Thyroid Health Club says Choice of Thyroid Support Matters

Studies show that deficiency in Vitamin B12 is linked to thyroid gland dysfunction. This means the thyroid require various nutrients to function properly in order to produce the hormones that regulate many of the body’s functions.

According to Dr. Obada Yousif, thyroid specialist and founder of Thyroid Health Club, the body cannot make Vitamin B12. Instead, it must be consumed through food or supplements, and deficiencies are fairly common especially in older adults.

Many do not consume an adequate amount of the vitamin while others have trouble absorbing. Thus leading to Vitamin B12 deficiency, which symptoms can mimic the symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland or hypothyroidism. Health conditions like Cronh’s disease and Celiac Disease can hinder the body from absorbing Vitamin B12. Also, people who are strict vegans are at risk to Vitamin B12 deficiency as this nutrient is not found in plants. B12 is usually found in animal products like milk and milk products, fish, poultry eggs, meat and other meat products.

People who have had stomach stapling weight loss surgery also experience Vitamin B12 deficiency because the surgery compromises the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 from the food that person eats.

The most common cause of hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease), can cause intestinal damage that results in problems absorbing vitamin B12. Patients suffering from this condition may appear to be consuming enough of the nutrient but will still left deficient. In these cases, the thyroid condition must be addressed to correct the absorption problem.

“Vitamin B12 deficiency can make hypothyroidism worse,” said Dr. Yousif. “If patients are deficient in vitamin B12, they are also less likely to respond to treatment for underactive thyroid and get relief from their symptoms,” said Yousif.

Detecting Vitamin B12 deficiency from symptoms alone can be a challenge to most physicians. A few requires blood tests to confirm the condition. If the deficiency is serious, some patients may require a weekly injection of vitamin B12 while others can take a high dose thyroid supplement. Mild deficiencies can be corrected through a standard daily multivitamin supplement.

Besides the implications for the thyroid gland, untreated vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious neurologic problems and blood disorders.

“This is why the choice people make in choosing thyroid support supplements matter. Patients should be very cautious on what product and brand they would invest in as not all supplements are legitimately helpful for the body,” said Dr. Yousif.

There are thyroid supplements sold in the market that contains added extras that are not really helpful for the thyroid but rather, it has an adverse effect.

According to Thyroid Health Club, consumers should be diligent and always read the labels of the products they buy. To ensure that they are buying the right thyroid support formula, the supplement should contain levels of Vitamin B12, Zinc (oxide), Niacinamide, Copper (as oxide), and Manganese (amino acid chelate), Molybdenum (amino acid chelate). “These are some of the nutrients, when combined together, forms the best protection for the thyroid gland,” said Obada.

Thyroid Health Club is strongly campaigning for thyroid health awareness in United States, which currently affects 1 out of 10 Americans, mostly female.