DOES YOUR THYROID NEED A BOOST?

Coach Tish here- 

When you hear the word hormones these days you may only think of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, maybe even cortisol and insulin… Or maybe you don’t think of anything :) But did you know that it's our thyroid hormones that play one of the biggest roles in our health? The body depends on thyroid hormones to operate correctly; it is a global control center that sets the pace for literally every system in the body! Yes, the thyroid is the master regulator of metabolism, but it’s also responsible for:

✅ Temperature Regulation: The thyroid is responsible for body heat productionmaking sure you feel energized and warm.

✅ Brain & Mood: Thyroid hormones affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.

✅ Heart & Circulation: Thyroid hormones regulate heart rate and blood vessel dilation.

✅ Digestion: Thyroid hormones support stomach acid, gut motility, and enzyme production.

✅ Hair, Skin & Nails: Hair follicles require thyroid stimulation.

✅ Reproductive & Hormonal Balance: Thyroid works hand in hand with estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and insulin.

✅ Bone & Muscle Health: Thyroid controls muscle protein synthesis and bone turnover.

What if your thyroid is not functioning properly 😨:

• Low thyroid = feeling cold easily, especially in hands and feet.

• Imbalances can cause anxiety, depression, poor focus, memory issues, or irritability.

• Low thyroid → slow heart rate, low blood pressure.

• High thyroid → racing heart, palpitations.

• Low thyroid commonly leads to constipation, bloating, and nutrient absorption issues.

• Low thyroid → hair loss (especially outer eyebrows), dry skin, brittle nails.

• Low thyroid → weakness, muscle cramps, joint pain.

• Imbalance can contribute to PMS, irregular cycles, infertility, low libido, or menopause symptoms.

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There are several core supplements which are consistently emphasized by experts in the functional medicine field. These vary slightly depending on whether someone has hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, or general low thyroid. 

Here are the recommendations:

1. Selenium — selenium plays a role in conversion of inactive T4 into active T3 and in reducing thyroid autoimmune antibodies. It is what's referred to as an “essential” nutrient; your body doesn’t produce it and it must come from diet or supplementation. An adequate dose of selenium can be achieved simply by consuming 2-5 Bazil nuts per day! Thorne offers a top quality selenium supplement to make it easy to get your needed daily dose.

2. Zinc — Important for thyroid hormone synthesis and conversion, and often listed among the “nutritional deficiencies” that impair thyroid function. Often you can find zinc in the mix of multivitamins or other supplements but Momentous (Available at Enzo Athletic Performance) offers a high quality zinc only supplement so you can target what you really need.

3. Vitamin D — Low vitamin D is linked with worse thyroid health and autoimmune thyroid conditions. And let's face it, none of us get enough sun or outdoor exposure these days. Vitamin D is a core supplement in my opinion. It’s important to use a D3, K₂ combo. Why? They work as a team. Taking vitamin D alone can raise calcium absorption, but without K₂, that calcium can end up in the wrong places — arteries, joints, kidneys — instead of in your bones and teeth, where you actually want it. Some prefer a liquid form as absorption may be better, which you can find in Thorne’s D+K₂ Liquid, or you may opt for Earth Fed Muscle’s Morning Ritual (Available at Enzo Athletic Performance) to get not only vitamin D but many other vitamins.

4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil / EPA + DHA) — For inflammation reduction and improving cell membrane sensitivity to thyroid hormones. Another core supplement in my book with great brain health and joint health efficacy. Top picks: Thorne, Momentous (Available at Enzo Athletic Performance). A good supplement has a balanced ratio of Omega3 to Omega6, or 1:3 Omega3 to Omega6.

5. Iodine (with caution) — Iodine is necessary for hormone production but with careful use especially in autoimmunity. When we eat clean we don’t often get iodine from salt. Easy ways to get it are consuming sea weed (kelp, nori, wakame, kombu), iodized salt, and many other foods. Seaweed is really high!

6. Vitamin A & B Vitamins — Vitamins A and B support conversion and binding of thyroid hormones. Here is a breakdown:

Vit A	Sensitizes thyroid receptors; aids T4→T3 conversion; supports TSH regulation; balances immune response.	Deficiency= “Normal labs but hypothyroid symptoms,” poor skin, dry eyes, low metabolic rate.
Vit B1-B5	Support energy metabolism and adrenal function.	Deficiency= Fatigue, low stamina, poor stress tolerance.
Vit B6, B9, B12	Methylation, hormone clearance, immune regulation.	Deficiency= Fatigue, low stamina, poor stress tolerance.

The most reliable food source for Vit A (retinols) is everyone’s favorite: LIVER! For Vit A (carotenoids) it’s colorful fruits and veggies. Because vitamin A is fat-soluble and stored in the body, it’s very easy to take too much — especially the “preformed” animal/retinol types — so dosage and form matter a lot. 

There are 8 essential B vitamins! How can we be sure to get them all? We definitely want to aim to get them from food, but if a supplement is necessary, try Thorne’s Stress B Complex. Looking at the label you may wonder where all the B vitamins are but keep in mind that they have different names, for example B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B7 (Biotin), and B9 (Folate).

7. An adaptogen / adrenal support combination — While not always a “thyroid supplement” per se, adaptogens can offer support for stress/adrenal function (which affects thyroid). Ashwagandha can be very beneficial in treatment of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) but is contraindicated with hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) due to its effects on upregulation of T3 and T4. Ashwagandha has a long list of benefits and being an adaptogen means it works directly with the existing systems of your body to modulate (upregulate or downregulate) those systems based on what you need; balance and homeostasis. Adaptogens don’t force a specific reaction the way a drug might. For this one, the winner is: Momentous’s Ashwagandha (Available at Enzo Athletic Performance).

🌿In summary, it’s important to take a food first approach when it comes to getting vitamins and minerals but sometimes that’s just not enough. Tracking specific biomarkers, identifying root causes of symptoms, optimizing your nutrition, using self-regulating practices to respond well to stress, and then supplementing when a deficiency is present are great steps in the approach and journey to optimal health.