The Thyroid Diet: Is There Such a Thing?

source: Medscape

year: 2018

authors: Angela M. Leung

Thyroid disease includes hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and thyroid nodules, and is commonly seen in most primary care and outpatient endocrinology offices. In routine clinical practice, patients will often inquire about dietary changes they can make to treat or reverse their thyroid disease. The evidence is strongest for adequate but not excessive iodine intake to benefit thyroid health in general, as well as selenium supplementation for patients with Graves disease. Aside from these, we have sparse scientific data showing that dietary changes can significantly benefit hypo- or hyperthyroidism.

Here, we will discuss what we know about what some patients might call a “thyroid diet” and cover the most popular nutrition questions we get asked by patients with thyroid disease.