Vitamin advice: Hi my daughter 16 in june she... - Thyroid UK

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Vitamin advice

jwoodward5 profile image
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Hi my daughter 16 in june she inderactive thyroid and in 100 mg levo she feels no better and endo says blood results at top of scale so cant increase ou only other action is to look at supplements for vitamins could anyone asvise what dose of following if any she should take please

Ferratin 51 range 13-300

Vit d 74

B12. 427 range 190-910

Folate 13.6 range 3.9-99

Didnt get magnesium zinc or selenium done as gp said wouldnt harm to take supplement as everyone usually quite low

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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Ferritin needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work. She can raise her level by eating liver, no more than 200g per week. If she doesn't want to do that be crafty, hide it in casseroles, curries, spag bols, cottage pie, etc.

Iron is complicated and it's not a good idea to just take iron tablets. You need an iron status check to include serum iron, transferrin saturation and total iron binding capacity along with Ferritin. It would be wrong to take iron tablets if serum iron is high, for example. If GP won't test do those tests then Medichecks does the iron status test for £39, and it can be done as a fingerprick test.

**

Vit D should be 100-150nmol/L according to the Vit D Council.

I see her TPO antibodies are 31, do you have a range for that? We often see on here <34 and in that case she may very well have Hashi's as she would be so close to the top, so an oral D3 spray would be best. I would suggest BetterYou 3000iu.

When taking D3 there are important cofactors needed vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and Vit K2-mk7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissue where it can be deposited and cause problems. Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit best naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day and D3 should be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds. Magnesium is calming and best taken in the evening, 4 hours away from thyroid meds.

BetterYou does a combined D3/K2 which is probably the best idea.

**

B12 needs to be over 550 (preferably nearer top of range) so sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 1000mcg will raise that.

When taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins and that will raise her Folate level which should be half way through it's range. Check out Thorne Basic B and Igennus Super B.

**

Selenium helps with conversion of T4 to T3 but I would have hoped your GP would have tested it. Selenium l-selenomethionine or yeast bound selenium are the best forms for absorption, avoid selenite and selenate forms.

Zinc really ought to be tested and half way through range is best.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

She doesnt eat meat really except bacon and beef iccaisionally so liver a no no any other ideas?

For the magnesiim do u choose which u think suits best?

Am i right you saying if take b12 then need b complez as well?

And fir vit d you can take spray or d3/k2 combined?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply tojwoodward5

She doesnt eat meat really except bacon and beef iccaisionally so liver a no no any other ideas?

No other than eating lots and lots of iron rich foods from a list like this apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

For the magnesiim do u choose which u think suits best?

Yes, as I said above "check to see which would suit best"

Am i right you saying if take b12 then need b complez as well?

Yes, as I said above "When taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins and that will raise her Folate level which should be half way through it's range. Check out Thorne Basic B and Igennus Super B."

And fir vit d you can take spray or d3/k2 combined?

Yes, as I said above "BetterYou does a combined D3/K2 which is probably the best idea. "

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

Tjanks is zinc very important and what supplements available.? If she converting ok does she need selenium?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply tojwoodward5

My reading tells me that thyroid hormones are essential for zinc to be absorbed, and hypothyroidism can cause low levels of zinc. So it's a good idea to have zinc tested and supplement if it's less than half way through it's range. But copper and zinc must be in balance so ideally copper should be tested as well.

There are many articles on the different forms of zinc, here is one globalhealingcenter.com/nat...

Avoid zinc oxide.

Selenium is important for the functioning of the thyroid. It helps convert T4 to T3 and helps reduce antibodies. As your daughter's antibodies are 31 (<35) then my opinion is that they are too high to completely rule out Hashi's.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

What dose of selenium would you take and where buy from

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply tojwoodward5

With Hashi's the recommended dose is 200mcg daily. I wouldn't recommend taking any more than that.

I like cytoplan.co.uk/selenium (it's 100mcg, they don't do a 200mcg dose).

Some selenium supplements can have an unpleasant odour, that one doesn't and it's a very small tablet. It's a yeast-bound selenium.

If you don't want that one then look for Selenium l-selenomethionine and avoid selenite and selenate as previously mentioned.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

Is hashis treated any different to jsust under at? Bit confused

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply tojwoodward5

Hashi's isn't treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that is treated.

To address the Hashi's many people find that adopting a strict gluten free diet and supplementing with selenium can help reduce antibodies which should help reduce the antibody attacks and hopefully slow down the destruction of the thyroid.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

Oh i see thakyou

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

What dose magnesium gly? And also if b12 in b complex tablets wont b12 be too much if take b12 as well? Its all a mind field . Do people take all these supplements at once?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply tojwoodward5

Take whatever dose of magnesium it says on the pack.

B12 level needs to be raised with 1000mcg sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges to start with. Look at Cytoplan B12 sublingual or Jarrows Formula. Use one bottle then depending on the brand of B Complex there may be enough B12 in it to maintain the new level. I wouldn't buy one with less than 400mcg B12 which is why I suggested Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.

You introduce supplements one at a time. Start with one, give it two weeks, if no adverse reaction then add the second one, give it two weeks and if no adverse reaction then add the next one.

Check the timings I gave above for how to supplement around thyroid meds.

If she does take iron tablets then they need to be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds and 2 hours away from any other medication and supplements as it will affect their absorption, and each iron tablet should be taken with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

Thanks for advice so yoi take b complex and b12 lozengers together at first then just b complex is that right?

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

Hi ive ordere the b12 1000 mg so does she take these till run out then start on b complex after? Or both together please ?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply tojwoodward5

As already mentioned, when taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins. So start the B12 and 2 weeks later add in the B Complex - still take the B12.

And as mentioned, finish one bottle of B12 and continue with the B Complex which might contain enough B12 to maintain the new level.

You can repeat the test in a few months. If B12 hasn't reached at least 550 then she will need to continue with a maintenance dose of B12 as well as the B Complex.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSeasideSusie

Thanks just wanna get it right sorry to be a pain

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Does she have Hashimoto's? If so us she on strictly gluten free diet?

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSlowDragon

Noone has said she has hashimotos her tpo 31 think range was under 35

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tojwoodward5

What about TG antibodies? Have these been tested

Or has she had thyroid scan

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toSlowDragon

They wouldnt test them i even ticked form myself but still not done

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tojwoodward5

Not a good idea to tick blood test form (can upset GP)

NHS doesn’t test TG antibodies if TPO are in range

But it’s possible to have high TG and negative TPO - though rather than both high or just TPO high

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Would get TG antibodies tested privately- NHS won’t test if TPO are negative

Ask GP for coeliac blood test or buy online £20 before trying strictly gluten free diet

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