Chlorella

[Will_blue]

Hello

I have recently visited a natural health practitioner specialising in kinesiology. Reputation locally appears strong. In addition to hypothyroidism I have real issues with haemorrhoids & I was hoping that this route could help with any underlying gut issues that may be contributing to this problem. I manage with various laxatives at present but it is becoming an increasing problem.

One of the main recommendations from the session was to take Chlorella in quite a high dose to assist with detox of heavy metals. I have read various thyroid texts since the consulation that advise against chlorella & spirulina due to potential overstimulation of the immune system & the possibility of triggering another autoimmune condition. Chlorella also may contain iodine which is also not recommended.

I'm considering what to do and really reaching out here to the forum to see if anyone has any experience with any of the above (haemorrhoids/chlorella or kinesiology as a method). I would be very interested in any of your experience or opinions.

Many thanks

[greygoose]

Haemorrhoids are often due to constipation. Constipation is often due to being hypo because of both lowered metabolism and low stomach acid.

For the lowered metabolism there's not much you can do except optimise your thyroid hormone levels.

For low stomach acid there's a lot you can do:

my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...

Some of my thoughts on constipation:

Constipation is something a lot of us get. The best things to help are magnesium citrate and large doses of vit C.

Four things to think about with constipation:

1. Are you getting enough fibre? You need fibre for your transit, BUT you don't want too much fibre because it could affect the absorption of your levo, making you more hypo, and therefore possibly more constipated. It's a matter of finding the right balance.

2. Are you drinking enough water - especially in this heat wave. Your body needs a constant supply of water, and if it's not getting enough, it will suck your poo dry (sorry for that image!) to get the water, leaving you more constipated and unable to 'go'.

3. Do you have low stomach acid? Low stomach acid can be caused by being hypo, but also by low-salt diets and B12 deficiency (also old age, but not much you can do about that). Low stomach acid will cause constipation. So, you need to check your nutrients, and your stomach acid level (bicarb test), and if either are low, you need to raise them.

4. Do you, by any chance, have high levels of calcium? Because that, too, can cause constipation. So, that’s another thing that wants testing.

I would add that getting your nutrients tested: vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin - will give you a clue as to your stomach acid level. If they are low, then your stomach acid will also be low.

I'm afraid I really don't know what to think about Chlorella. I've read so many conflicting opinions I just avoid it just in case. But I'm very wary of so-called 'natural practitioners'. Not sure they're that well-versed in thyroid, but the do have some very weird ideas.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

your last post shows very low Ft3

[Tina_Maria]

Taking laxatives is a problem, as you will get dependent on them and they will make the problem worse over time. They can also cause an imbalance in your gut microbiome, which can exacerbate the problem further, so I would really try to avoid them.

As grey goose has mentioned, if your thyroid hormones are too low, this will slow your metabolism and can cause constipation, therefore it is important to optimise your thyroid hormones first, as this will solve many underlying problems. I can also recommend Magnesium citrate, as this not only helps to increase your Magnesium levels, but also has a slight laxative effect. This is available in capsules or you can get Mg citrate powder, which you can mix in juice. You could also try pre- and probiotic supplements to support your gut function.

Chlorella supplements contains iodine, which you should avoid if you have a thyroid problem. Selenium has been shown to support thyroid function, as is Vitamin D3 (which should be taken with Vit K2). I am not convinced by natural practitioners, as they often recommend supplements that have not been properly studied or shown to be effective, so I would be very careful regarding their advice.