In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland is much more active than it should be and produces too many hormones. In addition to medication, those affected can also take countermeasures with their diet. Here are 3 diet tips for hyperthyroidism.
It is estimated that up to 3 percent of people in Germany suffer from mild hyperthyroidism (subclinical hyperthyroidism). About 0.4 percent have a clear hyperthyroidism, the so-called manifest hyperthyroidism . Women are affected significantly more often than men.
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What is an overactive thyroid?
In the case of an overactive thyroid gland ( hyperthyroidism ), the small organ is hyperactive and produces too many hormones. This leads to a sharp increase in thyroid hormones in the blood. This can be caused by both the autoimmune disease Graves’ disease and an inflammation of the thyroid gland. This is the case, for example, at the beginning of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis , which, however, later leads to hypothyroidism .
The increased release of thyroid hormones stimulates and accelerates the metabolism and other processes in the body. As a result, the signs and symptoms typical of an overactive thyroid gland arise, including profuse sweating, tachycardia, restlessness and nervousness, tremors, hair loss and unwanted weight loss. You can counteract this with the following nutritional tips.
Important: If you have an overactive thyroid gland or suspect it, you should always contact your trusted doctor to get a clear diagnosis and the medical measures that can be derived from it.
Hyperthyroidism: 3 nutrition tips
Because the thyroid needs the mineral iodine to produce the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), people with an overactive thyroid are advised to limit their iodine intake. You can do this with the following 3 tips.
1. Less fish and seafood
In particular , sea fish such as pollock or plaice contain a lot of iodine and should therefore be avoided. You should also avoid other seafood and, above all, algae, some of which have an extremely high iodine content.
2. Do not use iodised table salt
While the normal healthy population in Germany is advised to use iodized salt to prevent iodine deficiency, the opposite is the case for people with an existing or imminent hyperthyroidism. You are advised not to use iodized table salt or iodized sea salt.
3. Dairy products in moderation
Because the animal feed of livestock is enriched with minerals, all dairy products also contain iodine. There are small differences between the individual foods. Hard cheese and milk have the highest iodine content . Yoghurt and quark, on the other hand, contain a little less iodine.
You can find more foods containing iodine here >>
Important: Iodine is also found in certain medicines, such as the heart medicine amiodarone, or so-called contrast agents that are used in imaging procedures such as computer tomography. Therefore, you should always check with your treating physicians whether there may be interactions between the medication you are taking and your illnesses.
