The Best Diet for Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

"The Best Diet for Hypothyroidism
and Hyperthyroidism" There are several autoimmune diseases
that affect the thyroid gland, the most common being Graves' disease
and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Graves' disease results in hyperthyroidism,
an overactive thyroid gland. Though slaughterhouses are
supposed to remove thyroid glands, should some neck meat slip in,
you can suffer a similar syndrome called hamburger thyrotoxicosis. But that's not from your body making
too much thyroid hormone; that's from your body eating
too much thyroid hormone.

Graves' disease is much more common,
and meat-free diets may be able to help with both, as plant-based diets
may be associated with a low prevalence
of autoimmune disease in general, as observed, for example,
in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Maybe it's because plants
are packed with antioxidants, which are possible protective factors
against autoimmune diseases. Maybe it's because plants are packed
with anti-inflammatory compounds. After all, a whole food plant-based diet
is basically synonymous with an anti-inflammatory diet.

But you
don't know until you put it to the test. It turns out the exclusion of all
animal foods was associated with half the prevalence of hyperthyroidism
compared with omnivorous diets. Lacto-ovo vegetarian and
fish-only diets were associated with intermediate protection, but
a 52% lower odds of hyperthyroidism among those eating strictly
plant-based diets. This apparent protection may be due
to the exclusion of animal foods, the benefits of plant foods, or both. Animal foods, like meat, eggs,
and dairy products, may contain high estrogen concentrations,
for example, which have been linked to
autoimmunity in preclinical studies.

Or the decrease in animal protein
may downregulate IGF-1, which is not just a cancer-
promoting growth hormone, but may play a role in
autoimmune diseases as well. Or it could be the good stuff in
plants that may protect cells, like the polyphenol phytochemicals,
such as flavonoids found in plant foods. Maybe it's the environmental toxins
that build up in the food chain. For example, fish contaminated with
industrial pollutants, like PCBs, are associated with increased
frequency of thyroid disorders. Okay, what about the other autoimmune
thyroid disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which, assuming you're getting
enough iodine, is the primary cause of hypothyroidism, an underactive
thyroid gland. Graves' disease wasn't the only autoimmune disorder
that was rare or virtually unknown among those living in rural sub-Saharan
Africa, eating near-vegan diets.

They also appeared to have less
Hashimoto's. There's evidence that those with Hashimoto's have
compromised antioxidant status, but we don't know if
it's cause or effect. But if you look at the dietary factors
associated with blood levels of autoimmune anti-thyroid antibodies,
animal fats seem to be associated with higher levels, whereas vegetables and other plant
foods are associated with lower levels. So again, anti-inflammatory
diets may be useful. No surprise, as Hashimoto's
is an inflammatory disease. That's what thyroiditis means:
inflammation of the thyroid gland. Another possibility is the reduction
in methionine intake, an amino acid concentrated in animal protein, thought
to be one reason why the consumption of whole plant foods is likely to have
a favorable influence on longevity, through decreasing the risk of cancer,
heart disease, and diabetes. And methionine restriction improves
thyroid function in mice, but it has yet to be put to the test
for Hashimoto's in humans.

If you compare the poop of patients
with Hashimoto's to controls, the condition appears to be
related to a clear reduction in the concentration of Prevotella
species. Prevotella are good fiber-eating bugs known to enhance
anti-inflammatory activities. Decreased Prevotella levels
are also something you see in other autoimmune conditions, such as
multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. How do you get more Prevotella?
Eat more plants. But put a vegetarian on a diet
of meat, eggs, and dairy, and within as few as four days
you can drive down levels. So one would expect those eating plant-
based diets to have less Hashimoto's, but in a previous video I expressed
concern about insufficient iodine intake, which could also lead to hypothyroidism. So, which is it?
Let's find out. Vegan diets tended to be
associated with lower, not higher, risk of hypothyroid disease.
Why the word "tended"? Because the associated protection against
hypothyroidism incidence and prevalence studies did not reach
statistical significance.

It wasn't just because they were slimmer. The lower risk existed even after controlling for body weight, so
they think maybe it's because animal products may induce inflammation. The question I have, though, is: if
someone who already has Hashimoto's, I mean, what happens
if you change their diet? That's exactly what I'll explore next..

Video Transcript – As found on YouTube

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