Thyroid and food (Full Version)

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agapetos -> Thyroid and food (6/11/2008 2:21:28 PM)

I've just had my last tsh blood tests back and my levels aren't within range (which is nothing new). It was 9 something. It was 10 something in March. My record was Oct '06 when it was 33 (I thought it was 13 until the doc told me tonight it was 33) something[&:]. Not suprised the lab thought I'd stopped taking my thyroxine! Inbetween times it's been pretty normal.

My usual doctor is on leave this week and another doctor was checking the blood test results for her and called me about them to discuss options.

She suggested either leaving things as they were and retesting in a couple of months or increasing my thyroxine a little (to 250mcg).

I've gone for the increase because of the way I've been feeling physically.

As this wasn't my usual doctor, I didn't feel comfortable asking her too many questions (hence this thread) but I've been doing some reading and have read that some foods can affect how our thyroid gland works.

Has anyone else heard that eating a lot of certain foods (beans, broccoli, cabbage cauliflower) can stop your thyroid being as efficient as it should be? I've been eating a lot of these foods recently and some of what I've read suggests you shouldn't have more than 3 portions in a week.

While it'd be very easy to say 'cut them out and see what happens', I would have difficulty in doing that at the moment. It is something that I will consider, but I need to know if there is any evidence to suggest that these normally healthy foods are bad for me.



crankius -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/11/2008 2:28:05 PM)

I read this here at the Mayo Clinic and thought it might be helpful:

quote:

The important thing to remember about hypothyroidism and diet is that certain foods, supplements and medications can impair absorption of synthetic thyroid hormone. These include:

* Iron supplements or vitamin supplements containing iron
* Calcium supplements
* Soybean flour
* Aluminum hydroxide, a popular antacid
* Sucralfate, an ulcer medication
* Some cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as cholestyramine and colestipol

The best advice is to take synthetic thyroid hormone on an empty stomach and several hours before or after these particular foods, supplements and medications to avoid potential interactions.



GrahamCracker -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/11/2008 7:37:09 PM)

agapetos,

Have you read about this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perchlorate



agapetos -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/12/2008 2:17:40 PM)

Crankius ~ thank you for the link. I did know about the iron tablets (cos I had to take them once and the pharmacist told me!) and I either don't take any of the others or use so little it probably won't have any effect on my system.

Larry ~ thank you for the link too. While I don't think that perchlorate is anything I need to worry about (from what I understood of the link) it did give me some useful links to other articles within wikipedia.



GrahamCracker -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/13/2008 10:38:20 AM)

My older brother and his wife BOTH are taking thyroid supplements. He is a pharmacist and his explanation is that the part of the country he lives in fails to supply sufficient dietary iodine. I'm not sure I buy it.

I work in the water industry and there are all kinds of studies and speculations going on regarding trace chemicals in our drinking water. Suffice it to say that many municipal water suppliers do not test for some things. Who would know unless the question came up?

I do believe that there are perchlorate sources around besides those mentioned in the article. I first heard about it in a woman's health magazine that my wife picked up the other day.



laura... -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/13/2008 11:10:36 AM)

I take thyroxine. The most important thing to remember is to take it on an empty stomach (2 hours after eating and 1 hour before eating). I've seen people not being careful about that. I take mine in the middle of the night or the first time I get up to use the bathroom in the AM.

As far as foods to avoid, the only one I've heard of is to stay away from soy.



agapetos -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/15/2008 7:41:38 AM)

Laura, I always take it first thing when I wake up too. I keep them beside my bed in order to do that. Takes me a while to wake up and get my other meds and something to eat!

I've always been told that it's not necessary to leave an hour before eating, although I do probably do this 99.99% of the time.

quote:

He is a pharmacist and his explanation is that the part of the country he lives in fails to supply sufficient dietary iodine. I'm not sure I buy it.
Some countries (and even some areas in countries) can have a problem with this ~ although I wonder why in today's society when so much of our food is not produced locally.



Harvie -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/15/2008 11:44:35 PM)

From what I've read, it's best to limit the amount of RAW broccoli, RAW cabbage, RAW spinach that you consume .... once it's cooked it has less of an impact on your thyroid. These foods are in the "goitragenic" category. I also watch the amount of soy that I consume ... though I do eat edamame and tofu on occasion.

I was told by my endocrinologist to stop taking a calcium suppolement, so I did. And the only other meds I take with my thyroxine is my metformin (diabetes) and a water pill.... the rest of my meds I take in the evening.



michie04 -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/18/2008 12:29:46 PM)

What about raw carrots? I eat lots and lots of them at work.

I take thyroxine and my label on the bottle says to take 30 min. before eating. My hours that I work/sleep are different to say the least, so I can't take the pill very early. But it is the first thing I take. Then, after the 30 min. I eat a little something and take a water pill and a propranolol.



manda59 -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/18/2008 8:00:18 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Harvie
I was told by my endocrinologist to stop taking a calcium suppolement, so I did.



I thought it was only necessary to not take calcium supplements at the same time (or within an hour) of thyroxine/



Roberta_ -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/19/2008 4:55:10 PM)

WOW- almost every food mentioned in this thread is a food that I love. I'm having my thyroid tested tomorrow.



agapetos -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/19/2008 6:27:38 PM)

quote:

I'm having my thyroid tested tomorrow.
Is that because of reading this thread or because the doctor wanted you to be tested anyway?

Please remember that the thread title is 'Thyroid and food', not 'Thyroid and supplements' (or anything else other than food).

quote:

What about raw carrots? I eat lots and lots of them at work.
As far as I know, carrots are fine (if you like carrots!)[:D]. You may turn orange, but they shouldn't affect your thyroid[;)]



Roberta_ -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/20/2008 1:26:18 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: agapetos

quote:

I'm having my thyroid tested tomorrow.
Is that because of reading this thread or because the doctor wanted you to be tested anyway?



I've had this appt. set up for about a month now. [;)]



agapetos -> RE: Thyroid and food (6/20/2008 5:37:39 PM)

I figured that would be the case with you Roberta (though it's occured to me that there are probably some people who would read the foods mentioned and freak out)...

I think that for many people who have a healthy and varied diet, these foods aren't a problem. My diet varies in healthy/unhealthy depending on my health though and while frequently healthy, can be fairly limited in range (due to the problems of cooking for one)...



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