Can You Quickly Stabilize Your Thyroid? A Look at Thyroid Stabilization Factors and Timelines
"The content below is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition."
It feels like your body is always out of whack. Between the trouble maintaining a healthy weight, constant fatigue, and feeling emotionally dysregulated, you’ve had enough. Have you ever wondered if you will ever feel a sense of normalcy again?
You’re not alone. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can affect your quality of life in major ways. The wonderful news is that you may be able to have more good days and improve your thyroid health with holistic, natural changes in your life. Healthy changes start with understanding your thyroid levels and what most commonly affects them.
Let’s get into how long it takes for thyroid levels to stabilize, seven factors affecting thyroid levels, the timeline to stabilization, potential treatment options to help stabilize thyroid levels, and monitoring thyroid level stability over time.
Table of Contents
How Long Does It Take For Thyroid Levels To Stabilize?
Many factors can affect the length of time it takes for thyroid levels to stabilize. Natural, holistic methods may speed up the process as they may be more accessible than prescription or surgical remedies.
With thyroid replacement therapy, many patients see thyroid levels stabilize within 2-5 weeks. With holistic, natural changes to support a healthy thyroid, changes may take a similar amount of time. It really depends on your specific case. A nutrition consultation with HealthierU can provide some answers about your thyroid levels and potential holistic changes to help you feel better sooner.
Some major causes for thyroid imbalances are:
- Iodine deficiency
- Graves disease
- Autoimmune disease
- Pituitary disorder
- Radiation therapy
- Radioactive iodine treatment
- Pregnancy
- Hypothalamic dysfunction
- Thyroiditis
- Birth defects
- Genetics
- Medical treatments performed to correct an overactive thyroid
Some natural and holistic changes that may improve thyroid function due to any of the previous reasons include:
- Increase iodine levels
- Consume more selenium
- Whole food supplementation
- Avoid processed foods
- Limit sugar
- Reduce stress
- Exercise regularly
- Get enough sleep
- Get enough minerals and nutrients from your diet
- Supplement the most important minerals with vitamins
At
HealthierU, we specialize in thyroid health. With an in-depth consultation, we seek an understanding of the specific causes of your condition and the presentation of symptoms. From there, we tailor a nutrition and wellness plan just for you.
7 Factors Affecting Thyroid Hormone Levels
The different components causing thyroid imbalance affect how long it may take for levels to stabilize. Some changes, such as diet and exercise, can be made with faster results, but others, where comorbidities and genetic factors are contributing to the underlying imbalance, may take longer to see results.
#1: Thyroid Function Disorders
When dealing with a thyroid imbalance, one of two things is typically happening.
Hypothyroidism refers to all conditions that result in an underactive thyroid, meaning that your thyroid struggles to produce enough of the hormones your body needs.
Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, means you have an overactive thyroid, and too many hormones are being produced.
In either case, your levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3) are not at the appropriate levels and cause the symptoms you are experiencing.
#2: Individual Physiology
Metabolism and age (as it relates to metabolic functions) can impact thyroid function. In particular, metabolizing medications are often a big factor. Each case of thyroid imbalance is very individual, and that’s why it is important to understand the combination of factors causing your thyroid dysfunction to know what holistic changes may be most helpful.
#3: Underlying Health Conditions
Conditions, particularly autoimmune disorders like Graves and Hashimoto’s, are the most common causes of thyroid imbalance. These disorders produce either too much or too little TSH, resulting in either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
#4: Genetic Factors
Some people are naturally predisposed to thyroid imbalance and/or have issues responding to medications and treatment. A history of autoimmune diseases impacting the thyroid in your family means a higher chance of you developing the same issues.
#5: Medication and Treatment
Medication and treatment for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affect the levels of TSH, T3, and T4 in your body. It is important to closely monitor levels as you embark on a medication regimen or treatment plan to know if it is working.
#6: Pregnancy
Thyroid hormones change throughout your pregnancy, and thyroid levels change depending on the trimester. It’s perfectly normal to experience these changes, and fortunately there are holistic treatments you can use to help regulate thyroid levels as they ebb and flow throughout your pregnancy.
#7: Lifestyle Factors
Diet and Nutrition
The following factors affect thyroid levels:
- Diet
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Exercise
- BMI
- Low levels of vitamin D, iodine, selenium and other minerals
Environment
Certain chemicals and heavy metals found in your daily environment can affect thyroid levels.
The following chemicals are known to affect thyroid levels:
- Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Triclosan
- Perchlorate and thiocyanate
- Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)
Stress
High-stress lifestyles can lead to thyroid hormone dysregulation. Chronic or acute stress can also amplify underlying health conditions that affect the thyroid. It is incredibly important to maintain low stress levels as much as possible to regulate the thyroid and maintain a healthy balance.
Thyroid Stabilization Timeline: What Does The Timeline Look Like?
The time to see results depends on the type of condition and treatment options. Consistent monitoring of hormone levels is recommended even after they stabilize.
Hypothyroidism
Changes are usually felt within a couple of weeks with significant changes to nutrition and lifestyle. Long-term results with TSH, T3, and T4 levels balancing out happen over the course of a couple of months. Sometimes prescription medications or surgical solutions are necessary, but often holistic, natural methods can make huge improvements in symptoms and overall wellness. This is particularly true if you suffer from subclinical hypothyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism
Medication/beta-blockers can typically be felt within the first few days of starting them. Long-term results are seen within a couple of months to a year. Holistic, natural lifestyle shifts can support and lead to a more rapid return to normalcy and elimination of symptoms. Sometimes, these changes alone can calm an overactive thyroid without the need for medication. It all depends on your specific case.
An in-depth nutrition consultation can offer answers about whether diet and lifestyle changes alone may
help your thyroid health naturally. This is exactly what we offer at HealthierU. Don’t wait to find solutions. We offer flexible scheduling and have helped hundreds of people feel better naturally.
Monitoring Thyroid Level Stability
There are several test options to monitor thyroid level stability. Consistent monitoring is important to ensure thyroid level stabilization. As you make natural, healthy changes to your life with the guidance of nutrition counseling, make sure you routinely get tested to see how your actual hormone levels change.
TSH Test
A TSH test, or thyroid-stimulating hormone test, measures the amount of TSH in your blood. TSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that signals the thyroid to release hormones into the blood. When your TSH levels are too high or too low, your thyroid will be dysregulated.
T3 Test
A T3 test, or triiodothyronine test, measures the amount of T3 in your blood. T3 is a hormone, released by the thyroid, that helps regulate your body's metabolism, growth, heart rate, and body temperature. T3 levels need to be monitored consistently as you try natural or medication treatments for thyroid conditions.
T4 Test
A T4 test, or thyroxine test, measures the level of thyroxine in your blood. Thyroxine is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that primarily controls metabolism and growth.
4 Potential Treatment Options To Help Stabilize Your Thyroid Levels
Staying consistent with the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor or nutritionist is incredibly important. Routine monitoring of TSH, T3, and T4 provides insight into effectiveness and allows for adjustments to the treatment plan as needed. Consistency in regimen and testing may decrease the time to stabilize your thyroid levels.
#1: Medication
The most commonly prescribed medication for thyroid regulation is Levothyroxine. Levothyroxine, also known as L-thyroxine, is a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine. It is used to treat thyroid hormone deficiency or hypothyroidism.
Beta blockers can help manage the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and hand tremors. Beta blockers block the effects of adrenaline and slow down the heart rate.
#2: Radioactive Iodine
Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy is a treatment that uses a low dose of radiation to destroy thyroid cells. It's used to treat hyperthyroidism, certain types of thyroid cancer, and to help determine the cause of hyperthyroidism. RAI is typically prescribed after surgery for thyroid cancer and in severe cases of hyperthyroidism.
Here’s how the treatment works:
- Radioactive iodine is administered in pill form.
- The radioactive iodine travels to and is absorbed by the thyroid.
- The radiation destroys thyroid cells.
#3: Surgery
Thyroid surgery, also known as a thyroidectomy, is a procedure to remove part or all of the thyroid gland. It's performed to treat thyroid cancer, hyperthyroidism, goiter, and other conditions.
Complications after thyroid surgery can include the following:
- Bleeding
- Voice changes
- Low calcium levels
- Infection
Surgery may also drastically improve the quality of life for people with extreme cases, large goiters, or for whom other treatments are not effective. It is important to consider all possible treatments and the most beneficial treatment plan for you.
#4: Natural Options
Thyroid levels can be regulated with natural and holistic shifts in lifestyle. Here are some ways changes in diet, supplements, and stress management can stabilize your thyroid.
Healthy Diet
There are many specific foods that support a healthy thyroid. Many of these nutrients and foods are thoroughly explained in Ayurveda practices.
Some of the most nutrient-rich foods that may particularly help stabilize thyroid levels are:
- Wild-caught fish like tuna
- Canned sardines
- Raw dairy
- Fermented grains
- Brazil nuts
- Spinach
- Grass-fed beef
- Beef liver
- Asparagus
- Chickpeas
- Cocoa
- Brussels sprouts
- Pistachios
- Flax seed
Consuming a diet full of low-sugar, gluten-free, and nutrient-dense foods can lead to stabilization of thyroid levels. Changing your diet may be more accessible and cost-effective than going to a doctor to get prescription medications
Supplements
Ensuring that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals is critical. Your nutritional consultation with HealthierU will include an assessment of any vitamins and supplements you are presently taking, and a treatment plan will include those that would be most beneficial for your specific case.
The following vitamins and minerals may be beneficial for stabilizing thyroid levels:
- Selenium
- Iodine
- B-12
- Zinc
- Iron
- Magnesium
Stress Management
Life can be incredibly stressful, but managing and eliminating stress where possible is key to stabilizing thyroid levels.
Consider which of the following practices might be most beneficial for managing your stress:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Exercise
- Journaling
- Walking
- Relaxing baths and/or showers
- Spiritual practices, in whatever spirituality or faith speaks to you
- Making time for hobbies
Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start making the lifestyle changes that will improve your overall physical and mental health. At HealthierU, we will get to know YOU and can support you in picking the activities that are the most realistic and likely to be the most beneficial.
You Can Make Holistic Changes To Help Stabilize Thyroid Levels with Support From HealthierU
It can feel lonely, isolating, and confusing to suffer in silence.
At HealthierU, we specialize in natural treatment for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. After receiving her Doctor of Chiropractic nearly 25 years ago, Brooklyn Chiropractor Dr. Sergi saw a need from her patients for nutritional support. She sought out a way to combine it with holistic chiropractic care to offer the ultimate natural solution for symptoms and pain.
It is possible to make holistic changes to help stabilize your thyroid levels with support from HealthierU. Schedule your initial consultation today, and let’s get started on the journey to wellness.
