How to Improve Thyroid Levels Naturally

Amanda*, a busy 47-year-old mother of two teenagers with a part-time professional job, first visited BionwoRx after feeling unwell for six months. Despite normal routine blood tests, a closer look at her PCP ordered thyroid results revealed a concerning trend. Over three years, her thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) had steadily increased while her thyroxine (T4) levels had decreased, though still within normal range.

Her symptoms appeared widespread and potentially linked to perimenopause. She constantly battled fatigue, gained weight without changing her diet, often experienced low mood, and noticed more irregular periods. While these changes typically suggest perimenopause, we needed to rule out thyroid involvement first. Therefore, we immediately ordered a comprehensive thyroid blood panel to get a clearer picture of her condition.

This extensive thyroid panel confirms the pattern seen in the PCP blood test. It also provides more important, detailed blood markers. Amanda has low T4 and T3 levels with high TSH. Additionally, she shows high-normal levels of antithyroid peroxidase antibodies. She doesn’t currently meet the criteria for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. However, she’s clearly moving toward developing this condition.

For Amanda’s treatment, we actively focus on balancing her immune system to lower those antibody levels. We also support her body to boost thyroid hormone production naturally. First, we implement nutrition strategies. Then, we address lifestyle factors. Finally, we introduce select herbs to help. Amanda represents many women we see who struggle with low thyroid function. Yet they lack the specific blood markers for an official thyroid disease diagnosis. In this article, we’ll share the helpful strategies we used with Amanda.

The thyroid gland becomes extremely vulnerable when it lacks essential nutrients. Fortunately, simply correcting these deficiencies often improves thyroid function. We can help you understand your nutrient levels through blood investigations and, additionally, analyze your diet to get a complete picture of what’s happening.

Iodine plays a vital role in your body as a trace mineral. First, it helps produce essential thyroid hormones, specifically thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). When you don’t consume enough iodine, your thyroid hormone levels drop. As a result, your thyroid gland may swell up, creating a condition called goitre. This happens because your thyroid tries to catch more hormones from your bloodstream. However, balance matters! Too little or too much iodine can disrupt your thyroid function. Fortunately, you can find iodine in many foods. These include seaweed like kelp, fish from the sea, shellfish, iodised salt, and eggs.

Selenium actively helps convert thyroxine (T4) into the more powerful triiodothyronine (T3). In fact, the thyroid gland contains more selenium than any other organ in your body, which clearly shows how essential it is for thyroid health. Additionally, selenium serves as an important antioxidant that shields your thyroid from harmful oxidative damage. You can easily boost your selenium intake by enjoying foods such as brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, tuna, sardines, eggs, and whole grains.

Zinc actively plays a crucial role in converting T4 to T3. Additionally, your body needs this important mineral to create and activate TRH (thyroid releasing hormone) and to help T3 bind properly to its receptor. You can easily boost your zinc intake by enjoying foods like shellfish, especially oysters, as well as red meat, pumpkin seeds, and lentils.

Iron plays a crucial role in thyroid health, even though we don’t often connect it with this gland. First, your body needs iron to produce the TPO (thyroid peroxidase) enzyme. Then, this enzyme helps your thyroid create T3 and T4 hormones. You can easily boost your iron intake by enjoying red meat, poultry, legumes, and leafy greens like spinach.

Omega-3 fatty acids actively support thyroid health by reducing inflammation in your body. When you have a thyroid autoimmune disease (such as Hashimoto’s or Graves disease), your body experiences inflammation and oxidation. Fortunately, you can easily add omega-3s to your diet through several tasty options. For instance, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, and herrings provide excellent sources. Additionally, plant-based foods such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts offer great alternatives.

Your body needs vitamin D to keep your immune system strong, and low levels can actually trigger autoimmune thyroid disease. First and foremost, sunlight helps your skin naturally produce vitamin D, making it your best source. Additionally, you can boost your levels by eating certain foods like salmon and sardines, as well as UV-exposed mushrooms and eggs, though these provide smaller amounts.

Functional medicine practitioners actively employ a long tradition of treating thyroid dysfunction with herbal medicine. We actively use these common herbs:

Ashwagandha, otherwise known as Withania somnifera, is an adaptogenic herb. It may help thyroid function through several mechanisms:

• Increases levels of T3 and T4
• Improves the conversion of T4 to T3
• Reduces cortisol levels, which interfere with thyroid function
• Prevents oxidative stress in the thyroid gland

Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) contains high levels of iodine, which is why people have traditionally used it to treat hypothyroidism. However, you should always choose a trustworthy source of bladderwrack that clearly states its iodine content because too much iodine can actually harm your thyroid. Therefore, being careful about quality and dosage really matters for your health.

Black cumin (Nigella sativa) actively decreases TSH levels while simultaneously increasing T3 levels. Moreover, it contains powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that effectively combat the chronic inflammation and oxidative stress that can damage your thyroid gland. As a result, this friendly herb becomes particularly helpful for those dealing with autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Goitrogens actively interfere with iodine uptake in your body and consequently affect thyroid hormone production. You’ll find these substances in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, as well as in soy-based foods. Specifically, goitrogenic foods contain compounds called glucosinolates that block the enzyme thyroid peroxidase (TPO), which then impairs your body’s thyroid hormone synthesis.

Although these foods generally provide excellent nutrition, eating them raw in large quantities may negatively impact your thyroid function, especially if you already have a thyroid dysfunction or iodine deficiency. However, if you maintain normal thyroid function and consume adequate iodine, you’ll likely handle moderate amounts of goitrogen-containing foods without any problems.

Chronic stress and high cortisol levels actively disrupt your hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, which controls how your thyroid hormones work. When you’re stressed, your body begins to produce more reverse T3 (rT3), which is simply an inactive form of T3. This actually serves as a survival mechanism because it reduces your metabolic rate during stressful times to help conserve energy. Unfortunately, high levels of rT3 can then cause symptoms that look like hypothyroidism, even though your regular thyroid tests might appear normal. That’s why we include reverse T3 measurement as part of our comprehensive thyroid profile blood test.

Many environmental toxins actively disrupt the endocrine system by interfering with how your body produces, metabolizes, and uses thyroid hormones. Therefore, when you minimize exposure to these harmful chemicals, you’ll definitely see positive effects on your thyroid health. For instance, here are some common culprits to watch out for:

BPA, a chemical in plastics like water bottles and food containers, disrupts the endocrine system. It binds to thyroid hormone receptors. This action blocks thyroid hormones from functioning normally.

Perchlorates contaminate water and soil through their use in rocket fuel, fireworks, and explosives. These chemicals block iodine uptake in the thyroid. This blockage often leads to hypothyroidism.

Pesticides like organochlorines and organophosphates interfere with all aspects of thyroid health. They disrupt thyroid hormone synthesis, regulation and metabolism.

Phthalates exist in plastic packaging and personal care products. Higher exposure to these chemicals directly disrupts thyroid function. Young children face particular risks from phthalate damage.

Halogens like fluoride, chloride, and bromide actively compete with iodine in your body. Specifically, your thyroid requires iodine to produce hormones. However, these halogens aggressively block iodine uptake. As a result, they reduce T3 and T4 hormone levels. Importantly, these hormones regulate your metabolism. Therefore, install a reverse osmosis water filter to minimize exposure. First, choose a filter that fits your budget. Additionally, switch to fluoride-free toothpaste. Furthermore, avoid processed foods containing brominated oils or potassium bromate. Finally, select natural cleaning products instead of chemical ones.

Heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic actively disrupt thyroid function. First, they block hormone production. Then, they interfere with iodine absorption. Finally, they cause harmful oxidative stress.

Mercury, which lurks in dental fillings and some fish, directly blocks key enzymes needed for hormone making. Meanwhile, lead from old paint or tap water actively lowers thyroid hormone levels and throws off TSH control.

Similarly, cadmium and arsenic from factories and tainted food or water damage thyroid cells through oxidation. As a result, these metals often trigger hypothyroidism, leading to tiredness, weight gain, and other thyroid problems. Fortunately, you can protect yourself by cutting exposure and supporting your body’s natural detox processes.

Amanda actively improved her thyroid health by focusing on four key areas: nutrition, lifestyle, herbs, and toxin reduction. As a result, her energy returned. Additionally, her mood stabilized. Finally, she began losing the extra weight.

Many women can make similar improvements with small, targeted changes. Therefore, if you notice thyroid symptoms, natural approaches may help optimize your function. Moreover, these methods can work even before you receive a full diagnosis.

*Amanda is a real patient. However, we’ve changed her name and image to protect her privacy.