Herbal supplements

[Isslewissle]

Hi does anyone know if it is ok to take the herbal tablet ashwangandha when also on levothyroxine for underactive thyroid. I was taking it for three weeks and was beginning to feel more calm less anxious and irritable and tired.

But then found out it could help with underactive thyroid by raising thyroid levels but not to take if you have overactive thyroid. Just wondering if I will end up overactive if I were to continue taking it. I have stopped taking it for the time being until I have more information.

Thank you for any help with this.

[greygoose]

You can't end up over-active, if you've been under-active. Ashwagandha or no Ashwagandha. You can go from over- to under- but not the other way round. The reason you feel calmer is probably because the Ashwagandha has been affecting your cortisol levels, rather than your thyroid hormone levels. But only a blood test would tell you if it's been affecting your thyroid hormones.

[Isslewissle in reply to greygoose]

Thank you greygoose. I have just found quite a few posts on here relating to ashwangandha and have found them very informative also.

[greygoose in reply to Isslewissle]

You're welcome.

[Angel_of_the_North]

I take Ashwaghanda and find it suits me well, but it has had no effect on my thyroid hormone levels as far as I can tell. Perhaps I'd have lower frees if I didn't take it take it, but my FT3 and FT4 have been much the same before and since taking it

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

What are the benefits of taking it Angel-of-the-North?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Buddy195]

There are various studies which show that it: reduces anxiety and stress - possibly by working on/with GABA, helps with mood and depression, lowers total cholesterol and LDL-C, and one study that shows that it raised T4 and T3 in people with subclinical hypo. Also studies that show improved sperm motility and various other male things I wasn't interested in.

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks for the information; I’m learning so much from this forum. My husband keeps saying ‘Hubble Bubble’ when he looks at the increasing number of supplements on my bathroom shelf! 🤣

[jostafford0]

I’ve tried Ashwaghanda twice & I don’t get on with it. It caused me to have breathing problems when I took it at night & if I took it in the day it made me too drowsy. I haven’t found an adaptogenic herb that suits me yet.