If you are struggling to find an explanation for your recent fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain, the likely culprit may be more than just the natural consequences of growing older. Your thyroid may be to blame.
This tiny gland is responsible for controlling the body's metabolism through the production of the hormones T3 and T4. These compounds travel throughout the body and help control its most essential functions, including breathing, heart rate, weight, digestion, and mood. Unfortunately, due to aging and environmental factors, the thyroid can struggle to produce these hormones at a sufficient rate, resulting in lower energy levels, a lack of focus or mental clarity, and a few extra pounds that you cannot seem to lose.
A combination of diet, exercise, and a well-rounded supplement can assist your thyroid's natural ability to produce healthy levels of T3 and T4, helping to boost your mood, speed up your metabolism, and improve your mental clarity.
How Can You Tell a Good Thyroid Supplement from a Bad One?
Recent studies indicate that more than 10% of people worldwide struggle with a thyroid issue during their lifetime, with women between 5 and 8 times more likely to be affected than men. Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that public demand for thyroid support supplements is growing rapidly.
And yet, not all supplements are created equal. The fast-growing market for thyroid support products has lured many companies to release ineffective supplements containing filler ingredients with little or no proof of efficacy. That's why our staff decided to review all the most popular thyroid health formulas today and evaluate them for safety and effectiveness. We will show you what to look for, what to avoid, and which products we determined to be the best.
In our analysis, we noticed a number of companies claiming a wide variety of health benefits from using their products, not all of which are likely. What kind of results can you realistically expect from a thyroid support supplement?
When Will You See Results?
The ingredients in most thyroid health products can provide some noticeable improvements within 30 days. However, it may take additional time to restore optimal thyroid hormone levels and provide maximum support for your mood, metabolism, and mental clarity.
Research suggests that 3 months of daily use helps significantly increase the likelihood of lasting improvement. Here is a reasonable timeline to expect:
- Month 1: You may sense an increase in your energy level and a sustainable boost to your overall mood.
- Month 2: You may notice brain fog beginning to clear and your clothes fitting better as your weight returns to normal.
- Month 3: Maximum thyroid support is reached. You may benefit from long-lasting mood support, stable weight management, and greater mental clarity.
Tip: For best results, focus on consistency. Adding an effective thyroid support supplement to your daily routine for at least 3 months promotes exponential improvement, as each dose builds on the benefits of the last.
So, what characteristics distinguish top-tier thyroid health products from the rest of the pack?
The 5 Must-Have Ingredients for a Good Thyroid Supplement
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L-Tyrosine
L-tyrosine is an amino acid that serves as a precursor to the key thyroid hormones that help regulate crucial metabolic processes throughout the body. By providing your body with the building blocks of T3 and T4, L-tyrosine helps support your thyroid's natural production of these essential hormones. This helps boost your energy levels, reduce bloating and puffiness, and clear away brain fog.
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Bladderwrack
Bladderwrack is a type of seaweed that contains a highly bioavailable form of iodine, a key mineral used in the production of thyroid hormones. This essential mineral cannot be produced by the body but rather must be consumed through dietary sources. However, the Western diet contains few natural sources of iodine, with recent studies indicating dietary intake of the crucial compound has declined more than 50% since the 1970s.
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Kelp
Like bladderwrack, kelp is an iodine-rich seaweed. While a key part of East Asian diets, kelp and other natural sources of iodine are absent from the typical Western diet. This led to an effort in the 1920s to fight iodine deficiency by adding commercially manufactured iodine to salt. However, its use has become less prevalent today as its metallic taste has led consumers, restaurants, and food processing companies to opt for non-iodized salt, including kosher or sea salt.
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Curcumin
Curcumin is a polyphenol which gives turmeric its vibrant yellow color. Curcumin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help protect the thyroid against environmental factors which slow down production of the hormones T3 and T4. However, be aware that curcumin is poorly absorbed during digestion if taken alone. It must be paired with piperine for maximum bioavailability.
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Piperine
Piperine is an alkaloid compound responsible for black pepper's mild heat. Some studies have shown it can help boost thyroid hormone levels in its own right. However, its primary purpose for any thyroid supplement in capsule form should be to improve the absorption of curcumin during the digestive process. Without piperine, the majority of a supplement's curcumin content is filtered out by the liver and excreted in urine.
Perhaps even more important, there are certain red flags to be wary of when evaluating a thyroid support supplement.
Warning Signs of Potential Scams
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Lack of Clinical Studies
Be wary of companies that cite the clinical efficacy of individual ingredients within a product rather than the effectiveness of the product as a whole. The highest indicator of quality in a supplement is the commission of a placebo-controlled clinical study for safety and effectiveness by an independent third party. You expect the same high standard of research and testing before trusting a medication, so why would you not do the same before trusting a supplement?
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Filler Ingredients
There are very few natural ingredients for healthy thyroid function that are both potent and safe for consumption. Other herbs and compounds intended for thyroid support have little clinical evidence to back their effectiveness. Watch out for supplements that include an extensive list of ingredients to create the illusion of comprehensive support. More is not necessarily better when it comes to your health. Some of the supplements we reviewed contained more than 10 unique ingredients!
Top 5 Thyroid Health Supplements of 2024
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the top thyroid support formulas available today, which provides a summary of our research and analysis:
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| Key Ingredients | |||||
| L-Tyrosine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Bladderwrack | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Kelp | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Turmeric | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Piperine | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Proof of Efficacy | |||||
| Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| No Filler Ingredients | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Other Considerations | |||||
| No Artificial Additives | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Non-GMO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gluten-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Made in a GMP-Certified Laboratory | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Made in the USA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Below, we break down our rankings and feature detailed reviews of the 5 best thyroid health products we analyzed, beginning with our top pick.
Pros
- Clinically tested against placebo by independent third party
- 90% of study participants reported improvements in their mood, metabolism, and mental clarity in 30 days*
- Contains all 5 must-have ingredients
- No fillers or artificial additives
- Vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Available online, but not currently sold in retail stores
The Bottom Line
We gave Thyrogard by Nutreance our #1 ranking because it is the only thyroid health supplement that meets every one of our strict criteria.
Thyrogard was clinically tested for safety and effectiveness over the course of 30 days in a placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted by Princeton Consumer Research. The study showed that people taking Thyrogard experienced increased energy levels, better mental alertness, and greater weight loss compared to placebo. (Click here for the complete study results).
Thyrogard contains all 5 of the ingredients we consider essential for optimal thyroid support, including L-tyrosine, bladderwrack, kelp, turmeric with a curcumin concentration of 95%, and piperine. It is also produced in a GMP-certified laboratory in New York.
It is available on Amazon.com, but we found significantly better discounts on Nutreance's website. The company also offers other products for issues related to a sluggish thyroid, including liver support, a natural stress relief remedy, and a cognitive enhancement supplement.
Overall, Thyrogard is our top pick for thyroid health in 2024.
Click here to visit the product website.
* Results may vary and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using this product. Please visit product website for more information.
Pros
- Contains 3 out of 5 must-have ingredients
- No artificial additives
- Non-GMO and gluten-free
- Made in the USA
Cons
- No clinical study
- Does not contain curcumin or piperine
- Contains several glandular extracts from bovine organs, which have little therapeutic benefit due to safety processing
- Not vegetarian
The Bottom Line
T-150 by Xymogen provides effective thyroid support with a strong cast of ingredients that includes 3 of the primary components that we look for in a quality thyroid supplement: L-tyrosine, bladderwrack, and kelp.
Presenting a diverse selection of iodine-rich sea plants, the product also features dulse and Irish moss. However, these 2 types of algae contain lower concentrations of iodine per gram of raw material than bladderwrack or kelp.
In addition, T-150 contains a number of glandular extracts from bovine organs, including thyroid gland. This approach to natural medicine takes inspiration from the concept of "like helps like" that dates back to ancient times. However, because these harvested organs typically contain unpredictable concentrations of animal hormones, glandular extracts are highly processed to render them safe for human consumption. Unfortunately, this procedure eliminates much of their therapeutic benefit.
The space occupied in the formula by these largely inactive extracts might be better utilized by ingredients with proven efficacy for thyroid health, such as the combination of curcumin and piperine. A clinical study would go a long way to validate the supplement's efficacy.
Click here to visit the product website.
* Results may vary and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using this product. Please visit product website for more information.
Pros
- Contains 2 out of 5 must-have ingredients
- No artificial additives
- Vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free
- Made in the USA
Cons
- No clinical study
- Does not contain bladderwrack, kelp, or piperine
- Contains a large dose of iodine that is not derived from a natural source
- Contains some ingredients with limited proof of efficacy
The Bottom Line
Thyrotain by Ortho Molecular Products includes 2 core ingredients for thyroid health: L-tyrosine and a turmeric complex with a high concentration of curcumin. However, piperine is not provided for optimal absorption of curcumin. Since studies have shown that piperine can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by up to 30 times, the omission of this key absorption factor limits the product's effectiveness.
While Thyrotain does include iodine, it is not derived from a natural source such as bladderwrack or kelp. Instead, the formula contains a large dose of potassium iodide, an industrially manufactured chemical. This highly concentrated form of synthetic iodine can overcompensate for a sluggish thyroid, potentially worsening mood, metabolism, and mental clarity issues.
The product, which has not been evaluated for efficacy in a clinical study, also features ashwagandha root and guggul resin. Studies confirm that ashwagandha is effective for relieving stress and nervousness, which can be caused by a slow thyroid. However, there is little clinical proof that ashwagandha can help boost thyroid hormone production. The same is true of guggul, which has been tested for its effects on thyroid health, skin irritation, weight loss, bone density, and blood sugar with few statistically significant findings.
Click here to visit the product website.
* Results may vary and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using this product. Please visit product website for more information.
Pros
- Contains a form of L-tyrosine that is easily absorbed
- No artificial additives
- Vegetarian, non-GMO, and gluten-free
- Made in the USA
Cons
- No clinical study
- Does not contain 4 out of 5 must-have ingredients
- Contains iodine that is not derived from a natural source
- Contains some ingredients with questionable efficacy
The Bottom Line
Thyroid Synergy by Designs for Health features the single most important compound for effective thyroid support, L-tyrosine, in the form of N-acetyl-L-tyrosine. This is a more bioavailable and easily absorbed version of the essential amino acid than was provided by the other supplements we reviewed.
Despite this strong core ingredient, Thyroid Synergy is missing 4 of the 5 ingredients we consider to be crucial for effective thyroid support. Curcumin and piperine are absent from the formula, as are bladderwrack, kelp, or any other natural source of iodine. Instead, its iodine content is provided by commercially produced potassium iodide. If not carefully administered, this compound can deliver significantly more iodine than is healthy for an individual struggling with a slow thyroid.
Given that the product's claims have not been verified by an independent, third-party clinical study, it is surprising that Designs for Health decided to include American ginseng and forskolin, both of which have limited proof of efficacy for thyroid health. With better options available that are supported by a greater body of scientific evidence, the formula's composition represents a bit of a missed opportunity.
Click here to visit the product website.
* Results may vary and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using this product. Please visit product website for more information.
5. Thyrosol by Metagenics
Pros
- Contains a low dose of iodine
- No artificial additives
- Vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free
- Made in the USA
Cons
- No clinical study
- Does not contain any of our 5 must-have ingredients
- Contains beneficial vitamins and minerals, but they may conflict with a daily multivitamin
The Bottom Line
Thyrosol by Metagenics centers around iodine and is supported by vitamins, minerals, and the stress-relieving herb rhodiola rosea. While the iodine content in this formula is provided by industrially manufactured potassium iodide, it is included in a low dose that is unlikely to cause any ill-effects from oversupplementation.
While the broad array of vitamins and minerals in this formula can improve thyroid health, most modern diets already contain sufficient quantities to maintain proper thyroid function. Moreover, if you are taking a daily multivitamin, taking Thyrosol in addition may result in higher than recommended consumption of certain vitamins and minerals.
Rounding out the formula is rhodiola rosea, a natural stress relief remedy with some promising clinical studies supporting its effectiveness. While mental and physical stress are closely associated with thyroid issues, they are side effects of a sluggish thyroid rather than the cause. The inclusion of rhodiola rosea may merely mask thyroid issues rather than resolving the underlying problem. L-tyrosine or turmeric with a high curcumin concentration would likely be a more effective choice, though a clinical study could justify its presence.
Click here to visit the product website.
* Results may vary and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using this product. Please visit product website for more information.