Marketed as Eltroxin, levothyroxine is a drug used as a thyroid hormone replacement to treat hypothyroidism, a condition in which your thyroid gland produces insufficient hormones. Several natural herbal remedies and supplements could produce similar actions as Eltroxin. Don’t stop taking Eltroxin or switch to a natural alternative before discussing it with your doctor.
Iodine
Taking an iodine supplement or the herb bladderwrack could be a natural alternative to Eltroxin, but only if your hypothyroidism is due an iodine deficiency. An iodine deficiency severe enough to cause hypothyroidism is relatively rare, however. The herb bladderwrack is sometimes recommended for low thyroid function due to its high concentrations of iodine. You might take 600mg bladderwrack extract three times daily to treat hypothyroidism, the University of Maryland Medical Center says. Ask your doctor about the right dosage of iodine supplement to take for hypothyroidism. Avoid taking bladderwrack or iodine supplements if you don’t have a deficiency, because too much iodine can cause thyroid problems, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Coleus
Taking Coleus forskohlii might help in treating low thyroid function in a similar manner as Eltroxin. Coleus contains the constituent forskolin, which appears to activate the enzyme called adenylate cyclase. This enzyme helps in the actions of hormones in your body, including thyroid hormones. A laboratory study published in Experimental Cell Research in 1990 found that forskolin extracted from coleus effectively increased thyroid hormone secretion, the University of Michigan Health System says. You might take 50mg to 100mg coleus extract two or three times daily to increase your thyroid hormones, the University of Maryland Medical Center says. But first ask your doctor about the dosage that’s appropriate for you.
Selenium
You could take supplements of the mineral selenium to support healthy thyroid function, because selenium appears to help in processing thyroid hormone. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1993 found that selenium deficiency was linked to hypothyroidism and goiter, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Medical research is unclear on selenium supplementation for treating low thyroid function, however. Have your doctor evaluate whether you’re deficient in selenium before you begin taking the supplement.
Zinc
A zinc deficiency could cause your thyroid hormone levels to decrease, and taking zinc supplements could help these hormones to increase in a similar way as taking Eltroxin. Only one small study actually demonstrates zinc’s potential ability to treat hypothyroidism, however. Published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism in 1979, the study found that people with low levels of zinc who took zinc supplements experienced increased levels of thyroid hormone, the University of Michigan Health System says.
Guggul
Guggul has been marketed as a weight-loss herb due to its purported stimulation of thyroid hormones, but scientific evidence is lacking, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says. Still, guggul is thought to have some positive effects on supporting normal thyroid function. To treat hypothyroidism, you could take 250mg to 500mg standardized guggul extract three times daily, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Don’t take guggul without talking to your physician first.
Chinese Herbal Formula
Combinations of certain Chinese herbs might help treat hypothyroidism such as Eltroxin. A one-year study in China published in 1993 found that people with hypothyroidism who took a traditional Chinese herbal formula improved their symptoms and thyroid hormone levels substantially, the University of Michigan Health System says. Seek an experienced health care professional to begin a treatment of hypothyroidism using Chinese herbal medicine.
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