Ashwagandha

[R7vfmbroadway]

Recently saw a post that said to be careful with Ashwagandha, when taking Thyroxine. Does anyone have any info please?

[helvella Administrator]

I don't have much but note:

Ashwagandha

Known potential side effects of Ashwagandha include:

Gastrointestinal upset.

Diarrhea.

Vomiting and nausea.

It can also affect conversion of T4 to T3.

helvella - Thyroid Support Products

A short discussion about the various thyroid support formulas and similar products.

Last updated 18/07/2024

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[R7vfmbroadway in reply to helvella]

Thank you , it is the t4/t3 conversion I am concerned with.

[helvella Administrator in reply to R7vfmbroadway]

This search found a number of papers (more than 180) referring to Ashwagandha and thyroid.

europepmc.org/search?query=...

Do be careful as some papers get indexed even when they are clearly in some way promoting Ashwagandha and related products.

[R7vfmbroadway in reply to helvella]

Thank you so much.

[humanbean]

I tried Ashwaghanda and it made me feel very sick.

It actually has the effect in many people of reducing cortisol which is only desirable is you have tested your cortisol levels and your result(s) are shown to be high.

Cortisol has quite a big impact on how well people feel and there is also an effect on the thyroid. Unfortunately, patient experience says that cortisol can cause similar symptoms when it is too high or too low. So people can assume that their cortisol is low and get it wrong. (Said with the voice of experience.)

Ashwaghanda is an adaptogen. There are several supplements classified as adaptogens. They are discussed in this thread :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[R7vfmbroadway in reply to humanbean]

Thanks for the info. I have been taking it and then saw something that made me wonder whether I should be or not x

[Brigland27 in reply to R7vfmbroadway]

Ashwagandha is a herb you either take that or your levothyroxine..its not good to take levothyroxine & Ashwagandha at same time I'm not sure why...they just recommend not to

[Sharoosz in reply to Brigland27]

We shouldn't take anything with our levo - always wait at least two hours after taking Levo before taking other supplements or vitamins.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

I tried it and it made me feel hung over, this was in Pukka relax and peace teas.

I’ve just read a book about Ayurveda and thyroid and she recommends being very careful.

Taken orally it puts a strain on the liver (which is needed to process your T4)

She says it’s particularly unhelpful for Hashimoto’s patients. Commonly pushing them further into an autoimmune crisis.

Therefore to benefit it must be taken transdermally or in homeopathic quantities very very dilute.

On the plus side of you can take it the benefits are said to be huge. Combatting stress, improving learning and memory, reaction time. Reducing anxiety and depression without drowsiness, stabilising blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, it can prevent cortisol highs in those struggling with fatigue by promoting calm etc. Thr primary herb in Ayurveda for the effects of prolonged stress.

the book is this one, it’s been an interesting read.

PS. Just in case… I am under no illusion that my thyroid can be ‘healed’. I am firmly in the ‘remission is bollocks’ camp. The book is poorly titled but has lots of very well referenced links to Western Medicine and factual science based studies and research with interesting parallels and root cause ideas that have joined a few dots for me. 🌱

Healing the thyroid with Ayurveda

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Regenallotment]

Interesting recommendation. Are there any changes you’ve made to your life / diet / days, having read this?

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

The eat well, go to bed early advice makes good sense and is nothing new, the autoimmune root cause and digestive advice probably has some merit but means buying into another load of supplements, some of the diet advice parallels what we already know, dairy, gluten, soy, flaxseed etc, I already avoid bananas and know my blood sugar triggers. As @smallbluething has pointed out and my darling nephew also observed, wellness is worth £$€¥ billions now and we are sitting ducks.

However, I have found regular yoga to be very beneficial. I’d still recommend a read as there is so much thyroid knowledge within. Mine was less that £5 second hand from world of books.

Another recommendation I was given here is the book ‘change your schedule, change your life’ along similar lines with Ayurveda principles. Not specifically for the thyroid but I’m a couple of weeks in to trying the basics and feel more ‘settled’ and able to cope with life’s stressors. Perhaps making me think and act on how to stay centred and calm is all I needed. That one has been great also second hand and not expensive 🌱

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Regenallotment]

Thank you so much.

The wellness stuff I see over on Instagram is full of unconstrained, Wild West, magic as healthcare claims - I take your and your nephew’s points on that.

I need to give yoga a better shot - I too find the little I do very beneficial.

[SmallBlueThing in reply to Regenallotment]

Now you've just got to learn that ayurveda; homeopathy; and, in many cases, claims of transdermal delivery are all "bollocks", but may keep people contented and the tills ringing while self-limiting conditions are dealt with by our own systems.

For example: x.com/theliverdr/status/172...

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to SmallBlueThing]

I haven’t been on X for a very long time! I won’t be going back anytime soon. What a bear pit! That link is spectacular 🤣 thanks for that. 🤦🏽‍♀️

[Saffron2022]

Hi please be careful taking ashwagandha. I got very sick with taking this for several months and all my hormones dropped to a dangerous level. Ashwagandha is a natural steriods and can suppress your hormones.

[Hectorsmum2]

I have been taking a small dose for some time. I am not 100 per cent and may try to cut it out to see if I improve. My cortisol was on the low side when tested a few years ago.

[R7vfmbroadway]

thank you everyone, think I’ll pass on the Ashwagandha. Don’t want to make things worse 🫤

[Saritabb]

I don't have any official information but I noticed when I took ashwagandha I did not have a good reaction. I've been on compounded t3 for almost 20 years and I can't take anything that has ashwagandha in it without feeling seriously off. This is a shame because it is added to almost every kind of alternative mushroom drink or herbal calming remedy. It's in everything. It took me forever to find a four mushroom powder drink that did not include ashwagandha and I noticed the difference immediately!

[Knowsnothing]

I tried lemon balm it didn't make me feel good at all so I stopped.

[MarsBar12 in reply to Knowsnothing]

Lemon balm is known to inhibit production of thyroid hormones, so is not good for people with hypothyroidism. It can be used to treat hyperthyroidism though.

[Knowsnothing in reply to MarsBar12]

I was hyper have been in range for almost 3 years give it take a bit of tweaking. As I said it made me feel worst.

[KathFrances]

I'm on thyroxine and even the tiniest dose of Ashwagandha - half a capsule - makes me feel exhausted so I've stopped trying it. The effects seem to vary hugely between different people.

[Locky1971]

I take load off that has ashwaganda and rhodiola. Really helps to stay calm and don't have any issues. I do take t4 and t3 as I already have conversion issues.Didn't know I shouldn't take it.

[MarsBar12]

My understanding is that Ashwagandha can increase your FT4 and FT3, potentially resulting in hyperthyroid symptoms. There have been a few cases of this happening in people with hypothyroidism and people with normal thyroid function. My GP recommended it to me, but I have taken it in the past and it gave me palpitations. My T4 level is currently very low, and my hypothyroid symptoms are severe, so I have started taking it on my GPs advice (she said be sure to get one without any fillers), but I’m monitoring for any adverse signs.

[R7vfmbroadway]

think it sounds as though it’s best to leave alone, shame really as I feel better when I take it 😡

[Sharoosz in reply to R7vfmbroadway]

Everyone is different. If you feel better with something, that's a good thing for you.

[BlueShrimper in reply to R7vfmbroadway]

I'm currently taking a combo of T4 and T3. I had noticed a number of symptoms that have been getting progressively worse over 4/5 years and I recently put this down to potential high cortisol levels. I've not been tested but I started taking ashwagandha supplements about a week ago and have noticed a decrease in my anxiety and stress levels. No adverse symptoms as yet. Have to say this thread is highly informative so I'll be keeping my eye out for any negative symptoms.