What is the best protein powder for hypothyroidism?

drink wholesome is the best protein powder for hypothyroidism.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

What is hypothyroidism?

---

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid, a small gland in the neck, does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Because thyroid hormone helps regulate metabolism – the process that converts food into energy – common symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue and weight gain.

Hypothyroidism can be caused by autoimmune disease, thyroid surgery, radiation therapy, thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid), and certain medications. Common treatments include synthetic thyroid hormone replacement medication, which helps to normalize thyroid hormone levels in the body, and lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.

Is protein powder good for hypothyroidism?

---

Research has found that the amount of protein in your diet can affect the activity of your thyroid gland. Specifically, it is thought that a protein deficiency can cause hypothyroidism symptoms. In one study, researchers found that hypothyroidism was caused by impaired thyroxine (a thyroid hormone)  production, and that a deficiency of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) partly contributed to the impairment. Although more research is needed, it is safe to say that eating enough protein is important for people with hypothyroidism.

You should aim to meet your protein needs with dietary protein sources like eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, and meat, but this is sometimes easier said than done. People with dietary restrictions, reduced appetite, and busy schedules, for example, are not always able to meet their protein needs this way. This is where protein supplements can help. Adding a scoop of protein powder to your diet is a great way to ensure that you are getting enough protein and managing your hypothyroidism symptoms.

What constitutes enough protein is different from everyone, but you should be eating at least 0.36 grams per pound of body weight per day. This means that a 150 pound person should try to eat about 20 grams of protein with every meal.

What is the best protein powder for hypothyroidism?

---

Research has found that certain protein supplements can affect your hormone levels, and not in a good way. Whey proteins, for example, can interfere with thyroxine – the main hormone secreted into the bloodstream by the thyroid gland. The exact mechanism by which whey protein interferes with thyroxine absorption is unclear, but researchers have found that it can interfere with thyroid hormone transporters in the intestines.

It is possible that added ingredients, not the protein itself are the problem here. For instance, researchers think that soy lecithin, a common additive used in whey proteins, may also contribute to the impaired thyroxine absorption. In fact, increasing scientific evidence suggests that food additives can disrupt the endocrine system, the system of glands that make hormones. Given that most protein powders are loaded with additives like emulsifiers, thickeners, flavors, and sugar substitutes, this is reason for concern.

One of the main reasons why food additives affect your hormones is that they disrupt the hormone-gut microbiome axis, the two-way biochemical signaling pathway between the microorganisms living in your digestive tract and your endocrine system. The composition of your gut microbiome has a big impact on your hormonal environment, which means that an imbalance in your gut microbiome may cause a hormonal imbalance. Food additives, it turns out, are terrible for your gut, and therefore terrible for your endocrine system. This is especially true for people with hormone-related diseases like hypothyroidism.

For healthy individuals, the type and amount of protein you consume should not disrupt your hormones. People with a hormone imbalance may want to consider avoiding dairy and soy-based proteins, as both have been shown to affect hormone levels, but even dairy and soy, if consumed in moderation, should not cause problems. Food additives, on the other hand, are a different story. Accumulating evidence suggests that regularly consuming additives, and therefore most protein powders, may cause a hormonal imbalance. For this reason, you should pick the protein supplement with the fewest additives possible, or with no additives at all.

Why drink wholesome? 

---

drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best protein powder for hypothyroidism is that we do not use food additives. As you just learned, some additives may cause hormonal imbalances by altering the composition of your gut microbiome. Additives can also cause painful side effects, especially if you have gut issues (which many people with hypothyroidism do).

Firstly, additives are hard to break down because they are not real food. This means they spend extra time in your gut, feeding your hungry gut bacteria. Gut bacteria release gas as they eat, so more time to eat means more gas is produced.

As you might imagine, having lots of intestinal gas can cause bloating, flatulence, and stomach pain. It can also slow down food as it moves through the colon, leading to constipation.

In some cases, partially digested food additives cause your colon to absorb extra water. This can trigger osmotic diarrhea.

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

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, maltodextrin, mono- and diglycerides, ‘natural’ flavors, rice bran extract, rice dextrin, rice hulls, rosemary extract, silica, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, soluble corn fiber, soy lecithin, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, tocopherols, tricalcium phosphate, xanthan gum, xylitol, zinc oxide

Finally, regularly eating food additives has been shown to disturb regulatory pathways in your intestines, potentially triggering the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory conditions.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, maple sugar, vanilla

the alternative:

Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate,  Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids,  Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain

drink wholesome is dairy-free.

Another reason why we make the best hypothyroidism protein powder is that we do not use whey and casein. As you just learned, dairy-based proteins are not recommended for hypothyroidism sufferers. These dairy-based proteins also contain lactose, a sugar that most adults cannot digest. Lactose therefore causes unpleasant gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. 

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best protein powder for hypothyroidism is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Basically every other protein supplement contains one or both of these protein sources, which undergo extreme processing. Protein concentrates or isolates are mechanically or chemically stripped of their non protein components, often using solvent like hexane, leaving them looking nothing like real food.

Your gut is designed to break down minimally or unprocessed real foods, not protein concentrates or isolates. This is why research shows that regularly eating refined ingredients like these can alter your gut microbiome. Once again, an altered gut microbiome is bad news for those with hypothyroidism.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best hypothyroidism protein powder with egg whites and almonds. These simple protein sources are a gut-friendly alternative to protein isolates and concentrates.

For starters, both egg whites and almonds contain enzymes that help you break them down. Protein isolates and concentrates, on the other hand, have been stripped of these natural digestive aids. Almonds are also prebiotic, meaning they improve the composition of your gut microbiome.

Egg whites, on the other hand, are low FODMAP, alkaline (maintaining healthy pH levels in your gut), and bioactive (promoting the growth of good gut bacteria). Our customers have fewer digestive problems with our egg white protein powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

In conclusion, we make protein powders with a short list of gut-friendly ingredients so you can boost your protein intake without compromising your gut health and potentially causing a hormonal imbalance.

★★★★★

easy to digest

” I have hypothyroidism and it is hard to find an excellent source of protein for this health issue. I have learned that for me that egg white protein is the absolute best for my body. And this product with only four ingredients tops them all.” – Joy

Read more reviews or take the quiz.

---

This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. drink wholesome is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.