Your thyroid gland produces thyroxine and triiodothyronine, hormones that regulate how fast your body burns fats and carbohydrates. If your thyroid doesn’t produce a sufficient amount of these hormones, the result is a condition known as hypothyroidism. Unexplained weight gain is one symptom of hypothyroidism. Herbs may help your body restore hormone balance and reduce weight naturally. Consult your health care provider for a diagnosis before starting herbal treatment.
Herbal Actions
Herbs for hypothyroidism and overweight act in several ways. Bitter herbs stimulate your entire endocrine system, including your thyroid gland, and help regulate mild hypothyroidism. They also enhance digestion and stimulate metabolism, helping your body burn fat. Other herbs work by promoting the breakdown of fats or boosting thyroid hormone levels. Check with an experienced practitioner for advice about dosage and preparation of herbs for weight loss and hypothyroidism.
Coleus
Coleus, or Coleus forskohlii, is a perennial herb native to India and Africa. Ayurvedic practitioners use the leaves to treat asthma, indigestion, heart disease and urinary stones. The herb contains a chemical called forskolin, which stimulates the thyroid gland, according to naturopathic doctors Asa Hershoff and Andrea Rotelli in their 2001 book “Herbal Remedies.” They recommend it for weight loss that is due to an underactive thyroid gland. A study in the August 2005 issue of “Obesity Research” also notes that forskolin reduced fat and increased lean body mass in overweight men. Do not combine this herb with blood pressure medicine.
Kelp
Kelp, or Fucus vesiculosus, is also called bladderwrack and has a long history of treating hypothyroidism and goiter. It’s rich in iodine, mucilage, mannitol, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, bromine, potassium and volatile oils. Hershoff and Rotelli note that it can boost thyroxine, one of the hormones secreted by the thyroid gland that controls metabolism. In his 2003 book “Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine,” clinical herbalist David Hoffmann recommends kelp for weight loss if your obesity is associated with hypothyroidism.
Gentian
Gentian, or Gentiana lutea, is a European perennial with yellow flowers shooting from a tall stalk. Gentian is a bitter herb, and herbalists use the roots and rhizomes for digestive problems. In their 2000 book “The Herbal Drugstore,” Dr. Linda B. White and medicinal plant expert Steven Foster recommend bitters in cases of sluggish thyroid for their stimulating effect on the endocrine system. Gentian will also improve your digestion so you can lose weight by eating less and absorbing more nutrients.
References
- Herbal Remedies: Asa Hershoff, N.D., and Andrea Rotelli, N.D.
- Obesity Research: Body Composition and Hormonal Adaptations Associated With Forskolin Consumption in Overweight and Obese Men
- Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine: David Hoffmann
- The Herbal Drugstore: Linda B. White, M.D., and Steven Foster
Member Comments