Which Tea Is Good for Thyroid Problems? 4 Teas That May Help Hypothyroidism

You’re depressed. Your infertility is weighing on you — both literally and figuratively. You’re tired and anxious all of the time.

Your hypothyroidism is taking a toll on your physical and mental health.

Despite visits to the doctor and medications, you can’t seem to shake these unwanted symptoms. What are you missing? Is there something else that might help manage your hypothyroid symptoms?

Learn how taking a holistic nutrition approach to hypothyroidism can help, including the best teas to drink for hypothyroid symptoms.

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Many teas are suggested to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health. Others are found to decrease stress and inflammation in the body.

Although there are no teas that will cure hypothyroidism or other conditions, some plants used in teas have healing properties that may help optimize thyroid function and how the thyroid interacts with hormones throughout the body. 

Drinking tea can be beneficial for the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, but to get to the root of your condition, HealthierU conducts a nutrition consultation and takes a holistic approach to natural hypothyroid treatment. Request a nutrition consultation today.

Although it may seem like a new craze, people have been drinking medicinal teas for many years. According to Penn Medicine, numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas have health benefits for your immune system, which is related to hypothyroidism.

While drinking medicinal tea won’t treat hypothyroidism, the plants can have a powerful impact on the body, validating its role when it comes to thyroid function.

The thyroid tells our body how to use energy by producing and secreting thyroid hormones into our bloodstream. It regulates everything from our heart rate to blood pressure to body temperature, which is why drinking tea might be useful for those with hypothyroidism.

Did you know that an iodine deficiency is the most common cause of thyroid disease, specifically hypothyroidism? 

To treat an iodine deficiency, you need more iodine-rich salt, iodine supplements, foods high in iodine, or certain teas.



Choosing teas made of plants rich in iodine intake, like seaweed, can help increase your iodine content, but be careful. Too much iodine can also cause hypothyroidism, so it’s best to only add more iodine to your diet when recommended by a doctor to boost your normal levels.

Those with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) have mild thyroid failure — their peripheral thyroid hormone (T4) levels are within the normal range but serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are mildly elevated. To prevent total thyroid dysfunction and keep thyroid hormone levels and inflammation well managed, drinking teas may be beneficial.

Medication is not typically the first step for management. Instead, lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, stress management, treating other health conditions, and tapping into plant-based medicines (like drinking medicinal tea) may be a preferred starting point for people with this condition.

Drinking tea cannot fully treat hypothyroidism. While it is a great supplemental option for managing symptoms and supporting overall health, most people with hypothyroidism require thyroid hormone replacement medication to correct their low thyroid hormones.

Additionally, certain teas may cause more harm than good, so do your research and talk with your doctor before you begin mixing up different concoctions. 

Are you unsure where to start? Dr. Sergi at HealthierU can conduct a nutrition consultation and help you find the best tea for hypothyroidism management.

If you’re looking for a tea that’s good for hypothyroidism, many teas are made with herbal medicines that could help manage the symptoms. With your doctor, you may explore:

• Green tea
• Chamomile tea
• Ashwagandha tea
• Sage tea; or
• St. John’s wort
  

It isn’t clear if green tea is truly good for hypothyroidism, but we do know there are many health benefits of green tea that could aid in managing hypothyroid symptoms. Not only does it help with cancer prevention, cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol problems, and neurological conditions, but also with inflammatory diseases.

One study found that drinking green tea in excess (5+ cups a day) could lead to goiters and thyroid gland enlargement.



A different study found that drinking green tea was a protective factor against PHypoTP (postsurgical hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism), suggesting that patients might add green tea to their diet following a thyroidectomy.

Chamomile may help manage symptoms of hypothyroidism. Although chamomile is best known for helping with sleep, it also helps soothe upset stomachs, which many people suffering from hypothyroidism complain of.

Additionally, one Greek study shows that drinking 2-6 cups of chamomile tea each week might help decrease benign and malignant thyroid disease.

You can find chamomile in the form of dried flower heads, extracts, tea, and capsules. To make chamomile tea:

• Boil 1 cup of water.
• Add up to 4g of dried chamomile herb. 
• Steep for 15 minutes.
• Drink up to 4x per day between meals.
  

Sage tea has many emerging health benefits. The same Greek study found that sage tea helps decrease the incidence of cancerous and non-cancerous thyroid disease in those who drank it several times a week.

Many who suffer from hypothyroidism also struggle with depression and low mood. Along with reducing the risk of thyroid disease, drinking sage tea has been found to potentially help improve mood, making it a great addition to your diet.

Sage can be found as a dried herb or in tea form:

1. Boil 1 cup of water.
2. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried sage leaves or 2 to 3 fresh sage leaves.
3. Let steep for 5-7 minutes.
4. Limit yourself to 3 to 6 cups a day.
   

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa, commonly ingested to help with stress. It contains chemicals that can:

• Calm the brain
• Reduce swelling
• Lower blood pressure 
• Alter the immune system

Because stress is a hallmark cause of any disease, keeping stress levels low by drinking ashwagandha can be helpful to those with hypothyroidism. Although research isn’t conclusive, we might suggest from the studies below that ashwagandha may help:

• Decrease inflammation
• Reduce blood sugar
• Decrease cortisol levels
• Boost memory and cognition
• Stimulate the immune system
• Inhibit the growth of cancerous cells

Ashwagandha most often comes in powder form and is typically taken as a capsule. To use ashwagandha in tea, steep either a fresh or dried root or root powder in boiling water. Using powder is generally more powerful than using the roots.

Since ancient times, St. John’s wort has been used to treat pain in muscles and joints, depression, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, and feelings of fatigue — many of these symptoms of hypothyroidism. 

To make this perennial herb into a tea:

1. Boil ½ cup of water.
2. Add 1 tsp of St. John’s wort herb.
3. Steep for 5 minutes.
4. Drink twice a day, before breakfast and bedtime.
   

Unfortunately, you cannot live a normal life with an underactive thyroid. While drinking some of the herbal teas mentioned here can help manage symptoms, hypothyroidism is typically treated by taking a daily hormone replacement – levothyroxine and synthroid are most common.

Did you know that a sedentary lifestyle with low physical movement results in people having low thyroxine? To combat this, you might consider making lifestyle changes, like:

• Ensuring quality sleep
• No smoking
• Managing stress
• Eating a hypothyroidism diet
• Drinking less caffeine
• Exercising regularly

HealthierU can help guide you toward natural ways to manage your hypothyroidism through a holistic nutrition approach. Contact us today to request a nutrition consultation.

Managing symptoms of hypothyroidism can be stressful. While medication is a great treatment option, taking a holistic nutrition approach can leave you feeling empowered, encouraged, and in control.

Dr. Sergi at HealthierU conducts a thorough examination and provides expert guidance on the best lifestyle and nutrition choices to help with your hypothyroidism, including which tea is good for hypothyroidism, what diet might be best to follow, and more.

Need help determining your exact symptoms and coming up with a plan for management? Contact HealthierU for a nutrition consultation today.