With the availability of the Internet, people have ready access to a wealth of information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies for thyroid disorders. People can learn about supplements that are marketed for thyroid health and about companies that make claims that their products will “boost thyroid function” or “rev up your energy.”
Other websites have patient testimonials of problems that they have had and how they used herbs or acupuncture to help them.
Because of the wide number of symptoms that can result from a thyroid disorder, it’s not surprising that some people turn to CAM therapies to help improve thyroid function. The problem is this: How do you separate fact from fiction? Some of these therapies are probably safe and effective for helping people deal with the symptoms of thyroid disorders. But others could be harmful.
Thyroid Facts
First let’s review some of the basics about the thyroid. The thyroid gland, located in the front of the neck, is an important gland that releases hormones that affect most organs and systems in the body. Disorders of the thyroid can lead to a wide variety of symptoms that affect a person’s energy level, mood, weight, skin and hair, reproductive health, and more.
There are many different thyroid disorders including hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid), and thyroid cancer. When the thyroid is underactive, it can cause a person to feel tired and depressed, gain unwanted weight, or experience changes in the menstrual cycle. When a person’s thyroid is overactive, he or she might feel anxious, lose hair, and lose weight. A person with thyroid cancer might need surgery or undergo cancer treatments that would cause hypothyroidism.
Before Going Alternative or Complementary
Here are some important tips to think about when considering CAM therapies for thyroid disorders:
No matter what symptoms a person is experiencing, the first step should be to see a doctor. A well-trained healthcare professional who is good at listening can help a person sort out what is causing the symptoms and come up with a diagnostic and treatment plan.
In order to diagnose a thyroid disorder, a doctor will need to examine a person’s thyroid to see if there are any nodules or bumps on the thyroid or to see if the thyroid is enlarged and run some tests.
A simple blood test can measure the function of the thyroid gland. Common blood tests include checking the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), T4, and T3. These and other tests will help a doctor determine if the thyroid is functioning normally or if it is underactive or overactive. If you have a nodule or bump on their thyroid, your doctor might suggest a needle biopsy, or possibly an ultrasound or thyroid scan of that nodule, to see if it is benign or cancerous.
Once a diagnosis has been made, a treatment plan can be established.
The Treatments
CAM therapies that are used for thyroid disorders include nutritional therapies, dietary supplements, botanicals, exercise, and mind-body therapies. Unfortunately, research is still lacking about the effectiveness of these therapies. But here are a few things that we do know:
Believing that the thyroid tests we use today are not always accurate, some clinicians treat symptoms of an underactive thyroid (fatigue or weight gain) with thyroid hormone replacement – even when the patient’s blood tests are normal.
Some people take “natural” thyroid hormones, which are made up of dried animal thyroid. There is no evidence that these hormones are better than the synthetic hormones used conventionally. And because batches can vary in the content and amount of thyroid hormone, it is difficult for people to regulate the effect of these products.
Dietary supplements such as zinc picolinate, selenium, vitamin C, iodine, and others have been used and studied for their role in thyroid function. But so far the research is limited. As we are learning daily, nutrients have a definite role in many medical conditions. But further research is still needed to understand the role of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the development of thyroid disease and the role of supplementation in treating thyroid disorders.
Exercise might be especially important for someone who is experiencing an underactive thyroid gland and who has gained weight. Exercise might actually stimulate thyroid function which would improve metabolism in the body.
Mind-body therapies might be able to reduce stress or ease emotional symptoms related to thyroid dysfunction. Yoga, meditation, and other therapies have been used to calm emotions and improve feelings of fatigue.
Keep Your Doctor in the Loop
If you are considering CAM therapies for a thyroid condition, discuss these therapies with a clinician first. He or she will help you evaluate the risks and benefits of such therapies. Ask about the degree of scientific evidence available to support those therapies.
Because serious symptoms and complications can occur as a result of untreated thyroid disorders, it is extremely important for you to have regular check-ups with a healthcare professional who will check the functioning of the thyroid.
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