Goiter, a condition where the thyroid grows larger, is a condition that affects about 5% of the population. Thankfully, there are steps that can be taken to reduce goiter naturally.
What is goiter?
Goiter is a condition where your thyroid gland grows larger. Your entire thyroid can enlarge (sometimes it looks like swelling in the neck), or it can develop one or multiple small lumps called thyroid nodules.
A goiter can occur in a gland that is producing too much hormone (hyperthyroidism), too little hormone (hypothyroidism), or the correct amount of hormone (euthyroidism).
What causes goiter?
Goiter is commonly caused by a deficiency of iodine. When iodine intake is insufficient, the thyroid tries to “trap” more iodine and so will enlarge to do this.
What are the symptoms of goiter?
The most common symptom for people with goiter is swelling at the base of the neck. In many cases, the goiter is small enough that it’s only discovered during a medical exam. As it grows, it can become uncomfortable or obstruct breathing.
The main symptoms of goiter include:
- A lump in the front of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple
- A feeling of tightness in your throat area
- Hoarseness (scratchy voice)
- Neck vein swelling
Can goiter go away on it’s own?
It’s possible, but if you have an enlarged thyroid gland, it’s still very important to consult with your practitioner. It’s definitely not an issue that you want to ignore.
Goiter and various thyroid issues
Goiter with Hashimoto’s Disease
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks healthy thyroid tissues. As the immune system issue progresses, the thyroid gland can become damaged and begin to lower thyroid hormone production. When the pituitary sees this decline, it can prompt the thyroid to make more hormones and sometimes this can also result in an enlarged thyroid.
Goiter with hypothyroidism:
If the thyroid isn’t producing enough thyroid hormone (mainly fT4), then the pituitary sees this and tells the thyroid to create more hormones. Sometimes this can result in enlarged thyroid tissues or goiter.
Goiter with hyperthyroidism
Goiter is possible for those with hyperthyroidism. If you have hyperthyroidism, it’s a good idea to get tested for Graves’ disease so you can understand if Graves’ antibodies are one of the root causes of the swollen tissues.
It’s also imperative that you get a full thyroid panel so you can know exactly which thyroid hormones are elevated. Most practitioners diagnose hyperthyroidism with TSH alone. TSH is a pituitary hormone and does not tell you if your thyroid hormones are actually elevated.
Goiter and Graves’ Disease
Graves’ disease is an immune system issue where an antibody is produced that can mimic TSH. This prompts the thyroid to produce excess thyroid honorees and can result in swollen thyroid tissues.
Goiter and Thyroid nodules
Sometimes a person can have several nodules (sometimes called multinodular goiter).
How can I prevent or reduce goiter naturally?
1. A common solution to reduce or prevent goiter naturally is to consume iodine on a regular basis. The body cannot make iodine, so you need to get it in your diet.
Here’s a list of the amount of iodine in various foods for reference (according to the NIH):
Seaweed, nori, dried, 10g or 2 tablespoons 232 mcg
Cod, 3 ounces 158 mcg
Plain yogurt, 1 cup 116 mcg
Oysters, 3 ounces 93 mcg
Milk ~ 85 mcg (this various according to the season)
Egg 26 mcg
Cheese, 1 ounce 14 mcg
Liver 14 mcg
Shrimp, 3 ounces 13 mcg
Tuna, 3 ounces 7 mcg
Studies have shown that the amount of iodine in milk, fish, and eggs varies upon the geographical location. So, the numbers above are approximate.
Please note: If you have elevated fT4 or fT3, then you should talk to your nutritionist about the right amount of iodine that your body needs. The body needs iodine for more than just thyroid hormone production, but if you are make too much thyroid hormone, then eating too much iodine can possibly create further hyperthyroid issues.
In general, it’s usually ok to eat foods that contain iodine such as pastured eggs, raw cheese, butter, and some wild seafood, but you’d want to avoid eating large amounts of seaweed or other foods that contain a very high amount of iodine in them.
In our practice, we’ve found that if we steps to help the client move out of the hyper state and balance fT4 and fT3, then if they had been having issues with iodine-rich foods in the past, we are able to add them back and then add supplementation if necessary.
2. Consider iodine supplementation.
Oftentimes, iodine supplementation is necessary when goiter is present. It’s always best to consult with a practitioner who’s extensively trained in nutrition to figure out the proper dosage.
2. Avoid all chlorine, fluoride and bromine.
Iodine and tyrosine are critical for the production of thyroid hormones. When your body sees iodine, it snatches it up and stores it in the thyroid for later use. However, your thyroid has a hard time telling the difference between iodine and other substances that have similar chemical structures.
This is where chlorine, fluorine, and bromine come into play.
Chlorine, fluorine, bromine and iodine are all halogens. Unfortunately, chlorine, fluorine and bromine are similar enough to iodine that they can be absorbed by the thyroid in place of iodine and “displace” the iodine.
The mechanism behind “halogen displacement” was probably best described by J.C. Jarvis, M.D., who wrote: “The clinical activity of any one of these four halogens is in inverse proportion to its atomic weight. This means that any one of the four can displace the element with a higher atomic weight, but cannot displace an element with a lower atomic weight. For example, fluorine can displace chlorine, bromine and iodine because fluorine has a lower atomic weight than the other three. Similarly, chlorine can displace bromine and iodine because they both have a higher atomic weight. Likewise, bromine can displace iodine from the body because iodine has a higher atomic weight.” (Meaning – all of the other halides replace iodine.)
If these other chemicals displace iodine, then your thyroid won’t be able to produce the proper amount of thyroid hormone needed for your body, leading to low thyroid levels, hypothyroidism and possibly goiter, nodules and cysts.
3. Filter your water so you can avoid drinking chlorine and fluoride. Here are some of my favorite water filters at a variety of different price points:
Clearly Filtered pitcher (use the code ORGANIC10 to save 10%)
Radiant Life Countertop Filter (use the code CARRIE to save 10%)
Clearly Filtered under sink filter (use the code ORGANIC10 to save 10%)
Radiant Life Shower Filter (use the code CARRIE to save 10%)
4. Avoid using bromated flour or flour that contains potassium bromate (this is a common ingredient in white flour). Keep in mind, pastas and baked goods can contain this kind of flour as well. In 1982, researchers in Japan published a series of studies showing that potassium bromate causes cancer in the thyroid in rats and mice. Potassium bromate is illegal in the EU, Canada and Brazil, but is still allowed here in the US.
5. Castor oil packs over the liver and then eventually over the thyroid can be very helpful. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
6. Avoid all raw cruciferous and goitrogenic vegetables. These vegetables in their raw form can decrease the uptake of iodine into the thyroid and contribute to goiter or swelling of the thyroid tissues.
Here’s a short list of cruciferous and goitrogenic produce:
Cabbage
Brussels Sprouts
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kale
Bok Choy
Collard Greens
Turnips
Mustard Greens
Soy
Millet
Cassava
7. Support your liver. I’ve seen in my practice that good liver support along with iodine and castor oil packs can make the world of difference for goiter. Here is info on 12 ways to detox the liver naturally.
Sources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12625-goiter
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2376060520303643
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3890436
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5971469
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8909694
www2.cambridgema.gov/…/140728 jelstrup_1.PDF
thyroidmanager.org/…/effects-of-the-environment-chemicals-and-drugs-on-thyroid-function
livescience.com/36206-truth-potassium-bromate-food-additive
