Several years ago, a patient asked me what she could eat to treat hypothyroidism — a medical condition characterized by abnormally low levels of thyroid hormones.

She was correct to be concerned. The small thyroid gland housed in the front of our necks manufactures hormones that control important bodily functions including breathing, heart rate, body temperature and even how well we digest food for energy. It’s not good when these hormone levels get too low.

According to the American Thyroid Association (thyroid.org) hypothyroidism is fairly common in the United States, especially in females and those over the age of 60. And the most obvious treatment is a daily prescription medication that replenishes the body’s store of thyroid hormones.

That’s not what this patient wanted to hear. She was seeking to cure her condition purely with food and supplements.

I thought about her when I read a recent report on this topic from Consumer Labs, an independent organization that conducts tests to evaluate nutrition and other health products.

These researchers remind us that nutrition does play an important role in preserving thyroid function. Our bodies need iodine, for instance, to make thyroid hormone. Iodine is mostly found in seafood, seaweed and “iodized” salt. Some specialty salts do not have added iodine, however. And even though packaged foods may contain salt (sodium) many manufacturers do not add iodine.

Some vitamin/mineral supplements contain iodine, however. Mine—a formula for women over 50—supplies 100% of a woman’s daily need for iodine (150 micrograms).

Be careful though, says Consumer Reports. Any daily intake of iodine over 1100 micrograms (or 1.1 milligram) can be toxic and can even backfire to cause low thyroid disease. These investigators have found some over-the-counter iodine supplements that contain up to 30 times above the limit for safety.

Selenium is also needed for the thyroid gland to function properly. But it’s rare not get enough of this micronutrient in your usual diet. And again, a little goes a long way. Supplements with more than 400 micrograms of selenium a day can cause brittle hair and nails and bring on nausea, depression, nervousness and emotional instability.

Our bodies also need zinc to make thyroid hormones. Zinc is especially rich in oysters, beef and breakfast cereals fortified with zinc. Check your multivitamins as well; the daily goal is 8 milligrams a day for women and 11 milligrams for men.

So what about specific thyroid care supplements? Some of these marketed for “thyroid support” have been found to contain actual thyroid hormones…some in even higher doses than prescription medications.

These over-the-counter supplements may also contain ingredients that impair thyroid function, says Consumer Reports. Be cautious too, with products made with "raw thyroid" tissue from cows or pigs. These products are sometimes sold as “dessiccated thyroid extract,” which the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association say “should not be used for the treatment of hypothyroidism."

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