How to Find the Best Protein Powder for Hashimoto’s

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best protein powder for Hashimoto’s.

Discover how to safely supplement your protein intake with Hashimoto’s disease.

Last Updated
May 22, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Jack, CNC

Jack is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Nutrition Coach.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before making changes to your diet.

Protein powder for Hashimoto’s

Is Protein Powder Good for Hashimoto’s?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also known as Hashimoto’s disease or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disorder.

It affects the thyroid gland, which produces hormones that control metabolism.

In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies the thyroid gland as a threat and produces antibodies that attack and damage the thyroid tissue.

Over time, this can lead to inflammation and permanent damage to the thyroid gland, causing it to become less effective at producing thyroid hormones.

Common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, muscle weakness and joint pain, mood swings and depression, and digestive issues.

Treatment for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis usually involves thyroid hormone replacement therapy with medications like levothyroxine, as well as lifestyle and dietary changes.

Although there is no established protein requirement specific to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, adequate protein intake is necessary to maintain normal thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism.

Moreover, insufficient protein intake can contribute to thyroid hormone abnormalities (Nutrients, 2017).

It is thus safe to say that individuals with Hashimoto’s should be mindful of their protein intakes.

And if you find that you are not eating enough protein, protein powder can be a great addition to your diet.

It can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, and other recipes, or mixed with just water to make a simple protein shake.

That said, not all protein powders are created equal.

What Is the Best Protein Powder for Hashimoto’s?

First of all, it is important to note that going dairy-free and soy-free can improve Hashimoto’s symptoms.

It follows that protein powders that contain dairy or soy-based proteins are not recommended.

But as long as you are eating a balanced diet, the type of protein supplement you use does not really matter.

Ingredients do matter, however.

Many protein powders contain ingredients that might contribute to Hashimoto’s disease.

Among the top offenders are food additives and protein concentrates and isolates.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and other ultra-processed additives can alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2019).

These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been linked to the pathogenesis and progression of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (Front Immunol, 2021).

Although this relationship is complex and warrants further investigation, gut dysbiosis might contribute to Hashimoto’s by increasing intestinal permeability, which exposes the immune system to microbial antigens and promotes inflammation.

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

As a rule of thumb, if you cannot find it in nature or make it at home, it is probably a food additive.

🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

You might also want to avoid ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein supplements are made from one or both of these ultra-processed protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help your gut break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.

Studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Nutrients, 2018; Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

You should thus look for protein supplements made from whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are easier to digest and absorb.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effects of Dietary Protein on Thyroid Axis Activity. 2017.
2. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
3. Frontiers in Immunology (Front Immunol). Detection of Alterations in the Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Permeability in Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis. 2021.
4. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
5. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions. 2024.

Editorial Guidelines

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This article was written by a Certified Nutrition Coach and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.