Hypothyroidism is a deficiency of thyroid hormones in the body, and some of the primary causes are an autoimmune disease, radiation therapy, and some medications. Treatment for hypothyroidism can be through prescription synthetic thyroid hormones which replace the lacking thyroid hormones, or through homeopathic hypothyroidism treatments. Most homeopathic hypothyroidism remedies involve supplementing the body with the building blocks needed to manufacture thyroid hormones. Those essential building blocks are iodine, selenium, and tyrosine. Another approach to homeopathic hypothyroidism treatment is to ingest the thyroid glands of animals in the form of a supplement called thyroid glandular.
Iodine and selenium are both key ingredients the body needs in the production of thyroid hormones. Supplementing the diet with iodine and selenium is one of the best homeopathic hypothyroidism remedies. Iodine supplements are available, and foods rich in iodine such as haddock, cod, seaweed, and sea kelp can be consumed to increase iodine intake. Another option for enriching the body with iodine is to take bladderwrack, an iodine-rich brown algae available in a tablet as an iodine supplement. Selenium supplements are also available, or foods rich in selenium such as Brazil nuts and wheat germ can be eaten.
Thyroid glandular is a freeze-dried form of crushed thyroid glands, typically taken from cattle, pigs, or sheep and bound into a tablet form as a thyroid supplement. It is believed that ingesting raw animal thyroid glands will provide the components necessary for the body to re-stimulate production of thyroid hormones in the under-active thyroid. Since thyroid glandular supplements probably naturally contain some amount of thyroid hormones, it is difficult to assess whether the supplement improves hypothyroidism by simply adding thyroid hormones to the body, much like a synthetic hormone treats hypothyroidism, or by providing the raw ingredients needed to produce thyroid hormones.
Diagnosed using a blood test to measure thyroid hormone levels, hypothyroidism is a serious health concern. When left untreated hypothyroidism can cause a variety of problems, of which some of the more serious are irregular heart rate, depression, and dementia. In women, hypothyroidism can also cause irregular menstrual cycles, miscarriages, and birth defects. Regardless of which homeopathic hypothyroidism treatment is tried, the results of the treatment should be monitored periodically with a thyroid hormone blood test. If the homeopathic hypothyroidism treatment fails to regulate thyroid hormone levels, it may be a good idea to take a synthetic thyroid hormone or augment the homeopathic hypothyroidism treatment with a synthetic hormone.
