Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

What herbs to avoid

Anyone Have a list of herbal supplements someone with thyroid disease should avoid?
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I just did a quick search and found an article that contained a list of herbs one should avoid with hypothyroidism:
Astragalus - can contain potentially toxic levels of selenium and can interfere with medications that suppress the immune system, blood sugar and blood pressure--which may be fatal.

Bladderwrack - Prolonged use of bladderwrack has been shown to cause goiter and increase the risk of getting thyroid cancer. Bladderwrack, being a seaweed, is also prone to high levels of toxins such as heavy metals like arsenic found in ocean water.

Echinacea - many thyroid conditions and cancers can worsen with the use of antioxidants

Garlic -  one of the adverse reactions of garlic intake is the onset of hypothyroidism.  (my note: this refers to taking garlic as a daily supplement; it doesn't mean you can't use garlic as an ingredient in cooking occasionally).

https://www.livestrong.com/article/440613-herbs-to-avoid-with-hypothyroidism/

You should also be very careful taking supplements that contain iodine, such as Kelp or other seaweed products, if you have Hashimoto's as iodine can make autoimmune attacks greater.
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Please talk to your doctor before taking any supplement to determine whether or not there might be an interaction with any medication you're taking.

Just because something is natural, doesn't mean it's safe.
It's a supplement for pain and I avoided it because it has some weird stuff in the ingredients and yes I have a list but Stupid me should have taken a photo of ingredients on the box. I think one of the ingredients was Ashalwega (probably spelt wrong).
Do you mean Ashwaganda?

I didn't realize you had specific supplement in mind.  If you know the brand name of the supplement all you have to do is Google it to get the ingredient list then we'll be able to give you better information.
1756321 tn?1547095325
Herbs used to help with hyperthyroid symptoms include:

Bugleweed
Lemon balm
Motherwort
Gromwell
Rosemary
Sage

Herbs to help with hypothyroid symptoms include:

Gotu Kola
Ashwagandha
Coleus Forskohlii

Herb used for both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism:

Bladder wrack
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Red star....its on your list ashwagandha. Is this safe? I cant find article that had a list of herbs that are dangerous.
I'm going have to take photo of box.

Thanks
Ashwagandha is generally well tolerated. Mild to moderate side effects such as headache, sleepiness, and stomach upset have been reported in studies however.
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community

Top Thyroid Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
MI
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.