Grave's disease is a debilitating condition where your thyroid gland (located in your neck) starts producing large amounts of thyroxine (a chemical in your body responsible for regulating your metabolic rate). According to the Mayo Clinic, this surge of thyroxine increases your metabolic rate and leads to such symptoms as anxiety, rapid heartbeat, tremor and an enlarged thyroid gland. Normally, treatment consists of anti-thyroid medications to decrease thyroxine production and radioactive iodine treatment to kill thyroid cells. Lately, patients are seeking alternative treatments for Grave's disease.
Bugleweed
Bugleweed, also known as water bugle, is an herb used to treat Grave's disease. In Europe, it is widely used to treat early-stage Grave's disease. Bugleweed's main ingredient is phenolic acid, and it inhibits thyroid stimulating hormone (a chemical in the brain) from activating the thyroid gland to produce more thyroxine. With a decrease in thyroxine, the thyroid gland is no longer overactive, according to InnVista. This herb should be taken only after talking with your doctor.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm, also called melissa, is another alternative treatment used to treat Grave's disease. Lemon balm is most effective when combined with bugleweed. According to InnVista, its key ingredients include volatile oil, polyphenols, tannins, bitter principle, flavanoids and rosmarinic acid. After lemon balm is injected into your body levels of thyroid stimulating hormone decrease. With this decrease, the thyroid gland produces less thyroxine.
Self-heal
Self-heal, also known as blue curls, is another herb that decreases thyroid hormone production in Grave's disease. Some of its main ingredients include flavanoids, fatty acids, tannins and caffeic acid. Self-heal is best used to treat Grave's disease in combination with bugleweed tubers, basil, oregano, rosemary and spearmint, according to InnVista.
Kelp
Kelp is a sweet-tasting algae also used to treat Grave's disease. According to author and herbal pharmacologist Daniel Mowry, Japanese people who consume kelp in their daily diet show no symptoms of Grave's disease. Interestingly, he notes that Japanese people who do not eat kelp have an increase in Grave's disease development.
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