Hypothyroidism
Research
Diet &
Lifestyle
Iodine
& Hypothyroidism
Historically, thyroid disorders were far more common in
in-land populations than coastal communities. It is now well researched that a diet with
low levels of iodine is associated with hypothyroidism. (1) The best supply of iodine is
from sea salt and seaweed. In Japan, for instance, the daily intake of iodine from iodine
-rich seaweeds is said to average 3 mg per day and thyroid disorders are known to be
extremely rare. The American Food & Drug Administration has limited iodine in
supplement form to 0.15mg although it has been reported that many physicians maintain that
even 300mg per day is a small amount and 2,400 mg has been given daily to children for
five years without any noticeable toxicity or side effects.(2)
In one study in the USA, iodised salt was given to 2,190
girls in Ohio and a control group of 2,300 girls were also monitored. Only five girls
taking iodised salt developed goitre compared to almost 500 girls in the control group.
After the study, iodised salt was made available. Both sea-salt and seaweed supplements
(eg. kelp tablets or powder) are widely available in health food stores.
Iodised salt has
been approved by the American Medical Association because it contains the amount of iodine
which occurs naturally in unrefined seasalt. When iodised salt is regularly used, the
body's requirement of iodine is supplied and there are no harmful effects because iodine
is continuously lost in urine, perspiration and exhaled air. When iodised salt was
introduced in Switzerland and Austria, goitre and most thyroid problems virtually
disappeared.
It is particularly important not to take any
supplementation of iodine (especially from an unnatural non-food source) without first
consulting a qualified health practitioner because excessive amounts of iodine can also
lead to hypothyroidism (3) . However, in this case, it seems that restricting iodine
intake may alone restore normal thyroid function. (4)
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Iodine &
Vitamin E &
Hypothyroidism
It has been reported that when people with underactive thyroid
glands take 4mg of iodine and 600units of vitamin E , the amount of iodine taken up by the
gland increases and the quantity of thyroid hormones in the blood also increase
"almost immediately and markedly". (5)
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Cabbage
& brassicas vegetables
& Hypothyroidism
Cabbages and other brassicas vegetables (eg. Chinese leaves,
brussel sprouts, turnips and kale) contain compounds known as 'thioglucosides' which, if
taken in excess can disrupt the function of the thyroid gland (6) However, it should be
stressed that this tends to occur only in people whose diets are already deficient in
iodine (7)
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Zinc
& Hypothyroidism
One study in Italy revealed that supplementing the diet with
zinc improves thyroid function. Many patients with hypothyroidism have low levels of zinc,
and the study demonstrated that over 50% of patients given zinc supplementation
experienced improved thyroid function which reduced the incidence of clinical
hypothyroidism. (8)
Footnotes(1) Nutrition. Iodine deficiency and its effects
in Europe. Wkly Epidemiol Rec Nov 2 1990, 65 (44) p339-41
(2) Adele Davis - Let's eat Right to keep fit (unwin) p.163.
(3) Studies of hypothyroidism in patients with high iodine intake. Tajiri J; Higashi K;
Morita M; Umeda T; Sato T J Clin Endocrinol Metab Aug 1986, 63 (2) p412-7
(4) Ibid
(5) Adele Davis - Let's eat Right to keep fit (Unwin) p.160
(6) Herbal Medicine Dr R.F.Weiss (Beaconsfield Publishers) p.279
(7) Raw Food (century) L & S Kenton p. 165
(8) Is zinc deficiency a cause of subclinical hypothyroidism in Down syndrome?
Napolitano G; Palka G; Lio S; Bucci I; De Remigis P;
Stuppia L; Monaco F Chairs of Endocrinology, University G. d'Annunzio,
Chieti, Italy. Ann
Genet 1990, 33 (1) p9-15
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