Hormonal balance is directly proportional to thyroid function and structure. The thyroid gland is a hormonal gland with the primary role of modulating growth, development, and metabolism by secreting thyroid hormones. These hormones are Triiodothyronine, also known as T3, Tetraiodothyronine, also called thyroxine or T4, and calcitonin. In addition to hormonal modulation, nutrition is an essential building block of thyroid hormones, and dietary patterns also interfere with their function. However, nutritional information on thyroid function is filled with bias and tends to complicate the detection between the facts and the fiction.

Soy isoflavones and thyroid function.

There exists a collective concern about the influence of soy ingestion and thyroid function. Nowadays, new dietary patterns are being adopted, and most households use soy as a protein alternative. Soy is a staple of Asian cuisine. However, it has gained attention in Westernized countries due to its health benefits. 

Soy’s health benefits:

  • Protection agains osteoporosis.
  • Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
  • Lowers risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Furthermore, the same isoflavones and soy protein associated with the benefits mentioned above are the same ones associated with hormonal disbalance. 

Isoflavones: These components are a subclass of plant-derived flavonoids. The main isoflavones contained in soy in an inactive form are genistin and daizin. Furthermore, these inactive compounds become hydrolyzed and deconjugated in the gut by B glycosidases produced by the intestinal bacteria. This last mechanism leads the conversion to the biologically active forms of isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein.

Soy: fiction or fact.

Regardless of the common speculation of isoflavones being detrimental to thyroid function, meta-analyses show that soy supplementation has no harmful effect on thyroid function. 

But how? Otun and colleagues performed a systematic review that included 18 articles that measured thyroid hormone levels and soy supplementation. This review reports that only TSH levels had a significant change with soy protein and soy isoflavone supplementation. However, T3 and T4 levels were not affected by soy ingestion. Furthermore, this suggests that while soy can affect thyroid function, it cannot develop a clinical condition. In addition, these same results were reproduced in studies including patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and T2DM.

L-carnitine and thyroid hormone levels

The quaternary ammonium compound carnitine works as a cofactor for the B- oxidation of fatty acids. Indeed, carnitine facilitates the transports of long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane, promoting ATP production. 

Additionally, carnitine supplementation improves cardiac function by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and necrosis of cardiac myocytes. 

 

Carnitine: fiction or fact.

In addition to the importance of carnitine supplementation in athletes, the effects of carnitine have been studied in thyroid function. A small study that observed L-carnitine supplementation in patients with Graves’ disease improved basal metabolic rate, reduced fibrillation, and improved overall wellbeing. 

Another study pointed out that after supplementing L-carnitine in hyperthyroid patients, they became euthyroid without any change in the thyroid function tests. This same result was confirmed years after when a controlled clinical study addressed L-carnitine’s function in antagonizing elevated levels of thyroid hormones.

Inositol:

Inositol was previously known to be a vitamin B8. Accordingly, it is strongly associated with this group of vitamins due to its metabolic role in the body. In addition, this component forms a critical part of the cellular membrane since it is found in phospholipids. Foods like fruits, beans, grains, and nuts are rich in myo-inositol, which is the most abundant form of this nutrient.

Inositol: fiction or fact

Inositol plays a crucial part in cellular and hormone signalings, such as gonadotropins, TSH, and insulin.

 In the thyroid, imbalances in the inositol metabolism can impair thyroidal hormone biosynthesis, storage, and secretion. In the particular case of TSH signaling, inositol acts like a signaling potentiator, while another signaling cascade is cAMP-dependent. Studies have found that myo-inositol supplementation in 48 women with subclinical autoimmune hyperthyroidism reduced TSH levels for a longer time when compared to selenomethionine supplementation.

Nowadays most patients are taking at least one supplement or multivitamin. For a clinician, the key is to ask the patient what are they taking and the reason for taking this supplement. Another important issue is to have current information about nutritional supplements with the proper amount of nutrients. – Ana Paola R. Arciniega, MS.

 

References:

 Otun, Jemiliat et al. “Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Effect of Soy on Thyroid Function.” Scientific Reports vol. 9,1 3964. 8 Mar. 2019, doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40647-x

Benvenga, Salvatore, et al. “Nutraceutical Supplements in the Thyroid Setting: Health Benefits beyond Basic Nutrition.” Nutrients 11.9 (2019): 2214.

Additional Online Links & Resources (Available 24/7)

 

Online Appointments or Consultations: bit.ly/Book-Online-Appointment

 

Online Physical Injury / Accident Intake Form: bit.ly/Fill-Out-Your-Online-History 

 

Online Functional Medicine Assessment: bit.ly/functionmed

 

Disclaimer

 

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional, licensed physician, and not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and issues that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* 

Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. Read More.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

phone: 915-850-0900

Licensed in Texas & New Mexico

 

Disclaimers

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Thyroid function: Nutrition Facts and Fiction." is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card

What's your reaction?