12 Essential Supplements to Support Hashimoto’s
Why supplements can play a powerful role in your thyroid healing journey
Hello My Thyroid Friend,
The way I use supplements for Hashimoto’s has evolved over the years. When I first started my journey, supplements were a life-saver. They helped me soooo much, I was a huge advocate for them! And I was taking a lot of them. For good reason (I explain below). BUT – and here’s the but – they are not (ideally) to be used long-term. People find that they can plateau health-wise after using them for a year or two. Also, being on supplements for too long, can make your body lazy and stop it from producing the minerals and vitamins itself.
Ideally, we want to get all our nutrients from food, water, and exposure to sunlight.
But, sadly, in this modern world, our crops are sprayed with chemicals, and our food is becoming nutrient-depleted. Many of us don’t get enough exposure to sunlight, and so our bodies struggle to make enough vitamin-D. So, one could argue that there is a case for supplementation.
I think for the short-term, I absolutely needed them. I had gut infections, an impaired ability to detox, and low stomach acid – all sorts going on that needed additional support.
They really helped me to get out of a hole! Sometimes we need that additional help, and we don’t need to feel like failures for needing it!
In my opinion, they are great to help us heal underling issues contributing to Hashimoto’s – especially if we are overwhelmed with symptoms.
Side note: Remember, supplements are still only tools and are not the only answer/a miracle cure. They work well when they are used alongside a holistic lifestyle. But they won’t solve everything. They are just a piece in the healing puzzle.
Digestion is usually impaired in Hashimoto's and therefore you are likely not able to absorb all the nutrients from food alone. But our body is in desperate need of vitamins and minerals in order to restore balance! This is when supplements come into play so that you can make sure that your body is getting the nutrients it needs in order begin healing.
When healing, and managing Hashimoto's naturally, you need to include supplements that are going to focus on the following things:
Cooling inflammation
Improving digestion
Restoring the gut balance and relieving gut issues
Antimicrobial to fight off any infections such as candida (which is very common in Hashimoto’s and hypothyroid patients)
Aiding the detoxification systems in the body, and therefore allowing toxins to leave the body
Balancing the adrenals, and therefore helping your body handle stress
Hormone balancing to help with fertility and regulate the menstrual cycle
Boosting the immune system health
Lowering thyroid antibodies (reducing and even stopping the autoimmune attack)
Restoring a full healthy head of hair, as hair loss is a hypothyroid symptom
Reversing fatigue and improving energy levels so that you can function in your everyday life
Tips before you start supplementing
Before you purchase any supplements, it is vital that you choose high quality and ‘clean’ brands as not all supplements are the same quality. You also need to look for ones that don’t contain gluten, dairy or soy (the most common Hashimoto’s allergens). I like Pure Encapsulations. Dr Izabella Wentz also has a range called Rootcology - this is probably the best of the best as she developed them as a thyroid expert, but I can’t get these in the UK.
I would also advise checking with your medical practitioner before starting on supplements or to get tested to see if you are indeed deficient in any of the below. If your conventional doctor is not supportive of this (mine wasn't) then get yourself a nutritionist or a naturopath. They will be able to advise on what is best for you and your symptoms, as everyone is different and may need different supplements. There are also many online testing kits that you can buy, so you can see what you are deficient in.
Another good piece of advice when supplementing is to leave about an hour between taking your thyroid medications and having any other supplements (or food for that matter), so that it doesn’t interfere with the absorption of them. There are also some vitamins that you may need to leave 4 hours after taking thyroid medication, such as magnesium and iron, as they can interfere with the absorption of the thyroid hormones.
My top 12 supplements for Hashimoto’s
These are my top 12 supplements for Hashimoto’s. There are of course many more in which can be helpful, but these 12 are the ones I have personally found to be extremely beneficial in healing and reducing autoimmune and thyroid symptoms:
Vitamin D - vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in patient’s with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism and so I would strongly suggest that you get your levels tested. I now get my levels tested every 4 months to make sure that my maintenance dose it adequate. Vitamin D is fantastic for the strengthening the immune system and reducing thyroid antibody levels. Therefore vitamin D is fantastic for reducing autoimmune symptoms.
Selenium (and vitamin E) - Selenium deficiency has been known to be a trigger for hashimotos. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant and is great for lowering TPO antibodies. Selenium can also help with the conversion of T4 into T3 hormone, in addition to working together with Vitamin E to promote fertility and healthy cell function. This is why you should take vitamin E alongside your daily dose of selenium. (Make sure to rule out iodine deficiency before you take start taking selenium).
Digestive enzymes - Digestive enzymes were a vital supplement for me. They help the body digest food and therefore reduce digestive (IBS) symptoms.
HCL+Pepsin - HCL+Pepsin supplements help to digest protein and therefore improve digestive issues. Many people have also said that it improves their energy levels, as a large amount of energy is saved from the body trying to digest protein without enough stomach acid. HCL+Pepsin supplements can also help with acid reflux (if caused by low stomach acid). Do not take if you have stomach ulcers or too much stomach acid.
Saccharomyces boulardii - Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast which helps to kill off candida and other gut infections, which are very common in thyroid patients. Saccharomyces boulardii helps to heal the gut lining (leaky gut) and improves digestive (IBS) symptoms.
Good quality probiotic containing lactobacillus - A lactobacillus probiotic will populate the gut with the good bacteria to improve digestive and gut issues. It helps to restore balance and heal leaky gut.
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) - NAC improves the detoxification system, heals the gut lining and helps to eliminate bad bacteria.
Biotin - a common hypothyroid symptom is hair loss. This can be an extremely distressing for women, and is seen in almost every thyroid patient. Biotin is great for growing and maintaining a healthy head of hair. (Be sure to check out your Ferritin levels too). Side note: Biotin can interfere with thyroid blood test results, so stop taking 48 hours before you have your blood test.
Fish oils (DHA) Omega-3 - Fantastic for cooling inflammation and balancing out the Omega-3:omega-6 ratio. Omega-6 fats are extremely inflammatory, and so need to be balanced out with Omega-3. However we mainly get Omega-6 in our diets and so it is essential to take Omega-3 supplements.
Magnesium - Magnesium is known as the miracle supplement for Hashimoto’s as it helps with a whole host of symptoms including palpitations, constipation, lowering anxiety, menstrual cramps, stabilises blood sugar levels, maintains normal nerve and muscle function, supports the immune system and improves sleep. It can also help with thyroid nodules which are extremely common in Hashimotos. (Magnesium must be taken at least 4 hours apart from thyroid meds)
Zinc - Zinc is generally deficient in patients with a thyroid problem. Zinc helps convert T4 into T3, which can be a massive issue for thyroid patients taking only T4 medication (levothyroxine).
Ashwaganda - An adaptogenic herb - assists the bodies ability to handle stress. Balances out the adrenals. There is a massive connection between the thyroid and the adrenals despite what conventional medicine will have you know.
I hope you have found this blog post on supplements for Hashimoto's useful. Supplements can get a bit of a bad rep, but personally they really have helped to heal many of my Hashimoto's symptoms and so this is why I really want to share the message that is IS possible to feel better.
Especially because Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism lead to issues with food sensitivities, digestion and absorption - sometimes we just NEED supplements to get the nutrients in!
Please remember that everyone's body is different, so what works for one might not work for another. However, I am a believer in listening to your intuition and making choices for your body that feel RIGHT with you. Always be cautious when trying out new supplements, introduce one new one at a time so you can check to see how your body is responding. If its not feeling right, stop taking it.
I like to see supplements as a supportive tool to use alongside lifestyle changes — they’re there to help rebuild and strengthen the body so it can do what it’s naturally designed to do: heal. The body already knows how to restore balance; it just needs the right support. I like to think of supplements as a temporary boost — a helping hand, not a lifelong dependency.
Good luck!
I’d love to hear from you! Please share your experiences with supplementing for Hashimoto’s by replying to this email [or leave a comment on Substack], or get in touch on instagram @my_thyroid_love
Much love,
Dani