Flax Seed and Hypothyroid - Pam?

[JuliaL]

I saw Pam's post on the ML about how flax seed binds with thyroid hormone. I've been eating a tbs of ground flax on my oatmeal every morning, and I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's. I tried to do some research on it, and came across this article written by Mary Shomon on a thyroid info site. The Dr. referenced is:

Edward Bauman, Ph.D. is founder and director of the Institute for Educational Therapy in Cotati, California. The Institute trains nutritionists and culinary arts professionals in how to identify and correctly use foods for their healing properties. With his emphasis on the healing and health-promoting qualities of whole foods, Dr. Bauman and the Institute are offering an entirely new focus on food, and creating a new profession -- Personal Therapeutic Chef -- in the process. Dr. Bauman is also a nutrition member of the California Institute of Integrative Medicine in Santa Rosa, California and Associate Dean of Nutrition at the University of Natural Medicine in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Eat More Fish and Flax Seeds

Dr. Bauman believes fatty acids are vital for the uptake of the thyroid. Ocean fish are one good source of fatty acids. While you'd still be better off replacing some meat in your diet with something like canned tuna, some tunas have methyl mercury, so you are better off going with ocean fish. Keep in mind that most salmon sold in the U.S. is farm raised. In order to have the needed Omega-3 fatty acids, fish need to eat algae, so farm-raised fish do not have fatty acid value.

Another good source is whole flax seeds. According to Dr. Bauman, flax seeds look like sesame seeds, and have a good taste. They offer high fiber and lignans, vitamin E and zinc, from a nutritional perspective. He recommends grinding fresh flax seeds in a coffee grinder, and sprinkling the powder on hot cereal, or over a salad, or in a soup, eating 1 - 2 tablespoons, a few times a day. (Keep in mind to add the ground flax seeds to foods after cooking.)

Anyone have more info? Pam?

[nonstickpam107]

Dr. Bauman can eat a lb. of flaxsed as far as I'm concerned. I go quite 'hypo'...swelling, fatigued, etc. and have even seen the difference in my FT3, and FT4 blood work (and my NP from the endo called me, asking WHAT I was doing...heh heh...and it was the flaxseed meal I was eating). Flax has lignans, which fight cancer, but which can be quite the powerful estrogen (phytoestrogen) also.

Each to their own, as I always say, but heating it to kill the goitrogen effect also 'ruins' teh essential lignans.

Hashimoto's is autoimmune, generally triggered by 'hormone upheaval' (pregnancy, menopause, etc.) and if you think flaxseed is binding your T4 (making it quite impossible for it to convert to T3, and those with Hashi's almost ALWAYS ALWAYS need T3 in addition to T4), than you need to avoid it, OR take the SAME amount EVERY day and have the doc add MORE T3 until your FT3 is in the midway or higher levels.

I love raw cauliflower and broc. and strawberries (all goitrogens) but my doctor keeps me very well medicated (my FT3 is about 3/4 of it's lab range, right where it should be). Flaxseed and soy and EPO and OTC phytoestrogens (like Remifemin stuff) all made my FT's really slip..noticeably, proven by my blood testing.

ETA: You are eating flaxseed for the OIL...so just take the oil (which is cold pressed and doesn't have the same affect).

Pam

[JuliaL]

Thanks Pam, great information as always. I've read that broccoli and cauliflower are not goitrogens if they are cooked, is that right? I didn't know about strawberries! What are EPO and OTC?

[nonstickpam107]

Evening primrose oil and over the counter.

Yeah, I can get away with eating a lot of uncooked cauli and broc though...my doc makes sure my FT3 is quite high in range (where I need it!) ...I'm on Armour Thyroid of course...the pig thyroid that has T!, T2, T3, T4 and calcitonin (for bone health). It mimics a real female thyroid so WELL that I don't feel hypothyroid at all (unless I forget to take a split dose, ha ha). Never has a hormone worked so well, yet cost so little (my dose is a whopping nine bucks a month for name brand).

Pam

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

Dr. Bauman can eat a lb. of flaxsed as far as I'm concerned. I go quite 'hypo'...swelling, fatigued, etc. and have even seen the difference in my FT3, and FT4 blood work (and my NP from the endo called me, asking WHAT I was doing...heh heh...and it was the flaxseed meal I was eating). Flax has lignans, which fight cancer, but which can be quite the powerful estrogen (phytoestrogen) also.

ETA: You are eating flaxseed for the OIL...so just take the oil (which is cold pressed and doesn't have the same affect).

Pam

Hi Pam! I'm really confused. I was under the impression that even flaxseed OIL was bad for hypothyroid people. Is that wrong?

[nonstickpam107]

Flaxseed oils have the phytoestrogens pressed out. Same with soybean. I take a capsule that has flaxseed oil and other oils. Doesn't bother me like raw flaxseed itself.

Pam

[Mack]

Julia,
this article says @ 1/3 of the goitrogens in broc. inactivated by cooking...

WHFoods: What are goitrogens and in which foods are they found?

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

Flaxseed oils have the phytoestrogens pressed out. Same with soybean. I take a capsule that has flaxseed oil and other oils. Doesn't bother me like raw flaxseed itself.

Pam

Wow, thanks Pam! That's great to know! I knew that the soybean oil was OK but I sure didn't know about the flaxseed oil. I can't believe I didn't understand that before!

So to clarify - for hypos, the flaxseed OIL is fine and BAKED flaxseed is OK too. It's only the fresh, raw form of flaxseed that we need to look out for. Is that correct?

[nonstickpam107]

I think that's about right...if it's cooked though, you're losing all the lignans and 'good' things in flaxseed, just to warn you, and it can damage the oil in flaxseed to cook it. It'd be more 'healthy' to just take the flaxseed oil.

Pam

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

I think that's about right...if it's cooked though, you're losing all the lignans and 'good' things in flaxseed, just to warn you, and it can damage the oil in flaxseed to cook it. It'd be more 'healthy' to just take the flaxseed oil.

Pam

Thanks Pam!

[wifezilla]

If you need more Omega 3 but don't want to mess with flax, what about chia seeds?

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by wifezilla

If you need more Omega 3 but don't want to mess with flax, what about chia seeds?

I don't know if you are asking me, wifezilla, but I actually get my Omega 3 from Carlson Fish Oil Capsules. I was just curious about the flax oil.

[nonstickpam107]

Chia seeds aren't a good option for those with hypothyroidism. Unless toasted (then they, like flaxseeds, don't have the nutritive values raw does).

I take capsules too. Easier. I'm allergic to nuts and no nut oils here, and don't do flaxseed itself.

Pam

[seldomcontent]

Ok, so let me get this straight......the flax muffins I make are ok because they're baked (for about 10-15 minutes.)
I'm hypo, btw.

TIA!

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by seldomcontent

Ok, so let me get this straight......the flax muffins I make are ok because they're baked (for about 10-15 minutes.)
I'm hypo, btw.

TIA!

Um, they might be. Depends on where your FT4, FT3 labs are. If FT4 is about midway or a little higher and FT3 is higher than that, you should be ok.

Pam

[inatic]

Fish oil is much better for epa/dha's than flax. in women, there is often a conversion problem. Our coach discourages flax oil for that reason.