Does Yoga Bridge Pose Help The Thyroid Gland?

More than just a relaxation practice, yoga may be able to help with thyroid problems. The bridge pose in particular may help to stimulate your thyroid by momentarily clearing blood away from it so that fresh blood can circulate around it freely. However, remember that it is always best to consult your doctor before trying alternative treatments for what could potentially be a serious health problem.

Background

Your thyroid gland consists of two lobes that sit in the front of your neck. These lobes secrete hormones called thyroxine and triiodothyronine that help regulate your metabolism. Thyroid hormones cause your cells to consume more oxygen and to work harder. As your cells work harder, so do the organs that your cells make up. The amount of hormones that your thyroid releases is determined by a part of your brain called the hypothalamus.

Problems

Imbalances in your thyroid's function can greatly disrupt your day-to-day life, because of your thyroid's role in your metabolism. If your thyroid gland is overactive, called hyperthyroidism, it releases too many hormones, which speeds up your heart, makes you feel overly warm and can cause you to lose weight. Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid does not secrete enough hormones. With hypothyroidism you may often feel tired, have a low body temperature and be prone to gaining weight.

Claims

Some claim that bridge pose, or setu bandha, can help stimulate your thyroid. In an article for "Yoga Journal," Linda Sparrowe states that the chin locks performed in the bridge pose can stimulate your thyroid gland. A chin lock simply means that you hold your chin against your upper chest, which puts pressure on the front of your neck. When you hold the chin lock in the bridge pose, blood is forced out of your thyroid. When you release the bridge pose, fresh oxygenated blood is able to flow back in and better circulate around your thyroid.

Evidence

A stimulating effect of yoga on thyroid function was shown by S. B. Rawal and colleagues in a 1994 study for the "International Journal of Biometeorology." Rawal observed a group of men who practiced yoga for one month. They measured the amount of iodine-containing hormone that the men's thyroids released after yoga. Rawal and colleagues found that their thyroids released more hormone for 24 to 48 hours after they practiced yoga. However, it is important to note that Rawal and colleagues did not show that the bridge pose, specifically, stimulates the thyroid, just that practicing yoga in general can increase thyroid function.

Caution

It can be dangerous to attempt to treat a thyroid condition with yoga poses without first consulting a doctor. Thyroid conditions occur in many varieties and degrees. For example, although the bridge pose may be relatively mild in its ability to stimulate your thyroid, in an article for the September 2000 issue of "Yoga Journal" Dr. Jeffrey Migdow urges caution in using vigorous poses such as the plow pose if you have a thyroid condition such as Hashimoto's disease.