Your thyroid is one of the most important parts of your body. In fact, the hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland power every cell in your body. From temperature control to supporting metabolism, many processes begin with your thyroid, so it’s essential to keep it functioning at an optimal level. Here are 4 essential nutrients for thyroid health:
1. Selenium
In your thyroid, selenium is the enzyme that converts thyroid hormones from T4 to T3 (meaning from their inactive state to the active state.) Therefore, it wouldn’t matter how many hormones your thyroid produced without selenium. Without it, all the hormones would be stuck in their inactive state. This would lead to a multitude of health issues, including a slowed metabolism, weight gain, fatigue, and other hypothyroid symptoms. If you suffer from thyroid disease, a selenium supplement might be the trick!
2. Iron
When it comes to the correlation between iron and thyroid health, there are two important jobs. First, iron converts the iodide that is found in your food into iodine. Your thyroid takes that iodine and creates its hormones, which are transported throughout the body. Secondly, it also helps thyroid hormones reach their active state, as does selenium which we already mentioned. Low levels of iron are typically associated with things such as hair loss, fatigue, and mood changes. One thing to note is most people between the ages of 20 and 60 are not normally deficient in iron, so it is best to have your iron level checked before starting on an iron supplement. However, if you are deficient you can find all types of iron supplements at Moore’s Compounding pharmacy.
3. Zinc
An important mineral when it comes to thyroid function, as well as many other processes, is zinc. In the thyroid specifically, it plays three important roles. Two of those functions are immune function and gut health. In the thyroid, it also helps the production of the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, also known as TSH. If the TSH levels in your body are too high or too low, it can lead to problems in the thyroid. There are many food sources that contain zinc, such as red meat, poultry, nuts, beans, and whole grains. Surprisingly, the food with the most zinc by far is oysters, with 74 milligrams in a typical 3-ounce serving.
4. Vitamin A
When it comes to vitamin A, it controls one very important part of thyroid hormone transferral. It is in charge of activating the thyroid hormone receptors throughout the body. Therefore, without vitamin A, the hormones would be useless because they would have nothing to attach to once created by the thyroid. Therefore, low vitamin A levels in your body can lead to reduced thyroid function. To take it one step further, the vitamin A in your body can prevent you from getting hypothyroidism, which leads to fatigue, weight gain, muscle aches, and even depression. Luckily, there are plenty of sources of vitamin A, including leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, orange and yellow vegetables, and additional supplements.
For thyroid support, see our Thyroid Support Pack and join the myriad of other patients who have achieved better thyroid health in just a couple weeks.
Would you like to learn more about thyroid health? Contact us today and we will be happy to answer any health questions you may have! We look forward to hearing from you soon!
