December 10, 2025

UNDERSTANDING HYPERTHYROIDISM

UNDERSTANDING HYPERTHYROIDISM

Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

One topic that I feel does not get enough attention is hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid. Most people know or have heard of hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid. What they do not know is that the exact opposite can occur and you can end up with too much thyroid hormone in your body. It is an interesting topic so let us get into it, shall we? What even is hyperthyroidism and how does it present itself? Hyperthyroidism is where you produce too much thyroid hormone. Your TSH will be lower than optimum and your T3/T4 will be higher than normal. Hyperthyroidism can sometimes present as something called a thyroid storm. This is dangerous and is beyond the scope of this article. A thyroid storm must be treated conventionally. Once the storm calms and things settle depending on what is going on with the thyroid complementary medicine can be combined with conventional treatments. (1)

The symptoms of hyperthyroidism are sometimes quite similar to those of hypothyroidism. However, in most cases these symptoms are the exact opposite! For example in both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism people experience hair loss, changes in menstrual cycles as well as fatigue. Many with hyperthyroidism will experience a rapid heartbeat as well as a nervous/anxious feeling. Unlike in hypothyroidism where weight gain is common in hyperthyroidism there is an increased appetite but this increase in appetite is accompanied by weight loss. Instead of constipation there is diarrhea. Instead of being cold there is an intolerance to heat, Swelling of the eyes as well as swelling/ enlargement of the neck due to the enlargement of the thyroid is also very common.(2) I will include a picture of all the many symptoms of hyperthyroidism since it affects almost every system! (3)

While we may not know the exact cause of hyperthyroidism we do know certain risk factors. First consuming too much iodine can put you at risk of producing too much thyroid hormone (which is why taking iodine in high doses can be dangerous). Inflammatory and autoimmune problems can affect the thyroid as well. For example, thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid. It is interesting because it can initially cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism but overtime the thyroid gets “tired” and this leads to less hormone being produced leading to a switch to hypothyroidism! Interesting stuff! Graves’ disease is an autoimmune that causes 85% of all hyperthyroidism cases!

Thyroid nodules are a growth of extra thyroid cells. These may or may not be able to produce hormones. If they do produce hormones there will be extra hormones leading to hyperthyroidism. If the cells are inactive, they do not lead to hyperthyroidism. (4)

What can you do?

There are herbs and supplements found to be helpful either in studies or in traditional uses passed down through generation to generation. As I mentioned previously in this article a thyroid storm is dangerous and must be treated conventionally until it has passed the dangerous phase. Working with hyperthyroidism is in a way more difficult than hypothyroidism because the increase in hormones can be dangerous. I advise working with a qualified nutritionist from InVite Health.

L – Carnitine (and its friend Alcar!) These have been found in studies to inhibit the production of both T4 and T3! This leads to an overall reduction in hormones! Leading to fewer symptoms. (5) See Invite’s Alcar with ALA, or our SuperFocus IQ.
CoQ10 has an interesting relationship with thyroid health. Studies show that in cases of hyperthyroidism there is exceptionally low plasma CoQ10. This is opposed to hypothyroidism which has extremely elevated levels of plasma CoQ10. In the case of hyperthyroidism CoQ10 in studies appears to lower the conversion of T4 to T3. Thus, reducing active hormones and therefore reducing symptoms. (6) See Invite’s CoQ10 60mg and 120mg . CoQ10 is also found in Invite’s Energy Hx and Ribose complex!
Magnesium is important for many aspects of our health. In fact, it does over 300 jobs in our body! For those with hyperthyroidism it is important to take magnesium because hyperthyroidism can increase excretion of magnesium leading to low levels. In fact, studies have found those with hyperthyroid have low levels of magnesium. (7) Please see Invite’s Magnesium Glycinate, citrate and our Bio Avail magnesium powder.
L Theanine has been found to help reduce anxiety in studies. (8) From my clinical and personal experience, I have found it can also improve sleep quality. This is important because hyperthyroidism will often trigger anxiety and trouble sleeping. Please see Invite’s L Theanine.
Hawthorne has been found to be immensely helpful for heart health in studies. (9) This is important because having hyperthyroidism can impact heart health. Please see Invite’s Cardio Hx and Normo-tensive.
Organic Greens, Whey Protein, and Collagen are a fantastic group of powders that can be easily mixed. Why am I suggesting these? Well, they can help to provide nutrition and help for those who need to increase calories due to weight loss.