Fenugreek and the Thyroid
Hi, this is my first post, I’m Izzy. I’ve been lurking a while and haven’t found a discussion on the thyroid-interfering effects of fenugreek.
I know the lovely TibetanPrincess has Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and had a negative experience with NBE herbs. I also have Hashimoto’s, so the thyroid is of personal interest to me.
However, even if you don’t have thyroid issues, this is relevant. Women are much more prone to thyroid issues than men. The thyroid affects every part of the body and can definitely interfere with one’s NBE journey if levels are amiss. Fenugreek is a commonly used NBE herb.
This post is separated into
-Quick primer on thyroid hormones
-Fenugreek’s effect on thyroid hormones, study
-Conclusion
Quick primer on thyroid hormones for those who need it:
–
There are two thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
T4 is a pro-hormone, meaning it’s a precursor to another hormone. The body processes T4 into T3.
T4 is a much weaker thyroid hormone than T3.
T4 can be converted to T3 in the thyroid (intrathyroidal conversion) or in other organs such as the liver, kidneys, and muscles (peripheral conversion). 80% of T4 → T3 conversion is peripheral.
Thyroid hormones (TH) can either be bound, by thyroxine-binding proteins, or free in the blood (free TH). Free TH is the active form, it can travel through the blood, around the body, and into cells.
Ordinarily, 99.97 percent of thyroid hormone is bound, whilst 0.03% is free and active.
Certain chemicals can regulate amounts of thyroxine-binding proteins, altering your ratio of bound and free TH.
Estrogen increases thyroxine-binding proteins. Testosterone, on the other hand, decreases thyroxine-binding proteins. Simply put, thyroxine-binding proteins up↑ = free TH down↓. Thyroxine-binding proteins down↓ = free TH up↑.
Your total thyroid hormone still remains the same.
TSH – Thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, tells your body to produce more thyroid hormones.
If you are hypothyroid, your doctor has most likely put you on a synthetic form of T4, expecting your body to convert enough of it to T3. To be healthy, you need appropriate levels of both T4 and T3.
--
Fenugreek
Study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...1899905108
PANDA, S., TAHILIANI, P. and KAR, A., 1999. INHIBITION OF TRIIODOTHYRONINE PRODUCTION BY FENUGREEK SEED EXTRACT IN MICE AND RATS. Pharmacological Research, 40(5), pp.405-409.
Relevant extracts and graph:
“From the results, it is evident that fenugreek seed extract decreases serum T3 concentration both in mice and rats. The significant decrease in serum T3 concentration following the administration of fenugreek seed extract indicates that T3 synthesis is inhibited by the plant extract.
It therefore appears that, in the present study, decreased serum T3 concentrations following the seed extract administration may be the result of the inhibition in peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 in extrathyroidal tissues. This is further evidenced by a decreased T3:T4 ratio in treated mice and rats. Of course the possibility that fenugreek seed extract also decreases intrathyroidal conversion of T4 to T3 cannot be ruled out. Interestingly T4 concentration was found to be more in treated animals. This is understandable, as it is known that T4 acts as a prohormone or substrate for T3 formation and obviously its availability in circulation is expected to be more when T4to T3 conversion becomes less.
Graph:
https://imgur.com/a/b0kSF5G
Hi, this is my first post, I’m Izzy. I’ve been lurking a while and haven’t found a discussion on the thyroid-interfering effects of fenugreek.
I know the lovely TibetanPrincess has Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and had a negative experience with NBE herbs. I also have Hashimoto’s, so the thyroid is of personal interest to me.
However, even if you don’t have thyroid issues, this is relevant. Women are much more prone to thyroid issues than men. The thyroid affects every part of the body and can definitely interfere with one’s NBE journey if levels are amiss. Fenugreek is a commonly used NBE herb.
This post is separated into
-Quick primer on thyroid hormones
-Fenugreek’s effect on thyroid hormones, study
-Conclusion
Quick primer on thyroid hormones for those who need it:
–
There are two thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
T4 is a pro-hormone, meaning it’s a precursor to another hormone. The body processes T4 into T3.
T4 is a much weaker thyroid hormone than T3.
T4 can be converted to T3 in the thyroid (intrathyroidal conversion) or in other organs such as the liver, kidneys, and muscles (peripheral conversion). 80% of T4 → T3 conversion is peripheral.
Thyroid hormones (TH) can either be bound, by thyroxine-binding proteins, or free in the blood (free TH). Free TH is the active form, it can travel through the blood, around the body, and into cells.
Ordinarily, 99.97 percent of thyroid hormone is bound, whilst 0.03% is free and active.
Certain chemicals can regulate amounts of thyroxine-binding proteins, altering your ratio of bound and free TH.
Estrogen increases thyroxine-binding proteins. Testosterone, on the other hand, decreases thyroxine-binding proteins. Simply put, thyroxine-binding proteins up↑ = free TH down↓. Thyroxine-binding proteins down↓ = free TH up↑.
Your total thyroid hormone still remains the same.
TSH – Thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, tells your body to produce more thyroid hormones.
If you are hypothyroid, your doctor has most likely put you on a synthetic form of T4, expecting your body to convert enough of it to T3. To be healthy, you need appropriate levels of both T4 and T3.
--
Fenugreek
Study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...1899905108
PANDA, S., TAHILIANI, P. and KAR, A., 1999. INHIBITION OF TRIIODOTHYRONINE PRODUCTION BY FENUGREEK SEED EXTRACT IN MICE AND RATS. Pharmacological Research, 40(5), pp.405-409.
Relevant extracts and graph:
“From the results, it is evident that fenugreek seed extract decreases serum T3 concentration both in mice and rats. The significant decrease in serum T3 concentration following the administration of fenugreek seed extract indicates that T3 synthesis is inhibited by the plant extract.
It therefore appears that, in the present study, decreased serum T3 concentrations following the seed extract administration may be the result of the inhibition in peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 in extrathyroidal tissues. This is further evidenced by a decreased T3:T4 ratio in treated mice and rats. Of course the possibility that fenugreek seed extract also decreases intrathyroidal conversion of T4 to T3 cannot be ruled out. Interestingly T4 concentration was found to be more in treated animals. This is understandable, as it is known that T4 acts as a prohormone or substrate for T3 formation and obviously its availability in circulation is expected to be more when T4to T3 conversion becomes less.
Graph:
https://imgur.com/a/b0kSF5G
