHYL front of it or you wont absorb it.....and to rid the toxins in your body you need METHYL FOLATE.....so if you have this and you at taking your B's and FOlate without the Methyl infront of these supplements...your body cannot absorb them.....
Diana Katsaros
I can sympathize with you, I did not realize that all the wheat, corn, and rice are sprayed with glycosphate aka round up by monsanto 5 days before harvest as a disectant this will block uptake of magnesium in your body along with being toxic antibiotic. Most of the people with a thyroid disorder have hashimotos which means you should avoid all gluten and dairy because of the molecular mimicry will cause the protein from these foods to attack the thyroid gland. See Tom O'Bryan The Auto Immune Fix or Dr Peter Osborne No Grain No pain for more information or there are several other authors like amy myers or alan christensen with the adrenal diet. Lots of help and free summits on the internet if you look. Hope this helps you .
Anna
Ask your doctor for a test to see if you have an MTHFR gene mutation.
Mike
Hi Johanna
Not sure if you ever got an answer but I have a similar issue. 1 important thing to note about the reference ranges is that they may not be the best measurement for a reasonably ideal thyroid function. T3 is very important for maintaining body temperature & many other critical functions.
Did you check your RT3? Slow Release T3 has helped me considerably & I also take Turmeric.
More info can be found on:
http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/
Thyroid issues are complex & can be symptoms of issues from other symptoms & may not only be thyroid specific since the body uses the thyroid as a regulating component.
Good luck
best
Mike
Jack
Maybe lack of A is my problem. I eat like a suoer model, yet weigh over 300lbs. No mammal meats, none of the cakes, cookies, no junk, no salty treats,, very rarely any bread, gave uo the Coke, Pepsi, diet and regukar, ect, ect.... If I get 1500 calories a day I am lucky. I believe I must have some shortage of a vitamin or basic supplement. When I was using the Dr. Schulze superfood mix, weight would very slowly go down. Vitamin D is not in the Schulze powdered mix. Lack of D and A may be the problem. How much D and A is recomended per day to get the thyroid kicked into normal operation range.? My weight is inexcusable considering my intake., and life is hell because if it.. There is a simple answer somewhere for my problem. Any helpful info appreciated. Thanks!!
Liz
Jack I hope you get this. There's a group on facebook called the Magnesium Advocacy Group. My dr Morley Robbins runs it and he's very good in this dept. knows a lot about vutamins A and D and thyroid health. He's helped me tremendously. Look him up. His contact info is on the web. He WILL turn your life around. 🙂
Jack
Thanks , just read your response, nearly two years after. I will check that out, thanks.
shari
Jack,
I think that you might have slowed your metabolism down by eating so few calories. There are health calculators online that will figure out your BMR and how many calories your body would need even if you slept 24/7. If you are doing any type of physical movement, then my guess is that you are not feeding yourself enough and your body will not release any weight until it is sure that it will not starve.
Good luck,
Shari
Rich Jr
Very interesting article. I did not realize the importance of vitamin A and it's importance to the thyroid gland. I believe that Iodine is also very important for the operations of the thyroid gland.
Candie
My Dr. has me on a thyroid pills but testing he has done shows my brain is not telling my body that im getting it but he said that does nt matter that the pill is doing its job.
kerry
I have underactive thyroid and have been on 100mg levothyroxine for over 3years but in that time I been pregnant had baby and still on same dosage. doctors will not give me blood test as had 1 in June. I am so tired have changed diet a lot. I want to feel young again.
TheDameIntl
I have long since suspected that I am hypo and have even been tested but I think at that time it was just adrenal fatigue. I experience most of those symptoms but not all. I also supplement with Vit A for cervical health. I try to eat vegetarian but I feel very tired on a veggie diet, when I eat paleo, I have more energy...
Cari
Oh my goodness I never post on blogs but you have to mention that Vitamin A is toxic and deadly if taken in excess. You must consult with a Dr. for how much you can take! Scary post because too much of a good thing can be fatal! Please disclose this on your blog.
Joan Defenbaugh
My son was prescribed Accutane in middle school. At age 25 he had his thyroid removed - he had thyroid cancer. I really think there could be a link between the acne drug (which is a high dose of vitamin A) and thyroid cancer.
Barbara
My son took acutaneous his sr. yr. And early yrs.😏 in college....sadly he passed away at age 39 from heart blockage...he had many symptoms but was dx with acid reflux, inhaler for asthma, when un fact it was bloke arteries to his heart that was the culprit..this drug is dangerous. He had all the necessary checks and was monitored during his treatment with the drug..
Janice
Very poorly written article because you exclude the growing population of vegans.
Anita
Absolutely agree!
There are many that have adopted a vegetarian or vegan diet that have had amazing health results! Most meat on the market today are polluted with nasty pharmaceuticals! The animal food is also polluted with GMO’s/pesticides!
I have had wonderful results avoiding meats and using vegetarian/vegan proteins instead.
Tara
Thank you for shedding some light on the impact of vitamin A. While I realize that a person can have level that are too high, many of us do not. The mainstream media a followers like to take things to an extreme, not appreciating the necessary balance of nutrition, etc. and the GPs like to throw meds at a problem as opposed to figuring out root cause.
Thanks for sharing!
Mike
Here is my favorite meal of the day.....
1 cup of BonaFide Provisions chicken broth with a scoop of collagen powder, sea salt, and two tbsp of MCT oil.
A half hour later I have a'salad' of two cups of unsweetened shredded coconut with a cup of raw whole milk.
Then for the main course I have calve's liver, 2 free range egg yolks, and some organic Kimchi all sauteed in ghee and then topped with more grass-fed butter, pink Himalayan sea salt, pepper, turmeric, and ginger.
Sometimes I also put a half an avocado on top but I don't think Ray Peat is a big fan of avocados.
Kristina
Another reason so many of us are low in vitamin A is because we have malabsorption issues due to having our gallbladders removed.
Beth Kolber
People should eat all foods; and,they should use common sense. Too many sweets and carbs are bad. they should have a rotating diet of many foods and lots of colorful vegetables. Vegan diets are not practical and do not utilize all vitamins needed.