Short Answer: Melatonin is bad for hypothyroidism. Because it has serotonin and it can lower your thyroid hormone levels and TSH secretion.
Hypothyroidism is a condition that affects your thyroid gland, which is located at the base of your neck.
In hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which are essential for regulating your metabolism, growth, development and body temperature.
This can lead to various health problems, such as fatigue, weight gain, depression, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, menstrual irregularities and increased cholesterol levels.
One of the key factors in managing hypothyroidism is diet.
What you consume can affect your thyroid function, which can impact your hypothyroidism symptoms and overall health.
To effectively manage hypothyroidism, you should consume iodine-rich foods like seafood, dairy products and eggs, and avoid goitrogenic foods like cruciferous vegetables, soy products and millet.
Iodine is a trace mineral that your thyroid gland needs to make thyroid hormones, while goitrogens are substances that can interfere with thyroid hormone production or uptake.
Now, melatonin is a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness.
It helps with the timing of your circadian rhythms (24-hour internal clock) and with sleep.
People usually take melatonin supplements to treat insomnia, jet lag or other sleep disorders.
Melatonin is bad for hypothyroidism because it contains serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that can inhibit the activity of the enzyme that converts the thyroid hormone T4 to the more active form T3.
This can lower your thyroid hormone levels and worsen your hypothyroidism symptoms.
Serotonin can also reduce the secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland, which can further impair your thyroid function.
3 milligrams of melatonin can give you about 10% of your daily serotonin needs.
Serotonin can negatively affect hypothyroidism by lowering your thyroid hormone levels and TSH secretion.
Furthermore, melatonin is a hormone and hormones are bad for hypothyroidism.
Because, taking hormones can disrupt your natural hormone balance and interfere with your thyroid medication absorption or effectiveness.
That’s why I suggest you limit your melatonin intake to avoid worsening your hypothyroidism.
Stick to no more than 1 milligram of melatonin per day to minimize the risk of thyroid hormone suppression.
Also, you shouldn’t take melatonin if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune form of hypothyroidism, to prevent triggering an immune response.
Because, melatonin can stimulate your immune system and increase the production of antibodies that attack your thyroid gland.
You can buy melatonin supplements online as well as offline.
To buy it online, there are many brands and marketplace to choose from.
But as a nutritionist I recommend Nature’s Bounty Melatonin from Amazon.
Because, it has a low dose of 1 milligram per tablet, it is gluten-free, non-GMO and has no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners.
Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing hypothyroidism effectively.
I always recommend my hypothyroidism patients to follow a hypothyroidism-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.