My Hashimoto’s Update: Lower TSH, Changing My Regimen, and Resetting My Baseline

After my previous experiments with lifestyle interventions for Hashimoto’s, I had planned to try acupuncture. However, my wife had recently started a new job, and I found it difficult to arrange a suitable time to attend appointments.

Instead of starting another new intervention, I decided to simplify things and reset my baseline. I reintroduced selenium, myo-inositol, and pycnogenol, reduced my iodine intake, and stopped using red-light therapy on my thyroid.

The idea was to establish a clearer baseline before testing new interventions such as acupuncture or glutamine.

I eventually stopped selenium supplementation after reading a recent long-term cohort study (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13184170/) suggesting it may be detrimental over the long term. While selenium has often been discussed as a potentially useful nutrient for thyroid autoimmunity, this study made me reconsider whether long-term supplementation was the right choice for me.

With the weather improving, I have also spent more time outdoors mountain biking and hiking. As a result, I have not been doing as much strength training recently, but my overall activity levels have remained high.

Current Supplements and Diet

My current supplement routine is:

• Daily tadalafil – 10 mg

• Vitamin D3 – 75 mcg (3,000 IU)

• Thorne Basic B-Complex

• Arginine – 6 g in three split doses

• Myo-inositol – 4 g in two split doses (reintroduced)

• Pycnogenol – 100 mg (reintroduced)

• Magnesium glycinate – 200 mg (evening)

• P5P (activated vitamin B6) – 50 mg

My diet remains focused on whole foods and is gluten-free.

It includes:

• Dairy, eggs, and meat (although I have reduced my dairy and egg intake compared with February)

• Fruit and vegetables

• Brazil nuts, crystallised ginger, and beetroot

• 85%+ dark chocolate and cacao powder

• Coffee and chamomile tea

• Potatoes, rice, and honey

• The occasional gin and tonic

By reducing my seafood, maca, dairy and egg intake, I estimate my daily iodine intake from food is now around 300 mcg. I have never used supplements containing iodine.

I have also stopped using my red-light therapy device on my thyroid while I reassess its effects.

My NHS GP Appointment

I recently visited my local NHS GP to discuss my thyroid health.

Given my family history, he agreed to check my TSH levels, although he was not supportive of regular private thyroid testing. His view was that because my TSH was not currently in the subclinical hypothyroid range of 4–10 mIU/L, further monitoring was not necessary despite my positive thyroid antibodies.

He advised me to monitor for symptoms.

He also felt that autoimmune conditions are largely driven by genetics, which is probably mostly correct. However, there are still several factors we can influence, including nutrient status, diet quality, exercise, and other lifestyle variables that may support overall health.

One positive outcome from the appointment was that I was able to get an NHS thyroid test. My TSH was:

TSH: 2.83 mIU/L (7 April 2026)

This was an improvement compared with my previous result of 3.02 mIU/L on 24 February 2026.

The appointment was somewhat frustrating because I felt there was limited interest in my symptoms or the wider context of my health. For example, I was advised to take up cycling rather than worrying about my health, although I already cycle regularly. I also felt my concerns about symptoms such as fatigue and a persistent sore throat were not explored in much detail.

However, one positive outcome is that the advice encouraged me to remain active — and I have been riding my bike more.

Family History Update

I also discovered that one of my paternal aunts (my father’s sister) has a problem with her parathyroid gland, most likely hyperparathyroidism.

This adds another thyroid-related issue to my family history, alongside my mother having had hyperthyroidism.

Four-Month Follow-Up Blood Test

At the start of July 2026, after four months on my current regimen, I completed a Medichecks Advanced Thyroid Function blood test.

I had originally planned to test at the end of May, but I caught a nasty cold and had to delay the test.

The results below compare my latest results with those from four months earlier.

Marker	July 2026 Result	Change
CRP HS	0.53 mg/L	Up 36%
Ferritin	135 µg/L	Up 14%
Folate (serum)	5.98 ug/L	Down 84%
Vitamin B12 (active)	>150 pmol/L	No change
Vitamin D	125 nmol/L	Same
TSH	1.63 mIU/L	Down 185%
Free T3	4.5 pmol/L	Up 5%
Free T4	13 pmol/L	Down 6%
Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb)	126 kIU/L	Up 4%
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb)	66.9 kIU/L	Down 12%

Encouraging TSH Improvement

The biggest change was my TSH, which nearly halved:

TSH: 3.02 → 1.63 mIU/L

This is a significant improvement.

Several factors may have contributed:

• Reducing iodine intake

• Reintroducing 4 g of myo-inositol daily

• Increased cardiovascular activity through cycling and hiking

• Recent hot weather

Of course, with a single blood test, it is impossible to know which factor had the biggest impact. Autoimmune thyroid conditions naturally fluctuate, so I will continue monitoring over time.

Next Steps

Although my TSH result is encouraging, my free thyroxine (Free T4) remains lower than I would like.

My next focus will be on understanding whether I can improve Free T4 while continuing to support overall thyroid function.

I will continue testing and documenting what appears to help — and what does not — as I search for practical ways to reduce thyroid antibodies and optimise thyroid health.

This is still a long-term experiment, but the goal remains the same: finding sustainable lifestyle interventions that support better thyroid function and overall health.