7 Complementary Therapies for Hypothyroidism

How acupuncture, in which thin needles are inserted in the skin to stimulate specific points on the body, works baffles many modern-day researchers, but the centuries-old technique may help by stimulating the body’s pain-killing chemicals or stimulating a release of chemicals that modulate the blood’s flow and pressure, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). In a small study, a U.S. researcher, following the belief that acupuncture can help thyroid function by reducing a person’s stress, found a decrease in thyroid symptoms in the study’s two participants after once-a-week acupuncture sessions over 12 weeks. Another study from 2021 that followed five people saw similar results.

Because stress can exacerbate thyroid symptoms, utilizing acupuncture may help reduce the stress and related symptoms, such as fatigue and irregular bowel movements.

A review of acupuncture’s contribution to thyroid disorders examined data from 29 clinical projects involving 1,757 patients from China, Italy, Korea, Macedonia, and Russia. The review found indications that acupuncture, when used alone or with other treatments, may lead to a reduction in symptoms and other improvements in patients with hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or other thyroid-related illnesses.

If you’re considering trying acupuncture, the NCCIH recommends looking for a licensed acupuncturist or physician. A diploma from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is required for licensing in most states.

Meditation is a mind-body practice that may help increase calmness and relaxation, reduce blood pressure, ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve overall health and well-being, according to the NCCIH.

While there’s little scientific evidence of the benefits of meditation on hypothyroidism specifically, it’s believed that it may help because of its effect on the nervous system, according to Merel Martens, a yoga instructor and founder of Dutch Yoga Academy in the Netherlands, who also organizes meditation trainings in her country and others with the Institute for Meditation.

One theory is that the sympathetic nervous system — the part of the body concerned with reacting to stress — may be overstimulated at times, which can throw the entire endocrine system out of balance. Meditation can help bring back balance, and Martens recommends doing it for at least 20 minutes a day. If you’re new to meditating, try taking a class at a local yoga studio or meditation center or downloading an app on your phone, and start with a few minutes per day.

Yoga may also help with endocrine balance, Martens says. “The reasoning behind the benefit of yoga is that yogic practices such as asanas [postures] and pranayama [breathing exercises] are said to balance the endocrine system in its entirety,” she says. “Since the function of the thyroid is heavily influenced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, [it] is affected positively.” For example, the fish pose, shoulder stand, and plough pose are said to massage the thyroid, stimulating blood flow.

A small study found that practicing yoga for six months was associated with improvements in cholesterol and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, as well as a reduced need for thyroid replacement therapy in women with hypothyroidism.

Another study of 38 women with hypothyroidism and depression evaluated changes in measurements of their body mass, TSH, depression, fatigue, and anxiety before and after a regimen of yoga. After three months doing yoga five days per week, the women saw significant postive improvement in all of those measures, the study’s authors reported.

Other examples of mind-body practices you might want to talk to your doctor about include Pilates, tai chi, qigong, and hypnosis, according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA).

Massage therapy has been found to help with a variety of ailments, ranging from anxiety and depression to high blood pressure, sleep problems, pain, and more, according to the Mayo Clinic. While massage therapy hasn’t been studied directly for hypothyroidism, Dr. Brownstein believes it helps the lymph system and stimulates blood flow, which is beneficial for thyroid function. Massage can also have a positive effect on stress levels, which can help with hypothyroid symptoms. To find a licensed massage therapist, ask your doctor for recommendations or use the American Massage Therapy Association’s online locator service.

What you eat or don’t eat can make a difference in your hypothyroidism, says Natalie Bozinovski, ND, a naturopathic doctor at Health and the City in Toronto. For instance, she says, if you have celiac disease, which is more common in people with hypothyroidism, avoiding gluten can help you manage hypothyroid symptoms.

While it’s important to note that there is no such thing as a “hypothyroidism diet,” eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help you manage your symptoms and improve your overall health. Eating foods containing nutrients such as iodine and selenium is important for good thyroid function, while certain foods and supplements — such as walnuts, soybean flour, cottonseed meal, iron and calcium supplements — may interfere with how well the body absorbs thyroid hormone medication, according to the Mayo Clinic. You should avoid eating these foods or taking these supplements a few hours before or after your thyroid medication dose. Work with your doctor or a registered dietitian to develop a meal plan that’s right for you.

Certain nutrients — tyrosine, iodine, selenium, zinc, copper — are needed for the synthesis of the thyroid hormone, Dr. Bozinovski says, so determining if a nutritional deficiency exists and then supplementing your diet with the missing nutrients (with your doctor’s guidance) may also benefit hypothyroid treatment.

It’s important to talk to your doctor before you take any supplements or increase specific nutrients in your diet. For example, while a doctor may recommend increasing or decreasing the amount of iodine in a patient’s diet, consuming too much iodine may actually be harmful in some cases and worsen hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, according to the ATA.

One study found that getting adequate amounts of selenium in the diet, either through food or supplements, is required not only to prevent thyroid disease but also to maintain overall health. Foods that are high in selenium include Brazil nuts, tuna, sardines, beef, and turkey, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Research has shown that exercise may be an important part of improving thyroid function. One small study found that thyroid function improved in hypothyroid patients who engaged in regular exercise. The study found that medium-intensity aerobic exercise was associated with the best results for improving thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, but even gentle exercises such as swimming or yoga improved thyroid function.

Another small study found that a 16-week program of aerobic exercise training was associated with improved quality of life, including general function and emotional, mental, and physical health, in women with subclinical hypothyroidism.

And a 2023 review that looked at 27 different research papers noted that a combination of increased exercise and improved sleep was beneficial for managing hypothyroid symptoms.