This is a complex area that Chris Marano addresses, with recommendations, ideas, and medicinal herbs for hypothyroidism

Today we are looking at some herbs for hypothyroidism. First, the thyroid is an endocrine gland and as such, there is a bit of a mystery around it. Secondly, no endocrine gland can be seen separate from the rest of the endocrine system, including the thyroid. It is sitting in the throat along with the parathyroid. Above it in the head is the pineal gland, the hypothalamus, and the pituitary gland. Below it is the thymus, the endocrine tissue in the pancreas, the adrenals, and the gonads. There is also hormonal tissue in most of if not all of the major organs. This includes the hormones that are released by the entirety of the digestive system, which has a very big influence over thyroid function because the thyroid is particularly influential over digestive metabolism.

There is also endocrine tissue in the kidneys, the heart and the liver, so there’s an ongoing, large and complex concert of activity and symphonic balance that is forever going on, and hopefully with good coordination. To just isolate the thyroid and say, “This is the issue in and of itself” is a very Western allopathic way of looking at it: there is the problem, focus on it alone and take care of it. So, from the Western point of view, thyroid-helping herbs need to have direct influence on the thyroid in order for them to be considered as such. If, however, you look at this from the points of view other traditions, like the Chinese tradition, this would not necessarily be the case.

Taking a holistic approach to hypothyroidism

From the Chinese perspective, you should be working on the thyroid by helping the entirety of the endocrine system.

The entirety of the endocrine system is in an incredibly complicated dance, with the vast majority of the  hormonal orders emanating from the hypothalamus and the pituitary, and drawing upon energy reserves that the West says is stored in and disseminated by the adrenals. Chinese medicine would not disagree and would say that this foundational energy is stored in the Kidney Yin and coordinated by the Kidney Yang. From their point of view, first and foremost you would want to strengthen and stabilize the Chinese Kidneys, which encompasses the entirety of the endocrine system. Chinese practitioners would reach for herbs we in the West call adaptogens. Herbs like American ginseng, ashwagandha and schisandra are examples of adaptogens that aid the entirety of the endocrine system, and appear to have direct, measurable positive and protective influence on the thyroid.

Looking at more herbs for hypothyroidism

Iodine is a trace element needed by the body, and the vast majority of iodine is stored in and required by the thyroid gland. In the US most commercial table salt is fortified with iodine, so getting enough of that element usually is not an issue. But if someone is on a low-salt diet, then it might be an issue. Salt (sodium chloride) also has its drawbacks if taken in excessive amounts.

Sea vegetables, which are rich in iodine, are a better alternative to iodized table salt for thyroid health. In addition to iodine and sodium chloride, sea vegetables (and quality sea salt) also contain many other trace elements, making it a better choice for overall nutrition and physiological health, for the body in general and for the thyroid in particular. Irish moss is a product derived from seaweed that I often use in protocols to help nourish the thyroid. Bladderwrack is another. These two aren’t ones that you want floating in your miso soup, but they’re really good as herbal medicine for nourishing the thyroid.

Just be careful where from where you purchase you sea weed products. Opt for sources that come from off the coast of Maine. Because of the increasing levels of ocean-water radiation due to Fukushima fallout, I would not purchase or consume sea vegetables and supplements that can be sourced to the Pacific, and to Japan in particular.

Selenium is another trace element that is necessary for healthy thyroid function. It is available as a supplement. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, with one to two nuts a day providing enough. Again, be consumer savvy and only purchase super fresh Brazil nuts and in small quantities so that they don’t have time to go rancid.

Vitamin D is another nutrient that benefits the thyroid. Don’t be afraid of sunlight when the sun is out in the summer, and also don’t be afraid of taking vitamin D supplements. Just make sure you find a good source.

Herbs for hypothyroidism: Herbs from around the world and our local area

For helping the thyroid, I like myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) and it’s first cousin, guggul (Commiphora mukul). These resins are known to have a nourishing, tonifying and invigorating effect on the thyroid, so I will often put one or the other in a formula to help with stimulating thyroid function.

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri), an herb used in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Hawaiian healing traditions, can be used in larger doses to stimulate the thyroid.

One herb that is closer to home and can be used for the thyroid is blue flag (Iris versicolor). This iris with its beautiful, deep purple flowers is a native and grows wild in wet areas. The root of that plant has a strong effect on tonifying the thyroid. It is a very powerful plant so only small doses need be used. Poke is also used in tiny doses to stimulate thyroid function, which leads me to something that I have heard Matthew Wood speak about that I very much enjoyed and would like to contemplate further. I was wondering why blue flag and poke would be useful for the thyroid, given that they are such strong lymphatic moving and draining herbs. It’s Mathew Wood’s contention, and I agree, that we should be looking for something (or a lack of something) that’s deep and invisible and common to many people to help explain why there is an epidemic, so to speak, of hypothyroidism in this country.

One thing we can point to without testing at it all is that modern, industrialized civilization must contend with tons of toxins in the air, water, soil and processed foods, to name a few. This likely has a debilitating effect on the thyroid. Why? Because the two main lymphatic ducts — thoracic duct and lymphatic duct — are at their largest as they pass the throat before draining back into the cardiovascular system in the chest. These ducts drain down from the head and the arms, meeting right in that area. If it is viscous, thick and stagnant, it can create congestion, not necessarily a dam, but resistance leading to an excess of wastes and toxins concentrating in the thyroid area. Over the long haul it leads to a deterioration of the local tissue terrain, and everything suffers, including thyroid function.

The vents of the lymphatic vessels need to be open and clear for proper drainage to occur. That’s my understanding of why we use poke and blue flag, two formidable lymph movers, to help with thyroid function. Matthew Wood has suggested that, along similar lines, we can also use a combination of black walnut hull (Juglans nigra) and chickweed (Stellaria media) because of their ability to affect movement of lymph and mineral salts. This is especially true of chickweed, whereas black walnut has similar cleansing and moving properties to blue flag and poke.

Herbs for hypothyroidism: In closing

When it comes to benefiting the thyroid, I definitely am seeking to balance the entirety of the endocrine system with strengthening adaptogens, and leaning towards those that seem to have specific effect on the thyroid, like ashwagandha and schisandra. I would also add astragalus (A. membranaceus) and codonopsis (C. pilosula) to this list.

I would also want to improve general digestive health as well as the gut biome. The pancreas is a dual organ dedicated to digestion and blood sugar balance. The healthier and stronger the pancreas is, the greater digestive strength and the more balanced blood sugar metabolism will be, and this will have indirect benefit on the thyroid.

Two more tips that go beyond herbs for hypothyroidism: Keep your liver happy and be careful with gluten. Keeping your liver happy is a whole other conversation. If you are going to eat gluten, be picky about where you get it from. Make sure you are getting high-quality gluten products that are free of glyphosates (Round-up herbicide), meaning organically grown.

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