Alternatives for hyperthyroidism

[Cher40]

What are some alternative medications, etc. for hyperthyroidism besides taking Tapizole?

[Lindey21]

I have recently been diagnosed with Thyroid Eye Disease.
A month ago I started on 200mcg of Selenium.  Amazing that
this worked so quickly.  My double vision improved and the
swollen eyes are almost gone.   My question is my labs.  Since you
seem to know s lot about Selenium will my labs get into normal range with this mineral?   I'm taking 20 mg of Tapazole daily ( down from 40mg)   Is it possible that this will stop the hyperthyroid?   Any opinions will be appreciated  

[Red_Star]

Excerpt from Medscape - Selenium and the Thyroid Gland...

"The value of selenium supplementation in autoimmune thyroid disorders has been emphasized. Most authors attribute the effect of supplementation on the immune system to the regulation of the production of reactive oxygen species and their metabolites."

I too have Hashimoto's thyroiditis so I was interested in adding brazil nuts (each nut contains 50 - 90 mcg of selenium depending on the soil) to my diet after reading selenium may lower thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb).  Within 3 days of taking selenium, I felt the difference; my mood swings improved drastically!  My TPOAb levels dropped 80 IU in 6 months.

Here are a few studies on Hashimoto's thyroiditis and selenium...

Greece - October 2010 - Thyroid Journal. In this study, participants who received selenium supplementation for 3 months demonstrated significantly lower TPOAb titers and reported a greater sense of well being and improved mood than those who did not receive selenium.

Crete - 2007 Thyroid Journal.  This study reported a 21% reduction in TPOAb after 1 year of selenomethionine supplements (200 mcg per day).

Turkey -  2006 Journal of Endocrinology.  This study showed a 30% decrease in anti-thyroid antibodies after 3 months of 200 mcg per day of L-selenomethionine supplementation for in women with Hashimotos Thyroiditis. The starting average TPOAb was 803 and after 3 months the average was 572.  

Germany - 2002 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. This study showed 40% reduction in antibody levels after selenium supplementation with 9 of 36 (25%) patients completely normalizing their antibody levels.

[Paxiled]

Can you tell me how selenium helps and how much to take?  My wife has Hashimoto's, though it hasn't really bothered her all that much so far.

[Red_Star]

Studies show selenium is beneficial for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves disease and thyroid eye disease.

[Red_Star]

I forgot to add L-carnitine to my list. L-carnitine inhibits the activity of excess thyroid hormone and reduces symptoms of hyperthyroidism and may prevent a lethal outcome of a thyroid storm (seek immediate medical treatment with this condition).  Hyperthyroidism also increases loss of L-carnitine through the urine. L-carnitine is best absorbed when used as a supplement containing L-acetyl-carnitine.

[Paxiled]

No, iodine isn't recommended for overactive thyroid.  Quite the opposite, as it stimulates the thyroid.  Now, some people do use this for this purpose, but one should proceed with extreme caution.  And iodine would hardly help an autoimmune situation, which is Hashimoto's disease, as the thyroid in that case is usually already nonfunctional and stimulation would just increase the autoimmune reaction.  It's hard to see how the antioxidant selenium would help either.  Take care.

[Stephen_Dillon]

Iodine and selenium are particularly effective for dealing with over-active thyroid.
The majority of over-active thyroid disorders have been linked to an auto-immune reaction and although iodine and selenium supplementation will help in many cases,

[gymdandee]

I'm very sorry about that! I just didn't read it correctly!

[Paxiled]

Oh, and be careful with iodine -- that's generally for hypo, not hyperthyroid, as it can make the thyroid even more hyper, but I believe there are many old posts in the archives on the use of iodine for thyroid problems.

[Paxiled]

I believe the poster complained of hyper, not hypo, thyroid problems.  If true, be careful about what you might hear from people, as the two conditions are different and are treated differently naturally.  As always, when you don't know natural medicine well and you have a condition that could be dangerous it's best to see an expert of some kind, either a naturopath or practitioner of integrated medicine or the like.  However, the first answer to your post was very good.  Herb Pharm makes a good bugleweed based formula for hyperthyroid, so that's one place to start with your homework.

[gymdandee]

If you are diagnosed with a hypothyroid condition, I suggest having your
iodine levels checked before beginning thyroid hormone replacement therapy. If you take thyroid hormone and you are deficient in iodine, the thyroid replacement actually exacerbates the deficiency.
Many patients can effectively treat their hypothyroid condition by correcting iodine deficiency.
Hypothyroidism is a common medical problem It is, however, a treatable condition that can be managed. Untreated hypothyroidism leads to
the development of many serious illnesses, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, and cancer. More information on a holistic
approach to hypothyroidism can be found in the book, Overcoming Thyroid Disorders by Dr. Brownstein.

.

[Red_Star]

* Herbs bugleweed [Lycopus virginica] and lemon balm [Melissa officinalis] can help reduce the production of thyroid hormone.  The herb Motherwort [Leonurus cardiaca] can help regulate rapid heartbeat.

* Over consumption of uncooked goitrogenic foods can depress thyroid activity: brussels sprouts, cabbage of all kinds, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, peaches, pears, rapini, spinach, strawberries, radishes, rutabagas, turnips, soybeans, pine nuts, peanuts, millet, rape seed (canola oil - recommended to be organically grown and cold-pressed)

* One study demonstrated that selenium [200 mcg daily] significantly improved quality of life, reduced ocular involvement, and slowed progression of the disease in patients with mild Graves' orbitopathy (thyroid eye disease).