10 Essential Nutrients For Thyroid Function

Nutrient deficiency could also be a part of your thyroid problem – have you ever wondered? In fact, doctors also miss out this important point and do not consider nutrient deficiency as a part. Thyroid function problem is majorly a lifestyle disease influenced by both environmental and nutritional factors. Thus, it is important to include all three aspects of your life before concluding the problem and prescribing medications. To know more about your nutritional problems, if any, consult with our doctors at NextDoorLab (NDL) free by just giving a missed call on 0124-6999-899. You can even book a test for thyroid function.

Thyroid is your body’s engine fueling your whole body. It is important to run smoothly and in unison, and involves various important chemicals and nutrients – which altogether help in proper thyroid functioning. Let us now just understand those important nutrients playing a role in our body – deficiency of any one nutrient can cause a problem to your thyroid.

The normal functioning of thyroid is explained below with the help of an equation:

TSH→Thyroid Gland→T4 (inactive)→T3(active)→Bindsto the Cell^' sDNA→Increases Metabolism

Understand that TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone does not appear magically. It is produced in the brain. How your brain does produce TSH? Both macronutrients and micronutrients coming from your diet help your brain to make this essential hormone, which are protein (the macronutrient) and magnesium, vitamin B12 and zinc (the micronutrient). Therefore, it is very clear from the above explanation that deficiency of any of the four nutrients can cause thyroid function problem.

Now, when TSH reaches your thyroid gland, it has to produce T4 (inactive form) or thyroxine – made up of four iodine molecules and thus named T4. This iodine comes from symporter, a doorway, and also requires two vitamins: B and C. However, with deficiencies of these two vitamins, symporter fails to import iodine to your thyroid gland. Therefore, a total of seven nutrients by far are so important to produce T4 that their deficiency can cause a thyroid disorder.

Now, to produce the active form that is T3 or tri-iodothyronine, selenium is required. This conversion of T3 from T4 is important for further processing, which requires an enzyme derived from the mineral selenium. Without selenium, T4 will produce Reverse T3 or RT3, which is also inactive and thus will not bind to your DNA’s nuclear receptor, failing to increase your metabolism and also leads to hypothyroidism. This happens because RT3 is an antithyroid hormone, which blocks the effects of T3. Selenium helps in overcoming the iodine deficiency. But together, iron and selenium deficiencies can cause severe hypothyroidism.

Now, to activate the nuclear receptor present on the surface of the cell’s nucleus, two vitamins are required: A and D. Therefore, deficiencies of these vitamins could stop T3 from activating your cell to increase metabolism.

Increased TSH production leads to hypothyroidism, while its decreased production leads to hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include excessive anxiety, weight loss, visual disturbances, weakness, difficulty in sleeping and frequent bowel movements. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include sensitivity to cold, weight gain, skin drying, puffy skin and constipation. If you have either of the thyroid disorder, ask your doctor if you have any nutrient deficiency. Ask your doctor to get you tested for the important nutrients for proper thyroid function. If you yourself are willing to get tested for those essential nutrients mentioned below, please visit www.nextdoorlab.com and book a test for thyroid function. NDL offers competitive rates for various lab tests. In addition, you will get an extra discount on booking a bunch of tests or a particular package.

Thus, following are those 10 essential nutrients which help your brain to produce TSH and stimulating your thyroid gland to further produceT4 and T3 leading to activation of your cellular metabolic rate.

1. Protein – fatty acids and amino acids

2. Iodine – the first building block of your thyroid hormones

3. Selenium

4. Zinc

5. Iron

6. Vitamin D

7. Vitamin A

8. Vitamin B, especially B12

9. Vitamin C

10. Magnesium

Also, if you have other illness along with thyroid function problem, then the nutrients like essential fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C are more important. You can easily get these nutrients from having a proper balanced diet that is rich in these nutrients. Remember that not all thyroid patients have similar nutritional deficiencies. Thus it is necessary to prepare a proper diet plan for hypothyroidism.

Note that in an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, you require nutrients to suppress your overactive thyroid. B complex vitamins are very important here. If not treated properly, hyperthyroidism can lead to increased nutritional deficiencies.

Hence, understanding the thyroid problem – low or high – from the base is necessary for you to walk the right path of medication and diet, as you gain essential vitamins and minerals which have a very important role in the process of your thyroid function from TSH production to increase in your metabolic rate and your energy. Providing proper diets for people with hypothyroidism can definitely help or eradicate thyroid problems.