Cases of thyroid disease have skyrocketed over the past few decades. And scientists have discovered the culprit. It’s a product used by millions of Americans … and one recommended by most conventional doctors.
What is it? Sunscreen. Yes, sunscreen!
Why? Because most sunscreens contain toxic ingredients that can destroy your thyroid.
It’s true! Researchers from Germany found that this chemical actually poisons the thyroid. And that can lead to severe fatigue, weight gain, heart problems, and mental disorders.
The main ingredient in sunscreen is oxybenzone. Your skin absorbs the chemical and sends it straight into your bloodstream. From there, your tissues and glands absorb the oxybenzone.
When your thyroid gland absorbs this chemical, it causes an increase in the hormone TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) along with a decrease in the hormone thyroxine (T4).
This change in hormone production is what causes hypothyroidism. The chemical also increases the weight of their thyroid gland – another indicator of thyroid suppression.
The more you use this chemical, the worse your hypothyroidism becomes.
Fortunately, it’s easy to prevent this damage and still protect your skin.
First, don’t use sunscreen that contains these chemicals. Instead, look for sunscreen that says “oxybenzone and octinoxate free” (octinoxate damages your thyroid the same way). You can find them at your local health food store and online.
Second, if you’ve been using sunscreens with oxybenzone, it’s easy to reverse the damage in most cases. All you have to do is take an iodine tablet (12.5 mg) daily. The iodine prevents the thyroid-suppressing effect of oxybenzone and helps restore normal thyroid function.
Sources:
SHamann, I.H., C. Schmutzler, P. Kirschmeyer, et al. “4-methylbenzylidene-camphor (4MBC) causes pituitary effects comparable to hypothyroidism,” Endocrine Abstracts, (2006) 11 OC60