Why not Zinc for hypothyroidism?

[Koola]

I know we often have to supplement with iron, vit. B & C, and D3 & K7 & magnesium, which I’ve been doing dutifully for months. I’m (often) feeling better, maybe also due to a change in Levo brand (will post results soon) but what about Zinc? Does it not get depleted as well? Can I order a supplement and try it out or do I need to have it tested first? Apparently it’s effective against Covid... Advice much appreciated, as usual. Thanks in advance

[MichelleHarris]

Yes my Endo found I had a severe deficiency and I take a supplement now as do many Hashi’s, after testing x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Koola

Best to test most things you are considering supplementing. Zinc should be balanced with copper. I've read that often with us Hypos we can be high in one but low in the other so we have to be careful. I've read that zinc is recommended to be around half way through range.

Maybe check out zinc rich foods and ensure you get some in your diet:

everydayhealth.com/pictures...

healthline.com/nutrition/be...

Copper rich foods are fairly similar:

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

so a well balanced diet may provide just what you need.

As you are supplementing with iron and D3 I hope you are monitoring your levels regularly to ensure you don't take too much as with both of these too much can lead to toxicity. Vit D should be tested twice a year, iron panel (not just ferritin) when supplementing every 2-3 months.

[Koola in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hello Seaside Suzie,

Thank you for the info. It seems I do have a balanced diet. No lobster or crab though which I love, but fresh shrimp; probably does the trick too.

I’ve been checking iron & vit D every 6 to 8 weeks , together with the usual thyroid test, so I’ll do it less often now. Thanks! Better for my purse, as it’s not reimbursed here. Levels still low I believe. Posting my last labs next.

Reason I asked was because I got a cold, a real one, nose dripping like a fountain, for the first time in years. When that finally went away, I got shingles or herpes zoster. Very painful. So I was thinking that my immune system might need a boost...

[humanbean]

I think one of the problems with recommending zinc be tested is that it is usually worth testing copper at the same time, and the testing for zinc/copper is expensive and is rarely included in test bundles.

It took me several years to grit my teeth and pay up for a zinc and copper test. It turns out my results were typical of someone with hypothyroidism - zinc was in the lower half of the range and copper was just over the range. But I have read a post by someone else on the forum who had the reverse issue - high zinc and low copper - and became seriously ill because of it, so making assumptions without proof might be a bad idea.

I don't know what proportion of people would be in each group i.e. have low zinc/high copper or high zinc/low copper.

I came across this article that might be helpful :

drjockers.com/test-zinc-lev...

I haven't read it all, but other articles by the same author are usually quite informative.

[Koola in reply to humanbean]

thank you humanbean. I'll see if I can get the Zink sulfate here. Amazon doesn't carry it these days. Probably every one and his grandmother is testing it these days, re Corona.....

[thyr01d]

I am sure Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible says that we need good supplies of zinc for thyroid function but can't find the book at the moment. I think its probably a once-removed effect rather than direct.Also, I just read an article kindly posted by Shaws which included this:

The thyroid requires specific vitamins and minerals to make thyroxine (T4). Zinc, selenium, and magnesium play an essential role in overall thyroid function. OCP's decrease the absorption of these minerals, along with folic acid, and vitamins B2, B6, B12, C, E. Because our cooking and storage methods often deplete our food of nutrients, taking supplements may help reverse nutritional deficiencies caused by OCP's.

Here's the link from Shaws:

palomahealth.com/learn/hypo...