Your thyroid is one of the most important glands in the body, responsible for a host of functions. According to the American Thyroid Association, as many as 20 million Americans have some kind of thyroid problem. So is a plant-based diet good for thyroid, and can it treat major thyroid disease?
Your lower neck is where thyroid gland is located. It covers the windpipe from three sides and has the shape of a butterfly. Part of your body’s endocrine system consisting of several glands, the thyroid secretes certain hormones.
Much like every other system in your body, the endocrine system, especially the thyroid, is affected by what you eat. There’s evidence that a plant-based diet is good for thyroid health. It may prevent possible thyroid problems and also help manage for those who already have it.
Thyroid Functions
Since it’s part of the endocrine system, it’s primary job is to produce hormones, including hormones for metabolism. It also produces dopamine and adrenaline that are associated with certain physical and emotional responses.
That’s not all; the hormones from the thyroid glands also regulate functions such as heartbeat, temperature, bone density, and hair, and skin health. A healthy thyroid promotes the right hormonal balance, which ensures all these functions are going on as efficiently.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid is not producing enough thyroid hormones that the body requires. Since the hormones that thyroid produces are so vital, it can affect several systems in the body.
Hypothyroidism affects women more frequently than men. Even though it’s mostly common among people over 60, it can occur at any age, even in children.
Symptoms
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Constipation
- Usually high sensitivity to cold
- Slow heart rate
- Weight gain
- High blood cholesterol
- Menstrual changes
- Pain in joints
- Stiffness in muscles
- Puffy face
Causes
Hypothyroidism is a condition that is often caused by an underlying autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s disease (Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis). In other words, the immune system attacks healthy thyroid and causes inflammation. As a result, the thyroid is not able to perform its functions as usual. In fact, Hashimoto’s is the leading cause of hypothyroidism.
What is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is the opposite of hypothyroidism, and in this condition, your thyroid gland goes into overdrive and produces too much thyroid hormones. This condition, too, is more common in women than men.
Symptoms
- Restlessness
- Fast heart rate
- Irritability
- Excess perspiration
- Brittle hair and nails
- Think skin
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Weight loss
- Anxiety
- Weak muscles
Causes
The underlying cause of hyperthyroidism is commonly a disease called Grave’s disease. In some cases, goiter can also result in hyperthyroidism. It’s also a result of an autoimmune disease, so the exact causes are unknown.
Other Thyroid Diseases
While hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are conditions, these are caused by thyroid autoimmune diseases. There are some other thyroid diseases as well that can impact thyroid function. Here are the common ones:
Hashimoto’s Disease
Again, Hashimoto’s disease is the leading cause of hypothyroidism. It’s an auto-immune disease that destroys the thyroid gland. As a result, it develops hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid.
It’s the most common thyroid disease in the US. While it can occur at any age, it’s most common in middle-aged women.
Grave’s Disease
Grave’s disease is the underlying auto-immune disease behind hyperthyroidism. Its name comes from the name of the doctor who first identified it. In this auto-immune disease, the thyroid gland increases its function.
Grave’s disease is common among women in their 20s, even though anyone can get it as it’s hereditary.
Goiter
Goiter is a thyroid disease where the thyroid gets enlarged. It’s non-cancerous and often results from a deficiency in iodine.
Hyperthyroidism can also cause goiter in people who are, as such, not deficient in iodine. Common symptoms of goiter include difficulty in breathing and swallowing, coughing, wheezing, swelling in the neck, and hoarseness.
Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid nodules usually affect people who live in Iodine deficient countries. It basically refers to small growths that form on the thyroid. It’s usually not cancerous, but in a small number of cases, it can be.
Most of the time, these nodules are asymptomatic, but if they get large, they can result in swelling and pain. You may also have difficulty breathing and swallowing.
Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is very rare and affects the hormone-producing thyroid gland. It’s the most common endocrine cancer, but still very rare compared with other types of cancers. It mostly affects people in their 30s, but children can have it too.
Thyroid cancer’s symptoms include a lump in the neck, hoarseness, swollen glands, tightness in the neck, and difficulty in breathing and swallowing.
Thyroid Disease Risk Factors
Are thyroid problems genetic? Yes, some of the issues are auto-immune conditions that may be hereditary. However, there are some other risk factors at play, as well:
Sex: Women have a higher risk of developing thyroid problems, possibly because of the hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause.
Smoking: Smokers are also at a higher risk of getting thyroid diseases. According to a JAMA study, smokers are at a higher risk of hyperthyroidism through Grave’s disease.
Other Auto-immune Conditions: If you have existing auto-immune conditions, such as type I diabetes or celiac disease, your risk of developing an auto-immune disease related to the thyroid is higher.
Iodine-deficiency: Lack of iodine in your diet puts you at risk of developing thyroid diseases. Iodine is a vital mineral for improving thyroid function.
Is a Plant-based Diet Good for Thyroid?
As many of the thyroid diseases are auto-immune diseases, you might think that diet probably has nothing to do with it. That’s not entirely correct, as research is showing that people with certain diets may have better chances of avoiding these auto-immune conditions.
According to a study published in Public Health Nutrition, a vegan diet reduces the risk of hyperthyroidism by half as compared with omnivore diets. The study looked at the treatment of 66,000 patients in North America and came to the conclusion that a vegan diet has a protective effect against Gate’s disease and hyperthyroidism.
Similarly, another paper, published in Nutrients journal, found that vegan diets had a protective effect against hypothyroidism. It noted that both vegan and omnivore diets reduced the risk of hypothyroidism. However, it noted that a Lacto-Ovo diet could increase the risk of this auto-immune thyroid condition.
Iodine and Thyroid Function
While the above studies are promising, it’s important to address the elephant in the room. A vegan diet, in particular, can be deficient in iodine. The main source of Iodine is iodized salt, fish, and dairy products. As vegetarians or vegans, many people completely avoid fish and dairy, which may result in Iodine deficiency.
It’s not impossible to add more iodine to iodine to your diet. In this video at NutritionFacts.org, Dr. Michael Greger discusses exactly how you can circumvent iodine deficiency while staying on a plant-based diet. He emphasizes adding sea vegetables like nori, dulse, wakame, and arame.
The good thing is you don’t need so much iodine every day, to begin with. You need 110 mcg to 150 mcg of iodine per day, depending on your age, according to the National Institute of Health. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need a bit more of it, up to 220 mcg per day.
If you use iodized salt regularly in your diet, you should not have a problem with iodine deficiency. But if you don’t get enough of it through salt, you can opt for the seaweeds. They are easily available in most supermarkets as snacks.
Don’t go overboard with iodine as it can be just as bad if there’s too much iodine in you. A lot of iodine may also hamper thyroid function. This video discusses possible sources of iodine and which one you should possibly avoid.
Soy and Thyroid Function
If you’re following a plant-based diet, you should know about soy and its effect on thyroid function. Soy, although a super healthy food, contains goitrogenic compounds. These compounds can slow thyroid function, especially in people not getting ample iodine.
Interestingly, broccoli and flax seeds also contain the same goitrogenic compounds. However, there’s nothing to be concerned about here, as all these foods are super nutritional and healthy. This is, again, related to iodine, as ample iodine intake will not let the compounds mess with the thyroid function.
How to Ensure a Healthy Thyroid on a Plant-based Diet?
We’ve already extensively talked about iodine. Contrary to common belief, iodine is not the only important mineral for the thyroid gland. Other nutrients, including zinc, selenium, B vitamins, and Vitamin D are also important in ensuring a healthy thyroid.
A plant-based diet, which focuses on nuts, seeds, and whole grains, should easily cover your daily recommended intake of selenium and zinc. Similarly, you can find so many plant-based foods that contain B Vitamins, such as potatoes, avocados, nuts, broccoli, and bananas.
The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight, but if you live in a place that gets very little sun, you can go for fortified products. For instance, Vitamin D fortified soy milk is highly popular amongst vegans. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with Hashimoto’s disease, so make sure that you’re getting enough of it.
The gist is to eat a healthy and well-balanced plant-based diet, which will take care of basically every organ in your body, including the thyroid.
Pregnant women need to be extra careful to ensure that they are getting enough iodine and other important nutrients for their thyroid. Low levels of iron have also been associated with lower thyroid function in pregnant women. So you may want to focus on foods rich in iron as well, such as your leafy greens, lentils, and seeds.
Can a Plant-based Diet Cure Hypothyroidism?
As an auto-immune disease, hypothyroidism is usually considered non-curable. It’s not usually severe, so the treatment is very easy. Affected individuals usually have to take thyroid hormones to make up for the less efficient thyroid function.
Even if it’s not dangerous, it can affect your quality of life. Fatigue and stress can make it difficult to get on with your day to day life. A lot of people go through that without even knowing that they have hypothyroidism. But there’s hope in following a plant-based diet.
This real-life example from ForksOverKnives.com speaks of a woman who developed hypothyroidism after a miscarriage. It shows that lifestyle changes can go a long way in fixing even auto-immune conditions. Her story indicates that it’s very much possible to fix thyroid problems, at least hypothyroidism, by switching to a plant-based diet.
There’s clearly a need for more research in this regard, but it doesn’t take one long to infer how good a plant-based diet can be for their overall thyroid function. It’s all about paying attention to the details, as you have to ensure appropriate nutrient intake if you have a thyroid disease.
Can thyroid problems cause joint pain? Yes. Can thyroid cause depression? Also, yes. These symptoms can negatively impact your life and those around you. But you can start with simple changes and slowly transition to a plant-based lifestyle.
Can Hypothyroidism Kill You?
If your thyroid function depletes completely and you have extreme hypothyroidism, then you can develop myxedema. This condition can be life-threatening and result in coma or very low body temperature that ultimately leads to death.
This is why it’s important to treat hypothyroidism to ensure that the condition does not get worse. Most cases are not life-threatening and simple medication, and diet changes may suffice. However, your doctor will advise you about how severe hypothyroidism is in your particular case.
Wrap Up
Is a plant-based diet good for thyroid? Yes, but you have to ensure that you’re getting the right nutrients. If you believe you’re at risk of thyroid diseases, it’s all the more important that you focus on the above recommendation.
A healthy thyroid can ensure a healthy weight, stable body temperature, efficient metabolism, and the right hormonal balance. So even if you don’t have thyroid problems, a plant-based diet may prevent such problems in the future.
You may also like: IS A PLANT-BASED DIET GOOD FOR KIDNEYS? >>CLICK HERE!
