You’re tired. Not just "I stayed up too late watching Netflix" tired, but a bone-deep, heavy-limbed exhaustion that hits before the sun even goes down. You might notice your hair thinning in the shower or that your skin feels like parchment paper no matter how much lotion you slather on. When you ask a doctor how to increase thyroid performance, you often get a generic script for Levothyroxine and a "your labs look normal" pat on the back.
But "normal" isn't "optimal."
The thyroid gland is a tiny, butterfly-shaped power plant sitting in your neck. It’s the master regulator. If it’s sluggish, everything else—from your heart rate to how fast you burn calories—starts to drag.
Honestly, the medical community is currently divided on how to handle subclinical hypothyroidism. Some doctors won't treat you unless your TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is through the roof. Others, like those at the Institute for Functional Medicine, argue that waiting for a total system failure is a terrible way to practice medicine. If you want to know how to increase thyroid output naturally or through targeted intervention, you have to look at the raw materials your body needs to actually build these hormones.
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Why Your TSH Might Be Lying to You
Most people think a TSH test is the gold standard. It isn’t.
TSH is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone. It’s your brain screaming at your thyroid to "wake up!" If your TSH is high, your brain thinks the thyroid is slacking. But here’s the kicker: you can have a perfect TSH and still feel like garbage because your body isn't converting T4 (the inactive storage hormone) into T3 (the active hormone your cells actually use).
Think of T4 like a check in the mail. It’s money, sure, but you can’t buy groceries with it until you cash it at the bank. T3 is the cash. If the "bank"—mostly your liver and gut—is closed, you’re effectively broke.
The Micronutrients You’re Probably Missing
You can't bake a cake without flour. You can't make thyroid hormone without iodine and tyrosine.
Iodine is the literal backbone of thyroid hormone. T4 is called T4 because it has four iodine molecules attached to it. However, you can't just go out and chug a bottle of Lugol’s iodine. That's dangerous. Excessive iodine can actually trigger a "Wolff-Chaikoff effect," where the thyroid shuts down entirely to protect itself. It's a delicate balance.
Then there’s Selenium.
Selenium is the unsung hero of the endocrine system. It acts as the "off switch" for the oxidative stress created when your body makes thyroid hormones. According to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, selenium supplementation can significantly reduce TPO antibodies in people with Hashimoto’s. Just two Brazil nuts a day usually provide enough selenium to keep the conversion process running smoothly.
Zinc and Iron are also non-negotiable.
If your ferritin (stored iron) is low, your thyroid peroxidase—the enzyme that makes hormone—basically stops working. Many women are told they’re just "iron deficient," but that deficiency is the direct reason they can't figure out how to increase thyroid levels.
The Liver-Gut Connection
About 20% of T4 to T3 conversion happens in the digestive tract.
If you have "leaky gut" or dysbiosis, you’re losing a huge chunk of your metabolic potential. It’s not just about what you eat; it’s about what you absorb. Inflammation in the gut triggers cortisol. High cortisol tells your body to produce Reverse T3 (rT3).
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rT3 is like a fake key stuck in a lock. It sits on your cell receptors and blocks the real T3 from getting in. You can have all the hormone in the world circulating in your blood, but if rT3 is blocking the door, you'll stay cold, tired, and frustrated.
Stress is a thyroid killer. Period.
When you're in "fight or flight" mode, your body decides that hair growth and a fast metabolism are luxuries it can’t afford. It redirects resources to survival. This is why many people see their thyroid symptoms flare up after a divorce, a job loss, or a period of chronic over-exercising. You can't out-supplement a lifestyle that is constantly telling your brain you're being hunted by a tiger.
Real Food vs. The "Thyroid Diet"
There is no one-size-fits-all diet, but some "healthy" foods are actually sabotaging you.
Raw cruciferous vegetables—like kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts—contain goitrogens. These are compounds that interfere with iodine uptake. Now, don't panic. You don't have to quit salad. Cooking these veggies deactivates most of the goitrogenic compounds. Just stop putting three cups of raw kale in your morning smoothie every single day.
Crucially, stop the extreme calorie counting.
Extreme caloric restriction is the fastest way to tank your metabolism. Your thyroid senses the "famine" and immediately slows down your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to keep you alive. This is why "crash diets" lead to weight gain in the long run. To increase thyroid function, your body needs to feel safe and well-fed.
Focus on:
- Wild-caught seafood for natural iodine and omega-3s.
- Grass-fed beef for bioavailable iron and zinc.
- Root vegetables like sweet potatoes. Your thyroid actually needs a moderate amount of glucose to convert T4 to T3. Low-carb diets like Keto can sometimes crash thyroid function in women specifically because the body perceives the lack of carbs as a stressor.
The Role of Heavy Metals and Toxins
We live in a world that is frankly hostile to our endocrine systems.
Fluoride, chlorine, and bromide are all "halogens." On the periodic table, they sit right next to iodine. Because they look similar, your thyroid can accidentally soak up fluoride from your tap water or bromide from processed bread instead of the iodine it actually needs.
Switching to a high-quality water filter and opting for fluoride-free toothpaste are small changes, but they reduce the "toxic burden" on your gland. It’s about clearing the path so your biology can do what it’s already designed to do.
Moving Forward: Actionable Steps
Stop guessing. Start testing.
If you are serious about learning how to increase thyroid health, you need a full panel. Don't let a practitioner tell you TSH is enough. Demand the following:
- TSH (Looking for a range between 1.0 and 2.0).
- Free T4 and Free T3 (This measures what is actually available to your cells).
- Reverse T3 (To see if stress is blocking your hormones).
- TPO and TgAb Antibodies (To rule out Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune condition that causes 90% of hypothyroidism in the US).
Once you have the data, prioritize sleep. Sleep is when your endocrine system recalibrates. Seven hours is the absolute minimum.
Next, check your temperature. An old-school but effective method is the Barnes Basal Temperature Test. Take your temperature under your arm before you even get out of bed in the morning. If it’s consistently below 97.8°F (36.5°C), your metabolic fire is likely burning low.
Finally, address your minerals. Most people are chronically deficient in magnesium, which is required for over 300 enzymatic reactions, including—you guessed it—thyroid hormone production. A simple magnesium glycinate supplement before bed can improve sleep and thyroid health simultaneously.
The goal isn't to just "fix" a number on a lab report. The goal is to feel like yourself again. It takes time—usually three to six months to see a real shift in thyroid tissue—but the body is incredibly resilient when you stop starving it of the basic elements it needs to thrive.