9 Natural Remedies for Hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease

How to Care for an Overactive Thyroid and Graves’ Disease

If you have hyperthyroidism, you may have been told you have limited options: Medication, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery, all of which can carry meaningful risks or permanent consequences. But dietary changes, targeted supplements, and lifestyle support have a growing body of evidence behind them. These less invasive treatments have been shown to potentially reduce thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TRAb), help manage symptoms, and improve treatment outcomes. For many patients, these approaches work best alongside conventional care rather than instead of it.

Here’s what the research on alternative remedies for hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease shows.

Can Natural Remedies Help with Hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism (also called an overactive thyroid) is when your thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, causing symptoms like a rapid heart rate, anxiety, unexplained weight loss, and muscle weakness. The common causes of hyperthyroidism are: 

1. Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland that leads to hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism 1. 
2. Thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid. Thyroiditis can be caused by viral infections 2, radiation 3, certain medications 1, or recent childbirth (postpartum thyroiditis) 4.
3. Thyroid nodules may affect the production of thyroid hormone and induce hyperthyroidism 1.

Natural remedies cannot cure hyperthyroidism and should not replace conventional medical care. An overactive thyroid can lead to serious complications, including heart damage and a life-threatening thyroid storm 5. But certain dietary changes, supplements, and lifestyle practices have meaningful evidence behind them for reducing thyroid antibodies, managing symptoms, and supporting treatment outcomes alongside your doctor’s care. The sections below cover what the research actually shows.

Diet for Hyperthyroidism

Research suggests your gut health strongly influences your thyroid and your risk for developing autoimmunity 6. One of the biggest steps you can take to improve your gut and immune health is to eat a healthy diet.

One commonly recommended dietary adjustment for hyperthyroidism is reducing specific foods, especially those high in iodine. Because iodine is the primary building block of thyroid hormones, excess iodine can stimulate an already overactive thyroid. High-iodine foods to limit include seaweed, kelp, seafood, iodized salt, egg yolks, and large amounts of dairy. This is particularly relevant in the short term while working to get thyroid hormone levels under control. You can, and should, eventually reintroduce these foods back into your diet once your thyroid is at a good level. You can learn more about dietary changes in my article, Foods to Avoid for Hyperthyroidism (and Foods to Enjoy). 

Intestinal hyperpermeability (also called leaky gut) is suspected to contribute to the development of autoimmune disease 7 8 9. We know that imbalanced gut bacteria can increase intestinal permeability 10 11, as can eating certain foods, such as gluten, in some individuals 12.

Most research on thyroid health and diet has studied how different foods impact an underactive thyroid (also known as hypothyroidism). However, some of these studies may be relevant for autoimmune hyperthyroidism, because they also show that an anti-inflammatory diet can reduce thyroid antibodies. 

For example, a gluten-free diet was shown in one study to help reduce thyroid antibodies in a group of women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis 13. A gene associated with Graves’ disease (CTLA-4) 14 is also associated with celiac disease 15 16, indicating that patients with Graves’ disease may experience gluten sensitivity as well.  

A simple, anti-inflammatory, whole-food diet that is gluten-free (or low in gluten), nutrient-dense, and rich in antioxidants, such as a Paleo-inspired diet, can be a helpful starting point for supporting gut and thyroid health. Research suggests that anti-inflammatory dietary patterns emphasizing whole foods may help reduce inflammation and support immune function 17 18. The benefits likely stem from these shared dietary principles rather than any one specific diet.

My client Amy saw significant improvement in her hyperthyroid symptoms after adopting a gluten-free diet. While gluten isn’t a trigger for everyone with hyperthyroidism, some individuals may experience symptom relief when underlying food sensitivities or autoimmune processes are contributing to inflammation. In Amy’s case, removing gluten was associated with noticeable improvements in symptoms and overall well-being, highlighting the importance of identifying personalized dietary triggers. 

Supplements for Hyperthyroidism

Supplements have a lot of promise as natural remedies for hyperthyroidism and play one of a few different roles. Supplements for hyperthyroidism can help with:

• Reducing thyroid antibodies
• Blocking the action of excess thyroid hormones
• Reducing levels of thyroid hormones
• Reducing hyperthyroid symptoms
• Preventing relapse 

Let’s review what supplements are best to take for hyperthyroidism.

Selenium

Selenium, a mineral that is used as a dietary supplement, has a number of specific and documented benefits for Graves’ disease. 

Patients with Graves’ disease are more likely to have lower selenium levels 19 20, and higher selenium blood levels have been shown to reduce the relapse rate of Graves’ 21. 

Selenium reduces complications of the eye that are associated with Graves’ 22. Finally, two studies indicated that selenium supplementation improved treatment outcomes for patients using conventional hyperthyroid treatments, such as methimazole and radioactive iodine treatment 23.

Overall, this is good evidence that selenium supplementation is worth adding to your hyperthyroidism treatment plan, depending on your individual needs. Because selenium has a tolerable upper intake level of 400 mcg/day, and some foods (such as Brazil nuts) are high in selenium, it’s always a good idea to consult with your medical provider before supplementing with selenium. 

L-Carnitine

L-carnitine is an amino acid supplement that has been shown to reduce hyperthyroid symptoms 24. It’s fast-acting and has a very low risk of side effects 25. A clinical trial found that L-carnitine has the potential to prevent symptoms of hyperthyroidism and even has a positive effect on bone mineralization 25.

However, in this study, L-carnitine did not affect the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) or free T4 and T3 thyroid hormones.

L-carnitine, when used alongside methimazole, can potentially treat a “thyroid storm” — the most severe, life-threatening form of hyperthyroidism 25 26. 

Lemon Balm & Bugleweed

Two herbs, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and bugleweed (Lycopus europaeus), have been shown in limited studies to reduce hyperthyroid symptoms and to block or reduce excess thyroid hormones. 

In one animal study, bugleweed was shown to have a level of effectiveness similar to beta-blockers in protecting the heart from hyperthyroidism-induced damage 27. In another study, it was shown to reduce an elevated heart rate from Graves’ disease in humans and rats 27 28.

Additional studies have indicated that bugleweed and lemon balm may block or decrease thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and reduce T3 and T4 hormone levels, which could potentially reduce the symptoms of hyperthyroidism 29  30.

The evidence here is more preliminary and lower quality than with selenium or L-carnitine, but bugleweed and lemon balm are certainly worth considering as a short-term trial if you have hyperthyroidism. Hopefully, future research will be conducted to confirm these effects in larger samples. 

Short-term Iodine

Iodine is an essential nutrient and a key building block of thyroid hormones. Both too little and too much iodine can disrupt normal thyroid function, making it important to maintain an appropriate intake rather than assuming more is better 31 32.

Most people can meet their iodine needs through food sources such as seafood, seaweed, dairy products, eggs, and iodized salt. Because iodine requirements vary between individuals, supplementation should be approached cautiously, and ideally under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

In some cases, healthcare practitioners may use short-term iodine therapy to help reduce thyroid hormone release in people with hyperthyroidism 33. However, this is typically considered a temporary intervention rather than a long-term solution, as the thyroid often adapts and the effect may diminish over time (33). For this reason, iodine supplementation is not generally recommended as a standalone natural treatment for hyperthyroidism.

Probiotics

At first, it might not seem like probiotics would be relevant to thyroid disease, but a growing body of research shows that thyroid patients often have gut imbalances. For example, studies have found that people with autoimmune hypothyroidism may be more likely to have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) 34 35, leaky gut 9, low stomach acid 36 37, and celiac disease 6, as well as gut infections like H. pylori 38. One particular study noted a strong association between H. pylori infection and Graves’ disease 39.

Probiotics may help support a healthier gut microbiome, improve intestinal barrier function, reduce gut inflammation, and promote healthy immune regulation. Because the gut microbiome appears to play a role in autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Graves’ disease, probiotics may also serve as a useful adjunctive therapy for some people with hyperthyroidism. Early research suggests they may help reduce thyroid autoantibody levels, though more studies are needed to determine their effects on symptoms and thyroid function 40. It’s worth giving it a try, as probiotics have a very low incidence of negative side effects compared to conventional treatment.

Between their safety profile and their demonstrated effects on thyroid health, a trial of triple probiotic therapy is worth exploring.

Vitamin D

Most thyroid-related vitamin D research has studied hypothyroid patients. This research suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with higher levels of thyroid antibodies 41 and that supplementation with vitamin D may decrease them 42. There is a study that suggests hyperthyroid patients who had lower vitamin D levels were more likely to relapse 43.

Considered together, the data suggest vitamin D supplementation may help reduce thyroid antibodies and potentially reduce the likelihood of relapse after treatment for hyperthyroidism.

Stress Reduction and Lifestyle Support 

Stress reduction is good supportive care, no matter your health condition. This is especially true for hyperthyroidism, where common symptoms include an increased heart rate, palpitations, and anxiety. There is no direct evidence that stress reduction practices can improve Graves’ disease or hyperthyroidism, but practices such as meditation, yoga, or cognitive behavioral therapy may support your healing process while you focus on other treatments.

The Bottom Line on Natural Remedies for Hyperthyroidism

Dietary changes, targeted supplements, and lifestyle support have meaningful evidence for helping to manage hyperthyroidism symptoms, reducing thyroid-stimulating antibodies, and improving treatment outcomes. For most people, these approaches work best as part of a broader plan. This should be developed alongside a clinician who understands both the research and the nuances of individual cases.

If you’re looking for that kind of support, the Ruscio Institute’s virtual clinic specializes in a gut-focused, science-based approach to thyroid care. Work with our clinical team here.

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