Why High Antibodies but Normal Hormones?
Your thyroid is still doing its job – making enough hormones – even though your immune system is poking at it (the antibodies show that low-grade attack is happening).
Think of it like this:
Antibodies are like warning lights on your car dashboard. They say "hey, something's off – the immune system is mistakenly targeting the thyroid."
But the engine (thyroid) is still running fine for now. It's compensating by working harder to keep hormone levels normal.
This early phase can last months or years. The attack is slow – inflammation builds quietly, but not enough yet to tank hormones.
It's common! Up to 10–20% of people (mostly women) have positive TPO antibodies without hypothyroidism. Risk goes up with age, family history, stress, or other autoimmunity.
In functional medicine, we see this as a sign to act early – the attack is on, and progression to full hypothyroidism happens in many (about 2–5% per year convert).
Why Prescribe Thyroid Meds If Hormones Are Normal?
This is controversial – not all doctors do it!
Conventional view: Most wait until TSH rises (subclinical hypo) or full hypothyroidism hits. Guidelines (like American Thyroid Association) say no meds if truly euthyroid and no symptoms/goiter.
When some prescribe anyway:
If symptoms are strong (fatigue, brain fog, coldness) despite "normal" labs – meds can ease them by giving the thyroid a rest.
To prevent progression – low-dose levothyroxine might reduce antibodies or protect remaining thyroid tissue (some small studies suggest this).
Risk factors: Pregnancy planning (antibodies raise miscarriage risk), big goiter, or very high antibodies.
But many experts (especially functional) say: Hold off on meds if hormones truly normal. Focus on lowering antibodies naturally first – diet (gluten/dairy-free), selenium, gut healing, stress relief. This can slow or stop the attack without meds.
If antibodies are mild (like 19–100 range), and no symptoms? Often just monitor labs every 6–12 months.
You're catching it early – that's awesome! Lifestyle changes now can make a huge difference in keeping hormones stable longer.
Can Hashimoto’s Really Go Away – Or Is It Stuck With You Forever?
One of the biggest questions women with Hashimoto’s ask is: “Is this a lifelong thing, or can it ever get better – like, really better?”
From a regular doctor’s view, Hashimoto’s is often seen as chronic. You manage it with thyroid meds forever, because the immune attack damages the thyroid over time.
But in functional medicine, where we look for the root cause of your condition, we see it differently – and the answer is hopeful:
Yes, Hashimoto’s can go into remission for many people!
It’s not always “forever.” Lots of women lower their antibodies (sometimes to zero), feel amazing, and even reduce or stop meds (with doctor help, of course).
What Does “Remission” Mean for Hashimoto’s?
It’s not a full “cure” (your body might still have the tendency), but it’s like the fire goes out:
Antibodies (like TPO) drop way down or become undetectable.
Thyroid works normally (good TSH, Free T3, etc.).
Symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, weight struggles, and cold hands disappear.
Some people need little or no thyroid medicine.
Thyroid ultrasound shows less inflammation or damage stopping.
A 2025 review showed about 20% of people get spontaneous remission with no big changes to their life. But with changes to diet and lifestyle you have way higher chances!
The Paper Basics
Title: "New insights into the phenomenon of remissions and relapses in autoimmune diseases and the puzzle of benign autoantibodies in healthy individuals"
Published: May 9, 2025 (open access on PubMed Central)
Main Idea: It explores why some autoimmune diseases flare and calm down. The key is the balance between how fast your body destroys tissue (from the immune attack) and how fast it recovers/regenerates.
For Hashimoto’s there is slow thyroid cell turnover – cells divide only about once every 10 years, so remission is possible but is rare compared to disease in faster-healing tissues.
What It Says About Remission Rates in Hashimoto’s
The paper highlights some studies:
In one group of 92 adults with Hashimoto’s treated with levothyroxine, 24% went into remission. That means they stayed euthyroid (normal thyroid function) for 1–8 years after stopping meds. (from a study by Takasu et al.).
In kids with overt hypothyroidism from Hashimoto’s (followed for about 8 years), 16% stopped therapy and stayed in remission.
These aren’t fully “spontaneous” (no changes at all) – treatment helped lower the attack enough for recovery to win. But it shows remission happens more than people think.
The authors say true spontaneous remission - meaning there was no treatment, is rare in Hashimoto’s because thyroid recovery is slow. But if inflammation drops naturally or from diet and lifestyle changes then surviving thyroid cells can ramp up and make up for the losses.
Immunosuppressants (like corticosteroids) might help mild cases of Hashimoto’s by decreasing destruction, giving recovery a chance. This would be a last resort in my opinion. I’ve mentioned before that I had to go on LDN in 2025 because my immune system took a hit from covid and it has improved my quality of life significantly. There is no shame in that- sometimes you need the prescription meds to get you better.
This backs the hopeful view: Calm the immune fire with diet, nutrients, gut healing, and give your thyroid a chance to recover.
Why Remission Is Trickier in Hashimoto’s
The thyroid is a slow healer! Thyroid cells (thyrocytes) divide about once every 10 years, only around 5 times in an adult lifetime. That means low natural regeneration.
In Hashimoto’s:
The main damage comes from T-cells (immune attackers), not antibodies. Antibodies like TPO are more like markers – common even in healthy people with up to around 30% having them without issues or symptoms.
Remissions/Relapses Explained
High-recovery diseases (e.g., alopecia areata/hair loss patches, early multiple sclerosis/RRMS, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune pancreatitis): Fast tissue healing allows full remissions and relapses. Symptoms come and go.
Low-recovery diseases like advanced Type 1 diabetes, severe Graves’/Hashimoto’s, androgenic alopecia/balding all have slow or no regeneration – damage is permanent, no true cycles.
Hair follicles regenerate fast (alopecia areata often remits). Thyroid cells? Super slow (divide once every ~10 years) – harder remission.
Benign Autoantibodies in Healthy People
Why do healthy folks have autoantibodies (like in Hashimoto’s) without disease?
If tissue recovers fast, low-level attacks don't cause symptoms (autoantibodies are “benign" meaning they don’t cause any damage to the tissue. ). T regulatory cells create a balance that keeps these antibodies benign. When this changes is when triggers like stress, gut issues, toxins, poor diet break the tolerance and the T cells go rogue, antibodies rise and damage to tissue begins.
In low-recovery tissues, autoantibodies are rare in healthy people and linked to progressive disease.
For Hashimoto’s: Anti-TPO/Tg antibodies are common in healthy women (30%) but mostly harmless – real damage is from T-cells, not antibodies. Antibodies when high, show active autoimmunity and are predictors for progression to hypothyroidism. Sometimes their job is to flag bad cells for other cells to come in and clean them up or get rid of them and sometimes they signal the T- cells to start destruction. The antibodies themselves are not what is destroying tissues. The cytotoxic or cell toxic T cells are what go into the thyroid tissue and directly damage or kill off the cells. Other T cells called helper T cells (Th1 or Th17) cause inflammation, recruit more attackers, and amp up the whole process of destruction.
Key Takeaways for Us
This paper says Hashimoto’s is "low recovery" – so full relapse-remission cycles (like in MS or rheumatoid) are unlikely. But reducing the immune fire by finding your root cause and working on diet, nutrients, and gut fixes can tip the balance toward remission by protecting remaining cells.
It's hopeful science backing what many experience with root-cause work!
The Big Balance: Destruction vs. Recovery
Think of your thyroid like a garden being attacked by weeds (immune cells).
If weeds grow faster than the garden regrows → damage builds (hypothyroidism worsens).
If weeds slow/stop and plants recover → garden heals (remission).
Thyroid cells grow super slow (divide only once every 8–10 years in adults). That's why full regeneration is tough – slower than in other tissues like skin or liver.
Remission often comes from stopping the attack so remaining healthy cells compensate (make enough hormones). In kids or early cases, some real regrowth happens (seen on ultrasound).
Calming the Immune Attack
Functional medicine shines here: Remove triggers to lower antibodies and inflammation.
Drop in antibodies (TPO/TgAb) → Less destruction. Gluten-free diets, selenium, and gut healing often cut antibodies fast.
Restore immune balance → More "regulatory" cells (like peacekeepers) calm overactive attackers. Stress relief, nutrients (vitamin D, zinc), and fixing leaky gut help this.
Helping Remaining Thyroid Cells Work Better
Even without new cells, survivors can ramp up:
Better T4-to-T3 conversion most of which happens in the liver, some in your gut, and in other tissues. When you have good conversion you will have no brain fog, you will be warm, and your metabolism is ramped up. 80% of your T3 comes from converting T4 to T3.
Stress, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies and liver or gut problems can affect conversion - something else that affects conversion is fasting or calorie restriction as well as cold exposure and aging. Making diet and lifestyle changes may not be enough here - you may need a T3 medication as well.
Less oxidative stress (damage) from antioxidants.- the biggest culprit here can be the actual peroxide that your thyroid makes when it makes T4 and T3. We also make enzymes that neutralize it but in active autoimmunity or stress or inflammation or all three, the immune attack creates a demand for more thyroid hormone creating more peroxide and oxidative stress.
Inflammation also adds more free radicals to the picture causing more cell damage or rust in the cells, the mitochondria (our energy factories in the cell) and the enzymes needed to make things happen around thyroid hormone production and conversion. This leads to fewer healthy cells making hormones, poor conversion from T4 to T3, more inflammation ( a vicious cycle), higher levels of antibodies and more damage to the thyroid gland.
Less oxidative stress means less cell damage and more cells survive the autoimmune attacks, it boosts energy production, improves thyroid conversion, calms inflammation, supports recovery.
In studies, 16–24% of treated adults (and more kids) recover enough function to stop meds temporarily.
Emerging Ideas (Future Stuff)
Stem cells → Might help regenerate tissue (early research exciting but currently mostly animal studies exist.). There is some thought that these stem cells could regenerate thyroid tissue which has been done in mice but not in humans yet. There are some human studies in thailand and the Cayman islands that have reported improved symptoms, lower antibodies and improved thyroid function in Hashimoto’s. There has been some lab studies done where they have used pluripotent stem cells from skin cells that were reprogrammed to make working thyroid follicles so that provides some hope for the future that we may be able to regenerate our own thyroid tissue.
Drugs like low-dose naltrexone → Calm immunity in some.
Bottom line: Remission works best early, by slowing destruction and supporting recovery. Functional fixes (diet, nutrients, lifestyle) boost your odds big time!
How Your Small Intestine Supports Your Thyroid
Hey, amazing women! If you’re battling thyroid symptoms like fatigue or weight issues from Hashimoto’s or Graves’, your small intestine might hold the key. As a certified nutrition specialist and licensed nutritionist, I’m here to explain how this 22-foot-long organ absorbs nutrients to fuel your thyroid. Let’s explore how it works and simple ways to support it for better thyroid health, using nutritional therapy insights.
The Small Intestine’s Role
Your small intestine is a powerhouse, absorbing nutrients like zinc and magnesium that your thyroid needs to produce hormones. After your stomach breaks food into a liquid called chyme, the small intestine takes over, ensuring your thyroid gets the fuel to keep you energized. If it’s not working well, symptoms like brain fog or joint pain can worsen.
The Duodenum: First Stop
The small intestine starts with the duodenum, where chyme meets enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the gallbladder. Two hormones make this happen:
Secretin: Neutralizes stomach acid to protect the intestine and optimize enzyme work.
Cholecystokinin (CCK): Signals the gallbladder to release bile for fat digestion and tells your brain you’re full.
Bile also removes toxins, reducing inflammation that stresses your thyroid.
Nutrient Absorption
The small intestine’s long, folded surface absorbs nutrients like:
Zinc: Supports thyroid hormone production.
Magnesium: Aids energy and reduces inflammation.
Selenium: Helps convert T4 to T3.
Poor absorption, often from inflammation or gut issues, can starve your thyroid, worsening symptoms.
Inflammation and Your Thyroid
Inflammation in the small intestine, from issues like leaky gut or food sensitivities, can block nutrient absorption and stress your thyroid. For example, low zinc absorption might increase autoimmune flares in Hashimoto’s. Supporting the small intestine reduces this inflammation.
Common Small Intestine Issues
Problems like bloating, IBS, or food intolerances can impair absorption:
Bloating: May signal poor enzyme activity.
Leaky Gut: Lets undigested food into your bloodstream, triggering inflammation.
Food Sensitivities: Can irritate the intestine, reducing nutrient delivery.
These issues can worsen thyroid symptoms like fatigue.
Supporting Your Small Intestine
Here are practical tips to boost your small intestine and thyroid, perfect for home-cooked meals:
Eat Whole Foods: Include zinc-rich lentils or magnesium-rich spinach.
Chew Thoroughly: 20-30 seconds per bite aids enzyme activity.
Reduce Stress: Take 5 deep breaths before meals to support digestion.
Avoid Irritants: Limit processed foods that inflame the gut.
Stay Hydrated: Drink water to support nutrient absorption.
Try Supplements: Digestive enzymes or probiotics can help. Visit www.outofthewoodsnutrition.com/dispensary, but consult your doctor.
Why It Helps
A healthy small intestine delivers nutrients to your thyroid, reduces inflammation, and supports your microbiome, easing symptoms like mood swings.
Work With Your Doctor
I don’t diagnose, but I can guide you with diet and lifestyle. Work with your healthcare provider to monitor thyroid levels and discuss symptoms like bloating.
Take Action
Try eating zinc-rich foods this week. Book a consultation at www.outofthewoodsnutrition.com. Visit www.outofthewoodsnutrition.com/dispensary. Reply to my newsletter for a custom tip!
What’s your favorite gut-friendly food? Comment below!
About the Author: I’m a certified nutrition specialist and licensed nutritionist, helping women with thyroid conditions feel vibrant. Visit www.outofthewoodsnutrition.com for more tips.
What’s the Difference Between Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism?
If you’re dealing with thyroid stuff, you’ve probably heard “hypothyroidism” and “Hashimoto’s” a lot. Sometimes doctors or online articles mix them up or use them like they mean the same thing. But they’re different – and knowing the difference can change how you take care of yourself.
I’m explaining this from a functional medicine viewpoint. That means we don’t just treat symptoms with pills. We dig for root causes – like why your immune system might be upset – so you can heal deeper and feel truly good again.
Let’s go section by section, with more details to make it super clear.
A Helpful Analogy: The Thyroid Factory
Imagine your thyroid as a busy little factory in the front of your neck (it’s shaped like a butterfly!). This factory makes special hormones called T4 and T3. These hormones are like the “gas” your body needs to run everything:
Keeping your metabolism going (burning calories for energy)
Controlling your body temperature (so you don’t feel freezing all the time)
Helping your brain think clearly
Keeping your heart, digestion, mood, skin, hair, and muscles working right
When the factory slows down or gets damaged, you feel low on “gas” – super tired, sluggish, and blah.
Now:
Hypothyroidism is the problem of not having enough gas. It’s the end result: low thyroid hormones in your body.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a common reason the factory gets wrecked. It’s an autoimmune condition where your immune system (your body’s army that fights germs) gets confused and attacks your own thyroid factory. That attack causes ongoing inflammation, scars the factory over years, and makes it produce less and less hormones.
Key point: Hashimoto’s almost always leads to hypothyroidism eventually. In fact, in countries like the US, Hashimoto’s causes about 90% of hypothyroidism cases in adults.
The Core Difference: Cause vs. Effect
Hypothyroidism (also called underactive thyroid) is a description of what’s happening: Your blood tests show low thyroid hormones (high TSH – the “push” signal from your brain – and low Free T4/Free T3). Symptoms include fatigue, weight gain that’s hard to lose, dry skin, thinning hair, constipation, feeling cold, depression or anxiety, muscle aches, and brain fog.It’s like saying “my car won’t start because the battery is dead.” It describes the problem but not always why.
Hashimoto’s is specifically an autoimmune disease named after the Japanese doctor who discovered it in 1912. Your body makes antibodies (like TPO antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies) that attack thyroid proteins. This causes chronic inflammation in the gland, destroying healthy tissue bit by bit.
It’s like saying “my car battery is dead because someone keeps smashing it with a hammer.” Hashimoto’s is the “hammer” – the immune attack causing the damage.
Early in Hashimoto’s, you might even swing between hyper symptoms (racing heart, anxiety, sweating) and hypo symptoms because the inflamed thyroid dumps out hormones unevenly before it burns out.
Other Causes of Hypothyroidism (When It’s Not Hashimoto’s)
Hashimoto’s is the #1 cause, but hypothyroidism can happen without an autoimmune attack. Some examples:
Iodine deficiency: Your thyroid needs iodine to build hormones. This is rare in places with iodized salt but still happens in some areas.
Pituitary gland issues: Your brain’s pituitary sends TSH to tell the thyroid to work. If the pituitary is off (from tumors, head injury, or other problems), the signal is weak.
Medications: Drugs like lithium (for bipolar), amiodarone (heart meds), or too much anti-thyroid medicine can slow the thyroid.
Radiation or surgery: If you had thyroid cancer treatment or part of your thyroid removed, it might not make enough hormones.
Postpartum thyroiditis: After pregnancy, some women get temporary inflammation (sometimes autoimmune) leading to hypo symptoms.
Congenital issues: Babies born without a proper thyroid or enzyme problems.
If your blood tests show low hormones but NO high antibodies, it’s hypothyroidism from something else.
Why the Symptoms Often Feel the Same
Whether it’s plain hypothyroidism or from Hashimoto’s, the main issue is low active thyroid hormones reaching your cells. So symptoms overlap a lot: exhaustion (even after sleep), unexplained weight gain, feeling cold in normal rooms, brittle hair/nails, puffy face, slow thinking, depression, joint pain, and more.
But Hashimoto’s can add extras because of the immune inflammation:
Fluctuating symptoms (better/worse days)
More widespread body inflammation (aches, headaches)
Higher chance of other autoimmune issues (like celiac or rheumatoid arthritis)
How Treatment Differs: Conventional vs. Functional Medicine
This is where knowing the difference really matters!
Conventional medicine (most regular doctors/endocrinologists):
Focuses on hypothyroidism as the problem. They test TSH and maybe Free T4, then prescribe synthetic hormone (levothyroxine/Synthroid) to replace what’s missing.
Goal: Get labs “normal.”It works well for symptoms in many people. But if it’s Hashimoto’s, the immune attack continues. Antibodies might keep rising, thyroid damage progresses, and some people still feel bad even with perfect labs (because root causes aren’t fixed).
Functional medicine (root-cause approach):
Asks “Why is the immune system attacking?” We treat hypothyroidism by replacing hormones if needed, BUT we also calm the autoimmunity.
Common root triggers we investigate and fix:
Gut health: Leaky gut lets food particles or toxins trigger immunity. Your gut wall is like a bouncer at a club – it lets good stuff (nutrients) in and keeps bad stuff (toxins, bacteria) out. When it gets “leaky” from stress, bad diet, or meds, undigested food or germs slip into your blood. Your immune system freaks out and starts attacking – sometimes cross-reacting with your thyroid (molecular mimicry).
Why common in Hashimoto’s? Up to 80–90% of people with autoimmunity have leaky gut. It’s often the #1 starting point.
Fix it: Remove triggers (like gluten), add gut-healers (bone broth, L-glutamine), reinoculate with probiotics, and repair with nutrients.
Food sensitivities: Gluten, dairy, soy – big mimics that rev up antibodies. Certain foods can irritate your gut or look like thyroid tissue to your immune system.
Gluten → Top offender – it mimics thyroid proteins and ramps up antibodies.
Dairy, soy, eggs → Common culprits that cause inflammation.
Lectins (in grains, beans, nightshades) → Can poke holes in the gut (per Kharrazian).
Fix it: Go gluten-free (non-negotiable for most), try dairy/soy-free, or do an elimination diet/AIP to find your triggers.
Chronic infections: Old viruses (like Epstein-Barr), bacterial overgrowth, or parasites. Old or low-grade infections can keep your immune system revved up.
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV, from mono)
H. pylori (stomach bacteria)
Yersinia, parasites, or even dental infections.
These bugs can cause ongoing inflammation.
Fix it: Test (stool, blood for viruses), then treat naturally (herbs like oregano oil) or with meds if needed.
Toxins: Heavy metals, mold, chemicals disrupting immunity. Everyday chemicals act like hormone disruptors or inflame your system.
Heavy metals (mercury from fish/amalgams)
Plastics (BPA)
Pesticides
Mold
Flame retardants.
They overload your detox system (liver) and confuse immunity.
Fix it: Switch to clean products, filter water, eat organic, support liver detox (sweating, greens, supplements like glutathione).
Nutrient gaps: Low selenium, zinc, vitamin D, iron – needed for thyroid and immune balance. Your thyroid and immune system need specific building blocks.
Selenium, zinc, iron, vitamin D → Common shortfalls that worsen antibodies or hormone production.
Fix it: Test levels, eat nutrient-dense foods (Brazil nuts for selenium!), supplement wisely.
Stress/adrenals: Stress raises cortisol, which can throw off immune balance (making it attack self) and block T4-to-T3 conversion.
Pregnancy, trauma, or ongoing worry are big triggers.
Fix it: Daily practices – meditation, walks in nature, good sleep, adaptogens (like ashwagandha, under guidance).
Blood sugar or hormone imbalances: Insulin resistance or low progesterone/estrogen issues. Rollercoaster blood sugar (from carbs/sugar) causes inflammation and stress hormones. Estrogen dominance (common in women) or low progesterone can fuel autoimmunity.
Fix it: Balanced meals (protein + fat + fiber), stabilize sugar, support hormones.
Advanced testing (full thyroid panel + antibodies, stool tests, food sensitivity panels), personalized diet (like gluten/dairy-free), targeted supplements, stress tools (meditation, sleep), and detox support.
Outcome many see: Lower antibodies, less inflammation, better symptom relief, stable energy, and sometimes lower med doses.
What This Means for You Right Now
If you’ve been told “you have hypothyroidism,” don’t stop there! Ask for antibody testing (TPO and TgAb) to rule in/out Hashimoto’s. Request a full panel: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and antibodies.
If it is Hashimoto’s:
You’re not doomed to worsening symptoms.
Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in slowing damage.
Find a thyroid-savvy doctor (functional, integrative, or open-minded endo) who treats the whole picture.
You deserve to feel vibrant, not just “normal” on paper. So many women turn things around by understanding this difference.
You’re already ahead by learning this – keep going!
The Best Foods to Eat with Hashimoto’s – And Why!
I want to talk about the new year again and what that means for you and all the marketing coming your way. Getting excited about your health is great but I want you to know and understand the real secret to getting healthy is not making big promises to yourself about getting healthy and expecting things to go perfectly all the time. The real magic to your health and wellness is not to quit when life gets in the way and consider it a failure.
The real magic happens when you show up for yourself on the daily and making adjustments as you go, no matter what life throws at you. Life stuff is always going to happen, it’s what you do in the midst of it that matters. Maybe you miss a day or two of solid healthy eating- does it mean you should give up all together? Of course not, it means you get back on that horse and keep riding and forgive yourself for the missteps because there will always be a misstep.
No one has the perfect life where things go as planned all the time. You can prevent some missteps by being prepared with stuff in your fridge ready for you as needed. But when you don’t have the fridge stocked- don’t worry about making mistakes. You can do this.
If you have Hashimoto’s, your immune system is attacking your thyroid by mistake. That causes inflammation – a quiet irritation inside your thyroid gland (the butterfly-shaped thing in your neck that controls energy). Over time, this inflammation can make the thyroid bigger (called a goiter – like a puffy lump you might feel or see in your neck) or damage it so it doesn’t work well.
Functional medicine says food is super powerful. The right foods can calm inflammation, heal your gut (which helps stop the immune attack), and give your thyroid the tools it needs to feel better. Many women get more energy, less brain fog, and even lower antibody numbers just from eating this way.
There’s no one perfect diet for everyone, but most people do great starting here.
Let’s break it down: foods to skip (and why), foods to eat a lot of (and why), and easy examples.
Foods to Skip – And Why They Make Things Worse
These foods can stir up more inflammation or confuse your immune system. Think of them like bullies that make the thyroid attack worse.
Gluten (in bread, pasta, wheat stuff)
Why skip? It has proteins that look a lot like your thyroid tissue. Your immune system gets confused and attacks your thyroid more (called molecular mimicry).
Most people with Hashimoto’s feel way better gluten-free.
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream)
Why skip? Many can’t digest it well, and it can cause gut leaks or extra inflammation. The proteins in dairy can also look similar to gluten and trigger attacks.
Soy (tofu, soy milk, edamame, soy sauce)
Why skip? It has compounds that can block your thyroid from using iodine or mess with hormone levels.
You might wonder why – isn’t soy healthy for some things? Let’s break it down simply. The science is a bit mixed, but I’ll explain both sides from a functional medicine view (which often says “better safe than sorry” and avoid it).
What’s in Soy That Can Cause Trouble?
Soy has natural compounds called isoflavones (like genistein and daidzein). These act like weak plant estrogens and can mess with your thyroid in a few ways:
They can slow down thyroid hormone making. Isoflavones can block an important enzyme called thyroid peroxidase (TPO). TPO helps your thyroid put together T4 and T3 hormones. Lab studies show this blocking happens clearly.
In animals or people low on iodine (a key thyroid nutrient), too much soy can make goiters bigger or thyroid function drop.
It can stir up the autoimmune attack
In Hashimoto’s, your body already attacks TPO. Some experts say soy might make that worse because it blocks TPO and could confuse your immune system more.
It can block your thyroid medicine
Soy can stop levothyroxine (common thyroid pill) from getting absorbed well in your gut. That’s why doctors say wait 3–4 hours after taking your meds before eating soy.
But Wait – Some Studies Say Soy Is Okay?
Yes! Big reviews of human studies (including recent ones up to 2025) show:
Moderate soy (like a serving or two a day) doesn’t usually hurt thyroid hormones in healthy people with enough iodine.
It might cause a tiny rise in TSH (a thyroid signal), but probably not enough to matter for most.
Fermented soy (like tempeh, miso, natto) might be easier on the thyroid than unfermented (like tofu or soy milk), because fermentation lowers the trouble-making compounds.
Why Does Functional Medicine Often Say “Avoid Soy” for Hashimoto’s?
Many functional experts recommend skipping soy completely – at least at first. Here’s why:
Even if big studies say it’s “safe” on average, some sensitive people (especially with autoimmunity) feel worse with soy – more fatigue, higher antibodies, or thyroid flares.
Modern soy is often processed, GMO, or high in isoflavones – different from traditional Asian soy eaten in small amounts.
Why risk it when removing soy helps so many feel better and calm inflammation?
Bottom Line for You
If you have Hashimoto’s, trying a soy-free diet for 4–6 weeks is often worth it.
Many women notice more energy and less puffiness. If you love soy and feel great, small amounts of fermented soy might be okay – but separate it from your meds and watch your labs/symptoms.
Everyone’s body is different. Talk to your doctor or a functional practitioner, and listen to how YOU feel.
Processed foods and sugar (fast food, cookies, soda, chips)
Why skip? They’re full of chemicals, bad oils, and sugar that feed inflammation all over your body – like throwing gas on a fire.
Refined grains and bad oils (white rice, fried foods with corn or canola oil)
Why skip? They spike blood sugar and add more inflammation.
Some people go stricter with the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) for 30–90 days: also skip grains, eggs, nuts/seeds, and nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant).
Why? These are common triggers that can irritate the gut or immune system in sensitive people. It’s like a big reset to calm everything down.
Foods to Eat a Lot – And Why They Help So Much
These are like kind friends that fight inflammation, heal your gut, and support your thyroid.
Lots of vegetables (half your plate!) – Leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini.
Why eat? They’re packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants that lower inflammation and help your body detox. (Cook broccoli/kale to make them easier on the thyroid.)
Quality proteins – Grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, wild fish like salmon.
Why eat? Protein builds hormones and repairs tissue. Fish has omega-3 fats that calm inflammation big time.
Healthy fats – Avocado, olive oil, coconut oil.
Why eat? Fats help make hormones and keep inflammation low. Your thyroid needs them to work right.
Low-sugar fruits – Berries, apples, lemons (in moderation).
Why eat? They give antioxidants to fight damage from inflammation, without spiking blood sugar.
Gut-healers – Bone broth (homemade from bones), fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi (small amounts).
Why eat? They seal a leaky gut, which stops bad stuff from triggering more immune attacks.
Thyroid boosters – 2–3 Brazil nuts a day, a little seaweed or kelp.
Why eat? Brazil nuts give selenium (protects the thyroid and lowers antibodies). Seaweed has natural iodine (thyroid fuel) – but just a bit, too much can backfire.
Let’s dive deeper into why that’s a great idea for Hashimoto’s, what selenium really does for your thyroid, and why you have to be careful not to get too much. I looked into the research, including work by Dr. Fulvio Ursini (he’s an Italian scientist who helped discover some key things about selenium).
Why Brazil Nuts Are Awesome for Selenium
Brazil nuts are like nature’s selenium superstars! Just one single nut can have 68–96 micrograms (mcg) of selenium – that’s often more than your whole daily need.
The usual daily recommendation is about 55 mcg for adults, but for people with Hashimoto’s, many functional medicine experts suggest 100–200 mcg to help calm inflammation and antibodies.
Studies show eating just 2 Brazil nuts a day can give you as much benefit as taking a 100 mcg supplement – and it raises your selenium levels safely.
Why not more? The amount in Brazil nuts can vary a lot depending on the soil they grow in. Some nuts have way more, so sticking to 1–3 a day keeps you safe. Eat them raw or lightly roasted – no salt or oil added.
What Selenium Does for Thyroid Health
Selenium is a tiny mineral, but it’s super important for your thyroid. It gets built into special helper proteins called selenoproteins. These proteins do two big jobs:
Protect your thyroid from damage → When your thyroid makes hormones, it creates some harmful stuff called hydrogen peroxide (like a bleach byproduct). Selenoproteins act like firefighters – they neutralize that peroxide so it doesn’t hurt your thyroid cells.
This is extra important in Hashimoto’s because your immune system is already causing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Help change inactive hormone to active → Selenium helps enzymes (called deiodinases) turn T4 (the storage hormone) into T3 (the active one your body really uses for energy). Low selenium can mean less T3 and more fatigue.
In Hashimoto’s, studies show getting enough selenium can lower thyroid antibodies (like TPO), improve thyroid ultrasound pictures, and sometimes even lower TSH levels.
Dr. Fulvio Ursini’s Research
Dr. Fulvio Ursini is a big name in selenium science! Back in the 1980s, he and his team discovered and studied a key selenoprotein called phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx for short). It’s one of the main ways selenium acts as an antioxidant to protect cells from damage.
He also worked on regular glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which helps clean up harmful peroxides. This research showed why selenium is so crucial for fighting oxidative stress – the kind of cell damage that happens a lot in autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s. His discoveries helped explain how selenium protects tissues (including the thyroid) from inflammation and damage.
The Dangers of Too Much Selenium
Selenium is great when you have the right amount – but too much can be harmful (called selenosis or selenium toxicity).
Signs of too much:
Hair loss or brittle hair
Nails that break or turn white
Garlic smell on your breath
Upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea
Feeling shaky or tired in a weird way
In really bad cases, nerve problems
The safe upper limit is 400 mcg a day for adults. Going over that long-term isn’t good.
That’s why Brazil nuts are tricky – eating a handful could push you way over.
Stick to 2–3 max, or get your levels tested with a blood test first. If you take a supplement, go for 100–200 mcg (like selenomethionine) and only under a doctor’s watch.
Quick Tips for You
Start with 2 Brazil nuts a day – easy and natural!
Get your selenium level checked (blood test) to see if you need more or less.
Pair it with the anti-inflammatory foods we talked about before.
Selenium from food (like Brazil nuts) is usually safer and better absorbed than pills.
Drink tons of water and enjoy herbal teas!
How to Make It Easy
Start simple:
Cut gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, and processed stuff for 2–4 weeks. See how you feel!
After that, add foods back one by one (wait 3 days each) to find your personal triggers.
Eat balanced: Protein + fat + veggies at every meal to keep energy steady.
Don’t forget: This works best with your thyroid medicine, good sleep, and low stress.
Super Simple Day of Eating
Breakfast: Eggs with spinach and avocado (cooked in coconut oil). Or berry smoothie with coconut milk.
Lunch: Big salad with grilled chicken, tons of veggies, olive oil dressing.
Dinner: Baked salmon, sweet potato, steamed broccoli.
Snacks: Carrot sticks, a few berries, or warm bone broth.
You don’t have to be perfect – just better most days. Lots of women feel amazing on this. Talk to a functional medicine doctor to make it perfect for you.
You’ve got this!
Food can help turn down the inflammation and give you your energy back. One meal at a time.