To Soy or Not To Soy...

It appears that anyone taking Sythroid should limit certain foods -- more foods than I ever imagined! Top on the list is soy products, they should be kept to a minimum because they can lesson the effectiveness of the medication. I was surprised that we should also limit the intake of walnuts, strawberries, peaches, and limit veggies like broccoli and brussel sprouts, and also high fiber foods like black beans and lentils need to be consumed with moderation. 

These are really healthy foods - so what is the right thing to do? Most of this information is from the livestrong.com site and the official site for Synthroid. Whether it is because of an absorption problem, or a direct interference of soy with the action of the Thyroid hormone remains unclear, but soy does seem to have an effect on thyroid hormone status. 

The Synthroid package insert says: Thyroid hormones levels will be decreased if you take your medication with foods such as soybean flour, cotton seed meal, walnuts, dietary fiber, iron and calcium products. These foods should be avoided within four hours of taking your medication. It does not say to limit or avoid them completely.

I will attempt to reduce the amounts of these foods and see what happens! I suppose anyone taking Synthroid - the choice is yours!

You can look forward to some new recipes following these guidelines!

NOTE: 

The content of this blog is provided for general informational purposes only and a forum for discussion and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice. Do not use the information on this blog for diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider.

Other Names For Soy:

Bean curd

Bean sprouts
Edamame (fresh soybeans)
Kinako
Miso (fermented soybean paste)
Natto
Nimame
Okara
Shoyu
Soy sauce
Soya
Soybean (curds, granules)
Tamari
Tempeh
Tofu (dofu, kori-dofu)
Yuba

Items containing Soy as a bulk agent:
Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) or hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Gum arabic
Guar gum
Lecithin
Mixed tocopherols
Natural flavoring
Stabilizer
Thickener
Vegetable gum, starch, shortening, or oil
Vitamin E

Foods that may contain Soy: 
Asian cuisine (Korean, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, etc.)
Baked goods and baking mixes
Bouillon cubes
Candy
Cereal
Chicken (raw or cooked) that is processed with chicken broth
Chicken broth
Chocolate
Deli meats
Energy bars, nutrition bars
Imitation dairy foods, such as soy milks, vegan cheese, or vegan ice cream
Infant formula
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Meat products with fillers, for example, burgers or sausages
Nutrition supplements (vitamins)
Peanut butter and peanut butter substitutes
Protein powders
Sauces, gravies, and soups
Smoothies
Vegetable broth
Vegetarian meat substitutes: veggie burgers, imitation chicken patties, imitation lunch meats, imitation bacon bits, etc.