I'm a newbie. I've been taken thyroxine for the past 14 years. I started on 50 mcgs initially and after a few years had the dose increased by my GP to 100mcgs. There is a history of thyroid condition in my family. My father had hyperthyroidism and after surgery he developed hypothyroidism. My paternal aunt had thyroid cancer in her early 30's but seem to have recovered as she is 95 now. I'm not sure of she takes thyroid medication or not.
I saw a nutritionalist recently and she stated me on Thyroid Correct which is a supplement that is safe to take with thyroxine. It is manufactured by Wild Nutrition. I think it helped but might have just been a placebo. I'm also taking iron and multivitamin supplements from the same company as my GP said my iron count was low on my last blood check but that the thyroid levels were within normal range. I still feel exhausted but not nearly as exhausted as I did before taking the supplements.
Here is my question - I have heard that Ashawanga supplement is good for thyroid disorders and for adrenal fatigue which I think I have too. Has anyone out there in the community taken it or heard of any benefits or side effects that they could share with me please? I should have said that I'm 63 so I guess I can expect to feel tired at times!
Thanks
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Citta
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If so then it is a multivitamin and mineral and these really are a waste of time. They generally don't contain enough of anything to help - for example compare your Multi with a good B Complex
Wild Nutrition ............ (Thorne Basic B Complex)
Vitamin B1 0.5mg ....... (..110mg..)
Vitamin B2 0.5mg ....... (..10mg..)
Vitamin B12 2mcg ...... (..400mcg )
Pantothenic acid 6mg .... (..110mg..)
Plus 20mg Vit C and it's recommended for us Hypos to take at least 2000mg per day in divided doses.
Vit D is 2.5mcg which is 100iu which is pretty pointless when 1000iu may just be enough for a maintenance dose if you already have a good level.
It also contains 150mcg iodine, and iodine should only be supplemented if we've been tested and found to be deficient. Were you tested for that?
It also contains iron which means the other things can't be absorbed - iron needs to be taken at least two hours away from other supplements and four hours away from thyroid meds.
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"my GP said my iron count was low on my last blood check but that the thyroid levels were within normal range"
If your GP said that, did you also have an iron panel, full blood count and haemoglobin test to see if you have iron deficiency anaemia? Why didn't your GP prescribe iron? How much iron do you take in your iron supplement?
What were your results for iron and thyroid?
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Have you had Vit D, B12 and folate tested? Any results for these?
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For us Hypos, it is important that all these nutrients are at optimal levels so testing is important and supplementing individually for any low levels or deficiencies. Thyroid hormone can't work properly otherwise. So post any results for any tests done - thyroid and vitamins/minerals - for comment, please include the reference ranges next to the results.
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There are some general supplements recommended for us Hypos which include Vit C (2000mg daily minimum), a good B Complex - both of these support the adrenals. Most of us are low in magnesium so that's another one that can help, and selenium selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily helps conversion of T4 to T3 as well as helping to reduce thyroid antibodies if there are any present.
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I don't take Ashwagandha but I do take a different adaptogenic on advice from a practioner. Have you had a cortisol test to confirm the adrenal fatigue you think you might have?
Thanks for all this information. I didn't realise it was all so complicated. I'll need to do a degree in nutrition I think to be able to understand it all !
That's a good point about my GP not px iron tablets. I think she left it up to me to purchase them. Could it be NHS cut back? I don't have the blood results but I will request them form my GP. I was considering buying a private test but I don't know which one is right for me. The only diagnoses I have been given is hypothyroidism. I have self-diagnosed myself with adrenal fatigue as I have all the symptoms. I really do need a good blood screening.
I had been taking a B complex supplement but decided that maybe a multi vit was more important. I also take Engevita yeast flakes with vit B12. It has a whole range of other B vits and protein. My diet is very good and I eat lots of fish, chicken, cereals, whole grains, fruit and veg and other good stuff. I clearly need more guidance in getting the right diet and supplements for me.
It doesn't matter how good your diet is, if you are hypo, you will more than likely have low stomach acid, which means you will have difficulty digesting food and absorbing nutrients. You aren't what you eat, you are what you manage to absorb.
If you've been taking B12, a blood test will be skewed, and won't give a true result, but best to get it tested, anyway. Just to give you an idea.
As Susie says, multi's are a waste of money. And, if it contains iron, you won't absorb anything because iron blocks the absorption of everything. Nutritionists can be a waste of money, too.
A blood test is not much good for adrenals. What you need is a 24 hour saliva cortisol test.
Are you sure you're correctly medicated for your hypo?
Your GP might not have prescribed iron if your level was low but not low enough in his opinion. They do like to save money! It would be good to see all your results though.
If that the thyroid check plus 11 on the horizon site? It's a bit pricy but I guess it would be worth it. I just want to get a good base level result and take it from there. If my thyroid needs treatment which I think it does then that's the place to start. Let's see how it improves with the right supplement and the it from there. I think i have signs and symptoms of both hypo and adrenal fatigue. The thing that worries me most is the brittle dry thinning hair. Also my mood is very up and down and my sleep pattern is not good. I feel drugged in the morning and wide awake at midnight. I'll ring the GP for my results tomorrow but I really think I'd be best to get a good blood screening privately.
Blue Horizon and Medichecks both are normally the same price, and for what is actually tested is very good value and tests far more than your GP will. On Thursday every week Medichecks discount a few of their tests, and occasionally the Ultravit is reduced. It will be worth checking on Thursday.
Wanted to pop in and add a couple of links re: iron and how critical it is to get it right for us all here. Plus it's just a good sites in general for info... the second link mentions the adaptogens Ashwangandha and Rhodeola ...
Thanks for that. Two very useful articles. What time of day should I take ashwangandha? I take 100 mcgs thyroxine before breakfast but didn't know to leave 2 hours before taking the multivitamin and thyroid correct. I'll take the mid morning and again at supper time. Should I take the iron with the ashwangandha at bedtime?
I can't specify re: Ashwangandha as I only started taking it myself (along with Rhodeola) but I've seen here on the forum that generally take vitamins - AM minerals - PM. However this article mentions taking it at night before bed as it has a calming effect... but I wouldnt take it with iron myself (note: Iron is best taken with Vit C to avoid constipation issues). PS: as SeasideSuzie and greygoose have already pointed out above those multivitamin are a very poor source ... no where near the optimal doses we need! Read thru their posts again and bookmark it as sometimes these details take while to sink in to our foggy brains 🤔
Thanks, good article. I'm just using up the multivits as they weren't cheap. Then I can get some B complex after that, if that is what the blood profile suggests. The iron plus I take has vit c added. Do you take thyroxine as well as the ashwangandha?
Hi Cotta
if you do have adrenal fatigue as I do then it doesn't matter how much Levo you take it won't be converting from T4 to T3 and it could just end up giving you toxaemia !!
I knew I had adrenal fatigue as well as being hypo but the GPs ignored me. I had a private test done and it showed what I already knew.
Vitamins and herbs can help if your adrenals are in stage 1/ 2 but if you are in stage 3/4 then they can't do much unless you want to banish yourself to bed for months...
I no longer take Levo as my adrenals where so fatigued it caused toxaemia .
I'm now on natural bovine / porcine supplements for both adrenals and thyroid. Feel better than I ever have in 25 years. if you have adrenal fatigue then GPs are useless.
Dr.Peatfield is your best bet for diagnose or there are American Doctors who have written about the subject. They take it more seriously in the States.
Another thing to ve aware of is that some vits must not be together as can cancel each other out, another reason why multi vits aren't good. I can't remember though which vits they are as I just take mine in two groups but I can't remember the rogue ones other than I've separated them!
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