Ideal mix of supplements

[misswinky34]

Currently taking b12 on it’s own 2500 (something) jarrows

Vit d + calcium (breastfeeding) 400mg

Magnesium 2x375 per day

That’s it. I’ve been told by the GP not to bother supplementing! ?!?!

Still getting hypo symptoms and have been on 150 Levo since 2016

TSH 0.61 and t4 is 14. So these results haven’t really changed.

Am I missing out on vitamins I should be supplementing with? Have had no help since being discharged from endo after having my son.

I’m nervous to stop the magnesium especially as that was helping with the palpitations.

[greygoose]

The ideal mix is one that contains all the things you need. And, you can't know what you need unless you get your nutrients tested: vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. Have you don't that? If so, what were the results?

There's no reason why you should give up the magnesium, but I doubt you need the calcium, even if you are breastfeeding. Calcium supplements are like swallowing rocks, difficult to absorb, and it's rare to be deficient in calcium in Europe. Have you had it tested? Excess un absorbed calcium can build up in the arteries and cause a heart attack. Or in the kidneys, and cause kidney stones. Besides, if you are taking vit D, that will increase your absorption of calcium from food. So, you should also be taking vit K2 - MK7 to make sure that calcium gets into the teeth and bones, and doesn't build up in the soft tissues and arteries. Did you get your vit D tested before starting to supplement?

If you're taking vit B12, you should also be taking a B supplement. The Bs all work together and need to be kept balanced. You certainly need folate, which you would get in a B complex.

Doctors know nothing about nutrition. They don't 'do' it in med school. When a blood test showed my B12 to be low, the doctor said 'so what, it's only a vitamin'! They have no idea of the importance of the vitamins to our general health. But, when we're hypo, we absolutely need them to be optimal. But, we should get tested, first.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

No the only thing that’s been tested is the TSH and T4 plus anti bodies. The calcium and vitamin D came under the advice of the doctor, which is what’s confused me because my circumstances haven’t changed With the breastfeeding. I didn’t realise it’s not good to taken 1 b vitamin alone, and the GP said there’s no point taking anything, however I’ve seen an improvement especially in the brain fog department from something that I’m taking and I doubt it’s the Levo alone. I haven’t had anything tested other than thyroid profile. I will have to go down the private route for that which at the minute I can’t afford to do. I’m just trying to feel well for the sake of my kids.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Be very careful of a doctor that advises taking calcium without first checking that you need to take it! That is very, very wrong, and he should now be testing to make sure you're not taking too much - which you probably are! Try asking him to do all those tests.

Also, did you start taking everything at the same time? If so, no wonder you don't know what's helping - and of course something is, but that's not the point. And, what if something started disagreeing with you? You wouldn't know what it was, either. One really needs a more scientific approach to taking supplements if one wants to improve. And new things should be started one at a time, with about 2 weeks gap in between starting each one.

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

What's the range on the FT4?

It looks quite low. Result when on adequate Levothyroxine should be in top third of range

You do need FT3 tested alongside TSH and FT4 plus vitamins

Hashimoto's patients often have poor conversion

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.