Adoptogenic herbs

[jm2450]

Hi everyone, so as the title says I’m here to ask specifically about Ashwaghanda. I was taking it last year and found it wonderful for my anxiety. I almost felt like a normal person again. Fast forward and I read some articles about how you’re not supposed to take it with autoimmune thyroiditis so I panicked and stopped taking it.

The reason I initially started taking it was because after a Dutch test in early 2021 before my thyroid diagnosis, it was noted that my body was metabolising cortisol at a very high rate and I was dumping very high amounts. In fact many of the markers on my Dutch test picked up inconsistencies which pointed more toward hyperthyroidism but hey here we are hypo.

Ashwaghanda was recommended to me at the time when I didn’t have a thyroid diagnosis to help me lower my stress levels and cortisol. I believe it did work based on my experience but I haven’t had anything retested as my thyroid kind of came first afterwards.

My question is how do I establish if I am still okay to take it? Is there a way to establish that? Am I really not allowed to take it with autoimmune thyroiditis? I have always been an anxious person so I don’t feel my anxiety is wholly down to my thyroid and I need some anxiety relief.

Also for the ladies in the group - I have been experiencing an increase in palpitations after ovulation and leading up to my period. They appear to then die off again after my period and I get a couple of weeks where I don’t experience them. Is this normal for thyroid patients? Sometimes they take my breath away and I don’t want yet another thing to worry about. I know this can be more hormone related than thyroid.

Many thanks in advance.

[radd]

jm2450,

I have given quite a comprehensive answer regarding my own Ashwagandha supplementation here (fourth reply down) . .......

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[jm2450 in reply to radd]

Thank you Radd, your response was very informed. How long have you been taking it and how long have you had Hashis? I just feel I was so much calmer taking it and if I don’t need to refrain I would love to take it again, even if just on and off when needed. My stress is quite high and I struggle with calming down.

[radd in reply to jm2450]

jm2450

Long term stress can alter baselines in the workings of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and circadian pattern. Some adaptogens are anti-inflammatory (Curcumin/Turmeric), or lower blood sugars (Cordyceps) or work towards normalising the HPA axis creating homeostasis by counteracting the effects of and building resilience to stress (Ashwagandha).

It depends how we are made as to whether a certain adaptogen will be beneficial or not. Some on the forum have had bad experiences from Ashwagandha from a rise in thyroid antibodies dependant upon a possible nightshade intolerance, or cortisol falling too low.

Ashwagandha does not make or reduce cortisol directly but modulates the HPA axis pathways that govern the body's stress response mechanisms. It is not supposed to reduce cortisol below an individual’s ‘normalised’ working levels and if it does it indicates there are other parts of the system not in synch that perhaps another adaptogen would be more suited to.

If you feel well on Ashwagandha, then take it because the benefits are huge. The root is more promoted or a root/leaves combo. You can read my profile by clicking on my name or avatar.

[jm2450 in reply to radd]

Thank you Radd.

My experiences on it was just being able to cope so much more effectively and being calmer overall. I didn’t feel any adverse effects that I attributed to it at all which is why I felt quite gutted when I read that it may not be a good thing to take with Hashimotos. Since I stopped taking it, my anxiety levels have increased and increased and I am back to points of worrying relentlessly which is quite tiring.

I’m obviously not sure which way my body goes but on reactions alone I don’t think I have a problem and consume nightshades anyway.