ashwagandha and levothyroxine

[daledon123]

hi i have recently been prescribed levothyroxine 100mcg daily for hypothyroidism. am I able to take ashwagandha anymore? I always felt it helped me with stress levels etc.

[ockerdoc]

Yes you can it’s great for the thyroid I take it every day..I take both extract and powder form but extract is better.

[Margo in reply to ockerdoc]

which extract do you take and how much please?

[ockerdoc in reply to Margo]

amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07WMV...

[daledon123 in reply to ockerdoc]

do you take it alongside prescribed hypothyriod medication?

[ockerdoc in reply to daledon123]

I do yes but obviously a bit later in the day usually mid morning.

[Regenallotment]

I used to drink Pukka Relax tea which contains Ashwaganda. After starting Levo I found it made me feel very sluggish/hypo PEM/flu/sofa glue tired rather than just the calm and relaxed of before. There seem to be two camps. I find chamomile and their nighttime tea better for me now. 🌱

[Knowsnothing]

I thought you weren't supposed to take it if you were hypo?

[goatheard in reply to Knowsnothing]

It is in the nightshade family. Hypos who are sensitive to nightshades may have issues.

In my case, it increased my TSH and thyroid antibodies and increased my melanin -- darkening my Scandinavian blonde hair and even some scars. It has taken a long time to recover.

[Knowsnothing in reply to goatheard]

Thanks I'm hyper and it supposed to be good for hyper but it made me feel like utter rubbish.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

daledon123

It's worth noting that ashwagandha is a stress reducer and works by reducing cortisol level.

[LucyYoga in reply to SeasideSusie]

It's actually an adaptogenic herb- it works on pathways that we do not know exactly but by definition as an adaptogen I does not just work in a uni-directional fashion. For some people it will reduce cortisol, for others increase it. It all depends on the individuals body and needs

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to LucyYoga]

Yes I know it's an adaptogen and is supposed to be balancing, but there are so many articles about it reducing cortisol (rather than it actually balancing or increasing it) and there have been cases of members here finding exactly that so it's important to mention this when members enquire about ashwagandha.

[LucyYoga in reply to SeasideSusie]

If you know what a adaptogen is then you will know that by definition it is something the helps the body manage stress and find balance- whether in this instance through lowering high cortisol or raising low cortisol.

What you actually said is it ‘works by reducing cortisol level’. I was pointing out that that is incorrect and not as simple and definitive as that . It can work by either increasing or decreasing levels. What you wrote is misleading for members who enquire as it only gives one side.

There are also many articles about it increasing cortisol. For me personally, taking ashwaghanda helped INCREASE my cortisol. We are all bioindividually different and what works for one in a certain way may work for another in a different way.

I hope this clarifies things for you

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to LucyYoga]

The OP said

I always felt it helped me with stress levels etc.

and I replied about the stress by saying

ashwagandha is a stress reducer and works by reducing cortisol level.

I think that's clear enough regarding stress.

[Familymatters]

I believe Ashwaganda is an adaptatogen. This means it adapts to support the adrenals in any way that they need, be it reducing cortisol or increasing cortisol.

[samaja in reply to Familymatters]

I think people generally find it's good if you cortisol is high but doesn't really work the other way round and if you have low cortisol it will not raise it but most likely lower it even more. Adaptogens are not quite as flexible as people think especially when there are various problems present at the same time.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to samaja]

Thank you for this, exactly my point.

[teenarocks]

Go ahead and try it and see how you react to it. I am hypo (hashi) and did not react well. It made me very hyper, shaky, heart palps, and I had to stop taking it.

[buddy99]

It's one of those things where there are strong opinions for and against. It is in the nightshade family. For those who do not well on nightshades it is probably not a good idea. Again, like so many things with thyroid, I would give it a try and see how you feel. There seem to be quite a few people who really like its calming effect.