Italian version

I would like to hear your opinion on using supplements containing calcium, and in general with reference to foods that contain it, in the case of hypothyroidism.
During a visit at an integrated medicine center in Rome, I was told that , since I have hypothyroidism, I should avoid foods like soy, brassicaceae (cabbage, savoy cabbage, cauliflower, etc)but most of all milk, dairy products and calcium supplements that slow down thyroid activity. At this point I wonder "Is this really true'?" "Isn't it dangerous for me if I don't consume enough calcium?" I'm fifty years old and have been in menopause for five.
Thank you for your response.

Dear Reader,

The answer to your question is included in the pages of our website dealing with this subject and can be consulted for more in-depth information.

People who consume calcium in their diet in a proper way don't need to supplement this mineral. The addition of calcium to a diet that already includes for example sesame, soy, broccoli, cabbage, etc is totally useless. This is also true in the case of osteoporosis (providing one truly has it ) that instead requires treatment with natural products such as equisetum that allows for a more efficient use of the calcium that is introduced into the body through one's diet...

It's a different story, however, for calcium derived from milk and dairy products. Today, there is ample documentation on the interference that milk-derived products have on the body's hormonal functions. Just think of the relationship between milk and the increase in insulin resistance not to mention the relationship with complex pathologies like polycystic ovary or hepatic steatosis.

It's precisely for this reason that we're convinced that in the case of hypothyroidism, the excessive consumption of milk and dairy products can have a negative effect on the normalization of .the hormonal situation. We believe that, while the use of dairy products should not be prohibited, it should certainly be limited, setting aside a few days per week in which they can be consumed and others in which one abstains from their use.

At any rate, soy does not in any way alter thyroid function. This type of information derives from the erroneous interpretation of a scientific study that in any case only demonstrated the alteration of a single thyroid parameter (Thyroperoxidase or TPO) in laboratory mice while the normal levels of thyroid functioning remained unvaried.

Lastly, in consideration of your concern about osteoporosis during menopause, we would like to emphasize the fact that a moderate amount of exercise is indispensable for maintaining healthy bones. The impulses that even a simple walk at a brisk pace can give to the bone structure represent an excellent trophic stimulus for the entire skeletal structure

Cordially,

Gabriele Piuri and dr. Attilio Speciani
Medical Staff

Italian version