Herbals For Hypothyroidism, A Case Study

A case report published in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine described how a combination of herbal medicine and lifestyle changes helped manage subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). SCH is a mild thyroid disorder where levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) are higher than normal, but other thyroid hormones remain within the usual range. Many people with SCH do not have obvious symptoms, which makes deciding on treatment challenging.

A case report is a detailed description of one person’s health problem and the treatment they received. It is not the same as a clinical trial with many participants. Instead, it shares observations from a single patient to help guide future research.

In this case, a 35-year-old woman from India was diagnosed with SCH during a routine health check. Her TSH was 11.25 µIU/mL, which is above the threshold where treatment is often considered. Instead of using standard hormone replacement therapy, she was treated with Unani herbal medicines (Habbe Muqil and Majoon Falasafa), cinnamon and coriander tea, dietary adjustments, and brisk walking. Unani medicine is a traditional healing system that aims to balance the body’s natural temperament. In this case, practitioners believed the patient had a “cold” imbalance and prescribed remedies thought to restore warmth and metabolism.

After three months, her TSH dropped to 3.034 µIU/mL, which is within the normal range, and she lost almost nine pounds. These improvements suggest that herbal remedies combined with exercise may help manage SCH for some people. However, since this report only followed one person, larger studies are needed to know whether this approach is safe and effective for patients. The results highlight the importance of exploring integrative treatments that blend traditional and modern approaches to health care.