Myrrh, Iodine, and More to Cure Hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s and Other Thyroid Disorders
Myrrh works so well with iodine therapy as an herbal remedy for Hashimoto's and other thyroid disorders that it should probably be standard treatment for these diseases.Typically, thyroid disorders consist of the following:
- iodine deficiency,
- supportive nutrient deficiencies that may delay or halt the production of enzymes that remove iodine from the inactive T4 thyroid hormone to produce active T3
- toxicity of the thyroid gland which causes this vital structure to malfunction.
Herbal therapies combined with iodine therapy can be used to cure Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, and other thyroid disorders according to research. These herbal therapies should be administered in addition to supportive nutrient therapies and salt loading / salt flushing.
Click here to learn how to administer Lugol’s iodine with supportive nutrients.
Click here to learn how to do salt loading and salt flushing to detoxify from bromine and fluorine exposure during the initial stages of Lugol’s iodine treatment.
The following herbs have been scientifically proven to work synergistically with iodine supplementation and supportive nutrients to help the body heal from hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, or Hashimoto’s:
Commiphora assists with the conversion from T4 to T3. Iris versicolor is a detoxifying agent that can help remove the toxic halogens bromide and fluoride from the body safely. This promotes the movement of bodily fluids such as saliva, bile, lymph, and digestive secretions to improve overall body function. In combination with other herbs, Iris versicolor promotes weight loss and improves metabolism of stored fat. It has been shown to activate noradrenaline in animal models of disease.
This herb provides a source of iodine and it helps process the iodine and convert it into thyroid hormones. Bladderwrack has a high vitamin, mineral, and fiber content. It contains a mix of both macro and micronutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. It is consumed as a food in Asia and some parts of Western Europe.
- Nettle Leaf / Urtica dioica
- Urtica dioica can help detoxify the body from halogens. It can also reduce cystitis irritation due to bromide exposure.
Triphala is an important herbal remedy for constipation, which can occur in hypothyroidism. Constipation in those with hypothyroidism can increase estrogen levels which then, in turn also raises thyroid-binding globulin levels. In effect, this then decreases levels of bioavailable thyroid hormones in the body. By using Triphala, those with hypothyroidism can avoid constipation which, in turn, helps maintain normal thyroid hormone levels.
Note that studies have combined only Triphala with Punarnavadi Kashayam decoction as an herbal remedy for hypothyroidism. In these studies, participants showed significant improvement on subjective parameters. At the end of the trial, 6.66% of participants continued their previous dosage of levothyroxine while 80% of patients were able to stop their levothyroxine treatment altogether. Punarnavadi Kashaya is an herbal remedy for hypothyroidism that contains 3 separate herbs.
Bacopa monnieri scavenges for damaging radicals. Bacopa monnieri is a thyroid stimulant. As such, it should be avoided by those with hyperthyroidism.
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Iodine Supportive Nutrients
When taken with the iodine-support nutrients, the herbs listed above provide additional support to those who wish to cure Hashitmoto’s or hypothyroidism. Below are supportive nutrients that are essential when doing iodine therapy:- Trace minerals / Shilajit - 250 mg per day adults; 50 mg per day or less in infants; 125 mg per day in children
- Selenium in the selenomethionine form- 200-400 mcg in adults; 20 mcg in infants and young children below 8 years; 40 mcg in children 9-13 years
- Vitamin K2 / MK-7 - 200 to 300 mcg per day in adults; 50-100 mcg per day in kids
- Vitamin B2 - 400 mg daily in adults; 6 mg daily in infants; 30 mg daily in children
- Vitamin B3 - 500 mg daily in adults; 6 mg daily in infants; 30 mg daily in children
- Magnesium - 800-1200 mg in adults; 65 mg per day in infants; 350 mg per day in children -- a magnesium oil roller can be applied to the skin or administer magnesium via epsom salts bath once or twice daily in children or adults.
- L-Tyrosine - 1000 to 2000 mg per day in adults; 250-500 mg per day in children
- Vitamin C - 2000-5000 mg/day during in adults; 500 mg per day in children
- Boron - 3 - 6 mg per day in adults
- Zinc - 15-30 mg per day in adults; 1 mg per day in infants; 2-10 mg per day in children
- NOTE: Ideally, in adults, zinc should be taken at a 15 mg dose with 2 mg of copper to prevent the zinc from leaching copper out of the body, but there are no healthy children's supplements that contain copper. The trace mineral supplement below contains copper and is thus very important for kids to prevent copper deficiency while supplementing with zinc.
- Iron - 18 mg per day in adults, 9 mg children
Myrrh as a Natural Treatment for Thyroid Problems
Thyroid-related conditions are some of the most common health problems on the planet today. This isn’t surprising given the systematic removal of iodine fortification from the food supply in many countries. The thyroid conditions that can be treated using iodine supplementation, supportive nutrients, and myrrh include:- Hypothyroidism
- Subclinical hypothyroidism
- Hashimoto’s
- Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome
- Hypercholesterolemia with lipid peroxidation and atherosclerosis
- Arthritis
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Species of Myrrh That Can Be Used to Treat Thyroid Conditions
A number of species of Myrrh have been used successfully with iodine to treat thyroid disorders. The species that have been used successfully in this capacity include:- Commiphora molmol
- Commiphora madagascariensis
- Commiphora abyssinica
- Commiphora habessinica / Abyssinian myrrh
How Does Myrrh Work as a Natural Treatment for Thyroid Problems
Myrrh seems to work by enhancing the synthesis of T3 by increasing the conversion of T4 to T3. Both T3 and T4 thyroid hormones are produced primarily from Lugol’s iodine and L-Tyrosine (an amino acid). In fact, the designation “T3” comes from the fact that Tyrosine is bound to 3 iodine atoms. T4 is Tyrosine bound to 4 iodine atoms.Supportive nutrients like zinc, magnesium, trace minerals such as manganese, the B complex vitamins, and magnesium are used to produce the enzymes that remove the 4th iodine from Tyrosine (T4) to produce the active T3 thyroid hormone. But Guggul improves this conversion from T4 to T3 and can be taken with the iodine-supporting nutrients to further improve results.
The oleo-resin of Myrrh also appears to increase the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland, enhancing the activity of thyroid peroxidase enzymes. Further, substances known as “guggulsterones” found in Myrrh oleo resins act on bile acid receptors in the liver to promote healthy lipid metabolism. This may explain why myrrh has a positive impact on hyperlipidemia in patients with hypothyroidism.
In scientific studies, Commiphora has been shown to reduce the effects of thyroid suppressing drugs. Scientists concluded as a result of these studies that myrrh may be useful in the treatment of hypothyroidism by increasing the amount of the active form of thyroid hormone and by inhibiting lipid peroxidation that can negatively impact the health of the thyroid gland.
Side Effects Associated with Myrrh Administration
Most people experience few or no side effects after myrrh administration, but in some people, it may cause symptoms of bromine detoxification including the bromaderma rash, gastrointestinal issues and more.Myrrh Dosage with Iodine Therapy:
Administer Lugol’s iodine according to the Basic Protocol. Administer Myrrh as an adjuvant therapy with Lugol’s iodine and supportive nutrients at 500-2000 mg per day, standardized at 2.5% to 5% gugglsterones. Administer in divided doses 2 to 3 times daily. Or put 2-3 drops of myrrh essential oil at the base of the neck daily.Some studies have shown that myrrh and frankincense can be combined together and these two resins actually enhance each other’s effects. Both frankincense (Boswellia serrata) and myrrh are nourishing to the thyroid gland. Put 1-2 drops of both frankincense and myrrh (a total of 4 drops) at the base of the neck daily as a natural treatment for hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, or Hashimoto’s disease.
Other Herbs to Combine with Myrrh to Cure Hashimoto’s Naturally
- Iris versicolor / Blue Flag Dosing:
Or, administer 100-200 mg of Iris versicolor daily to support proper detoxification of the thyroid gland.
- Fucus vesiculosus / Bladderwrack
Administer 500-600 mg of Bladderwrack daily.
- Urtica dioca / Nettle Leaf
Administer 4 grams of dried herb as a tea 3 to 4 times daily (12-16 grams per day). Note that there is a connection between hypothyroidism and cystitis / bladder irritation and inflammation. Urtica dioica is an herb that can help reduce cystitis naturally during the bromide detoxification phase.
- Withania somnifera / Ashwagandha
Administer between 600-3000 mg per day.
- Triphala
Administer ½ to 1 tablespoon daily.
- Bacopa monnieri
Administer at least 350-400 mg per day, but note that the thyroid stimulating effects are most often seen at doses of 200 mg per kilogram of the patient’s body weight. Always take this herb either with a meal or combine it with ghee to encourage proper absorption by the body. At the high dose, Bacopa monnieri can boost the amount of Thyroxin (T4) in the body by up to 41%. We suggest that you start at a low dose and increase slowly to the proper, high dose over the course of several weeks.
Summary
If you read this entire article, you likely noted that there is more than one herbal combination that you can use with iodine therapy (iodine + supportive nutrients) to overcome thyroid disorders. As we discussed above, thyroid disorders usually involve a combination of toxic exposure (usually to a halogen such as bromide or fluoride or both), iodine deficiency, and thyroid hormone enzyme nutrient deficiencies. Some of the herbs that discuss above are vital in detoxifying the thyroid gland and other tissues in the body. Other herbs provide nutrients and still others assist in the proper functioning of the thyroid gland through unknown or only partially-known pathways.The use of myrrh with iodine therapy should probably be standard as a natural treatment for Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism and other thyroid disorders. Frankincense, of course, combines well with myrrh and can work synergistically with iodine by providing essential micronutrients to ensure proper iodine absorption.
In addition to myrrh, we’ve provided a list of herbs above that can be used to restore health to the thyroid gland. If you suffer from Hashimoto’s or hyperthyroidism, be sure to take note of each herb’s effects on thyroid functioning. Avoid thyroid-stimulating herbs if you have an overactive thyroid gland.
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Resources:
• Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine (2023). Guggul / Commiphora mukul. Retrieved June 9, 2023 from https://restorativemedicine.org/library/monographs/guggul/
• Stansbury, J. et al. (2012). Promoting Healthy Thyroid Function with Iodine, Bladderwrack, Guggul, and Iris. Retrieved June 9, 2023 from https://restorativemedicine.org/journal/promoting-healthy-thyroid-function-with-iodine-bladderwrack-guggul-and-iris/
• Cao, B. et al. (2019). Seeing the Unseen of the Combination of Two Natural Resins, Frankincense and Myrrh: Changes in Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities. Retrieved June 9, 2023 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6749531/
• Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine (2023). Blue Flag (Iris versicolor). Retrieved June 10, 2023 from https://restorativemedicine.org/library/monographs/blue-flag/
• Ruggieri, C. (2020). Bladderwrack Benefits for Thyroid Health, Digestion, and More. Retrieved June 10, 2023 from https://draxe.com/nutrition/bladderwrack/
• Karishma, S. et al. (2018). Efficacy of Tiphaladya guggulu and Punarnavadi kashaya in the management of hypothyroidism. Retrieved June 10, 2023 from https://www.ayucare.org/article.asp?issn=2667-0593;year=2018;volume=1;issue=1;spage=34;epage=39;aulast=Karishma#:~:text=Triphala%20can%20prove%20to%20be,component%20of%20Devadaru%20and%20Amalaki.&text=Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20natural,by%20optimizing%20functions%20of%20thyroid.
