{"id":290,"date":"2020-02-09T18:27:49","date_gmt":"2020-02-09T18:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/codesupply.co\/rhoncus-ante-sit-nulla-sed-tellus-blandit-eleifend-nascetur\/"},"modified":"2025-04-30T09:01:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T09:01:55","slug":"vitamin-d-thyroid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/2020\/02\/09\/vitamin-d-thyroid\/","title":{"rendered":"Can vitamin D help with low thyroid function?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-cnvs-dropcap-bordered\">Vitamin D is most commonly associated with immune support, bone strength, and winter fatigue. But in recent years, researchers have started looking into its potential role in supporting <strong>thyroid health<\/strong> \u2014 especially for people with <strong>hypothyroidism<\/strong>, or low metabolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea is gaining attention: could something as simple as optimising your vitamin D levels help regulate your thyroid?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at what the science actually says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-link-between-vitamin-d-and-thyroid-function\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The link between vitamin D and thyroid function<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Low thyroid function, also called <strong>hypothyroidism<\/strong>, means the body isn\u2019t producing enough thyroid hormones. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, sensitivity to cold, low mood, and sluggish metabolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common cause of hypothyroidism in the Nordic countries is <strong>Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis<\/strong> \u2014 an autoimmune condition where the body\u2019s immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, research shows that many people with Hashimoto\u2019s or hypothyroidism also have <strong>low levels of vitamin D<\/strong>. While that doesn\u2019t prove cause and effect, it suggests a connection worth exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-studies-are-showing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What studies are showing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In a recent clinical trial published in <em>BMC Endocrine Disorders<\/em>, researchers followed 42 people with hypothyroidism and vitamin D deficiency. Over three months, one group received 50,000 IU of vitamin D per week, while the other got a placebo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The results were promising:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The group that received vitamin D saw <strong>lower levels of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone)<\/strong>, suggesting improved thyroid function. Participants also had <strong>better levels of the active thyroid hormone, T3<\/strong> \u2014 and reported higher energy and better wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-vitamin-d-might-matter\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why vitamin D might matter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Vitamin D acts more like a <strong>hormone<\/strong> than a traditional vitamin. It plays a key role in regulating the immune system and inflammation \u2014 both of which are deeply involved in thyroid health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Low vitamin D may worsen autoimmune activity or slow down the conversion of T4 to the active T3 hormone, which could explain why some people feel worse when their vitamin D levels are low \u2014 even if they\u2019re on thyroid medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"should-you-supplement\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Should you supplement?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you live in a Nordic country, the short answer is: probably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vitamin D deficiency is <strong>extremely common<\/strong> during autumn and winter months due to low sun exposure. Even in summer, most people don\u2019t get enough UVB exposure to maintain optimal levels \u2014 especially if they wear sunscreen or spend time mostly indoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Danish Health Authority recommends <strong>10 mcg (400 IU)<\/strong> per day as a baseline. But most functional medicine practitioners and some newer studies suggest that <strong>50\u2013100 mcg (2000\u20134000 IU)<\/strong> may be more effective for people with autoimmune or thyroid issues \u2014 especially if they are already deficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"our-thoughts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Our thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vitamin D isn\u2019t a magic cure for thyroid disorders. But it\u2019s <strong>a low-cost, low-risk tool<\/strong> that might support thyroid function and reduce symptoms in people who are deficient \u2014 which is many of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you suspect low thyroid function or struggle with low energy, it\u2019s worth checking your vitamin D levels with a simple blood test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, the missing piece isn\u2019t a new medication \u2014 it\u2019s <strong>a nutrient your body simply hasn\u2019t had enough of<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Vitamin D is most commonly associated with immune support, bone strength, and winter fatigue. But in recent years,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"disabled","csco_page_header_type":"full","csco_page_load_nextpost":"default","csco_post_video_location":["large-header","archive"],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,4],"tags":[96,41,97,95],"class_list":{"0":"post-290","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-video","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"category-lifestyle","9":"tag-d-vitamin","10":"tag-supplement","11":"tag-thyroid","12":"tag-vitamin-d","13":"post_format-post-format-video","14":"cs-entry","15":"cs-video-wrap"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4483,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions\/4483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordicmag.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}