What Supplements to take to increase T4 to T3 conversion?

What supplements help T4 hormone convert better to T3 within the liver?
Written by Raina Kranz- Kaplan C.P.T, A.C.S.M
Thyroid hormone conversion can be very tricky for many thyroid patients. When deciding to assist this process you should consider things that need to be removed from your diet as well as what should be added.
Let’s take a look at the things that may need to be taken into consideration.
1) Alcohol – All alcohol is processed through the liver. Drinking can slow conversion of T4 to T3 and it can increase the amount of T4 converts to reverse T3.
2) Soy, estrogenic supplements or excess estrogen can interfere with T4 hormone conversion to T3.
3) Over- Training can cause depletion of T3 levels for up 48 hours and can cause higher conversion of Rt3
4) Under eating and or eating too little carbohydrate
5) Stress
6) Lack of sleep
7) Other medications (for example: blood pressure, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications)
8) PCOS
9) Liver disease
Let’s take a look at what we can do to help us convert our thyroid hormones better.
1) Drinking plenty of water with fresh lemon
2) Dandelion tea or supplements
3) Vitamin C
4) Selenium as L-selenomethionine, and selenium-methyl L-selenocysteine.
Selenium will not help reverse the over conversion of T4 to RT3. It would be better to stop taking selenium temporarily until you have a better ratio of T3/rT3. Also selenium should be tested to make sure you are taking the right amount and not too much. Too much selenium can cause hair loss and dry brittle nails. Zinc and Iron are important supplements, but should be tested to make sure you are not taking too much.
5) Zinc as Gluconate
6) NAC (N-Acetyl – cysteine) specifically lowers the cytokine involved with Rt3 levels. Increased IL-6 Promotes inflammation and raises Rt3 levels in the blood. Lowering IL-6 is one of the things this Powerful antioxidant does. (300mg-600mg)
7) Vitamin D3
8) Vitamin B12
9) Iron
All nutrient levels should be tested before starting any supplement. Finding a baseline will determine if you require a little help or not. Re testing levels at least twice a year to make sure you not over doing it.
Sources;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30255760
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30008280
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25148231
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30208979
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29662265
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25758370
DISCLAIMER; the information in this article is meant for educational purposes only. Lab test should be run and evaluated by a medical professional. Supplements should be checked against all other medication and conditions. All changes in your treatment needs to be discussed with your physician.