Quick answer: Hashimoto’s treatment in Denver should begin with thyroid function testing and medication when needed. Nutrition and functional medicine support can address additional concerns alongside that care. Selenium may lower thyroid antibodies without improving symptoms; vitamin D deficiency deserves treatment; and gluten avoidance is essential for celiac disease, while its thyroid benefits without celiac disease remain uncertain. The evidence behind each approach is explained below.
If you are living with Hashimoto’s, you may have two questions: “Is my thyroid medication doing its job?” and “What else could help me feel better?” Both deserve attention.
At Dr. Harrison’s Center of Functional Medicine in Westminster, patients from the Denver area can explore the practice’s approach to thyroid health. This guide focuses on the testing and nutrition questions to bring to that conversation. For the broader practice approach, visit the existing Hashimoto’s functional medicine treatment protocol.
What does natural Hashimoto’s treatment in Denver actually mean?
Natural support for Hashimoto’s means considering nutrition, deficiencies, and everyday health needs while continuing appropriate medical treatment. Supplements and dietary changes do not replace thyroid hormone that your body can no longer produce.
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition that can damage the thyroid and cause hypothyroidism. These are related but different findings: someone can have thyroid antibodies before developing low thyroid hormone levels. NIDDK’s Hashimoto’s overview.
When comparing care options, ask each provider to explain three things: what problem they are treating, what evidence supports the recommendation, and how they will measure whether it helps. A useful plan makes those answers understandable before you commit to testing, supplements, or dietary restrictions.
Five key takeaways
- Medication remains foundational when thyroid hormone is low. Supportive care should fit around your prescribing clinician’s treatment plan.
- Thyroid function and thyroid antibodies answer different questions. A lower antibody result does not automatically mean better thyroid function.
- Selenium has mixed clinical evidence. Some laboratory improvements have not translated into better quality of life in a large trial.
- Vitamin D should be individualized. Correcting deficiency is different from using high doses to try to treat autoimmunity.
- Gluten advice depends on the diagnosis. Discuss celiac testing before removing gluten.
What does the American Thyroid Association recommend for Hashimoto’s?
The American Thyroid Association recommends levothyroxine for Hashimoto’s with overt hypothyroidism. People with elevated antibodies but normal TSH and free T4 generally need monitoring rather than thyroid hormone treatment.
Mildly elevated TSH requires an individualized decision. The ATA also explains that repeatedly measuring thyroid antibodies is generally unnecessary; monitoring TSH helps identify changes in thyroid function. ATA guidance on Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Thyroid hormone replacement is treating a real hormone shortage. Taking it does not mean you have failed at nutrition or lifestyle changes. Continue prescribed medication, and let the clinician managing it make any dose adjustments.
What should a functional medicine thyroid doctor in Denver test for?
A thyroid evaluation usually starts with TSH and free T4, with thyroid antibodies used to help establish an autoimmune cause. Additional testing should follow your symptoms and history, with a clear explanation of how each result could change care.
Tests that answer the core thyroid questions
| Test | Question it helps answer |
|---|---|
| TSH | Is the body signaling for more or less thyroid hormone? |
| Free T4 | How much unbound thyroxine is available in the blood? |
| TPO antibodies | Is there evidence supporting autoimmune thyroid disease? |
| Thyroglobulin antibodies | Could another antibody marker help clarify the autoimmune picture? |
T3 testing is usually less helpful for diagnosing hypothyroidism. Reverse T3 is not routinely useful for determining whether an otherwise stable outpatient has hypothyroidism. Tell your clinician about biotin supplements because they can interfere with some thyroid blood tests. Follow the clinician’s instructions before testing. ATA explanation of thyroid function tests.
Additional tests should have a specific purpose
Persistent fatigue may justify evaluating iron deficiency; gastrointestinal symptoms or an associated autoimmune history may prompt consideration of celiac disease. Sleep problems, menopause, mood disorders, and other conditions can also contribute to symptoms that resemble low thyroid function. An endocrinologist’s approach to persistent symptoms, published by the ATA.
When vitamin D testing is clinically indicated, 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the blood measurement used to assess vitamin D status. Testing and supplementation decisions should reflect your individual health context. NIH vitamin D information.
A practical question to ask before any expanded panel is: “If this result is abnormal, what will we do differently?” Bring previous results so the provider can consider what has already been established.
Does selenium for Hashimoto’s actually work?
Selenium can lower TPO antibodies in some people with Hashimoto’s, but the evidence does not establish that routine supplementation improves symptoms or prevents the need for thyroid medication.
A 2024 review of 35 randomized trials found lower TPO antibodies and a small reduction in TSH among participants who were not taking thyroid hormone. The ATA’s summary emphasizes that more research is needed to determine whether selenium delays or prevents hypothyroidism. ATA review of selenium research.
Patient outcomes matter too. A separate randomized trial enrolled 412 adults with autoimmune hypothyroidism taking levothyroxine. Adding 200 micrograms of selenium daily for 12 months did not improve thyroid-related quality of life more than placebo. That is a study dose, not a recommendation to start taking it. Larsen and colleagues, 2024.
Should everyone with Hashimoto’s take selenium?
No automatic supplement rule follows from these studies. Review your diet, existing supplements, and potential deficiency risk with a clinician before adding selenium.
Selenium is needed in small amounts, and excess intake can cause toxicity, including hair loss and brittle nails. Brazil nuts contain substantial and variable amounts, making them an unreliable way to deliver a precise supplement dose. Count selenium from multivitamins and other products as well. NIH selenium fact sheet.
The question to discuss is whether selenium has a reasonable role in your situation—and what outcome would justify continuing it.
Does vitamin D help Hashimoto’s thyroiditis?
Correcting vitamin D deficiency supports health. Research suggests supplementation may lower thyroid antibodies, but that does not prove it reverses Hashimoto’s or restores the thyroid’s ability to make enough hormone.
A 2023 meta-analysis included 12 randomized trials and 862 participants. It reported reductions in TPO and thyroglobulin antibodies. However, the studies used different vitamin D preparations and treatment schedules, and the analysis focused on laboratory outcomes. Those findings do not establish that an individual patient will experience less fatigue or need less medication. Tang and colleagues, 2023.
The practical distinction is between treating a deficiency and taking progressively larger doses in pursuit of lower antibody numbers. Your clinician should consider your vitamin D status, other health conditions, and total intake when deciding whether supplementation is appropriate.
More is not always better. Excess vitamin D can raise blood calcium and damage the kidneys. The usual adult upper intake limit is 4,000 IU daily from all sources, although a clinician may prescribe a different dose for a specific medical reason. That upper limit is not a target dose. NIH vitamin D information.
What is the evidence on gluten and Hashimoto’s?
A gluten-free diet is necessary for confirmed celiac disease. For Hashimoto’s without celiac disease, current research does not justify promising that avoiding gluten will improve thyroid function or lower antibodies.
A 2025 systematic review pooled three randomized studies involving 110 participants with non-celiac Hashimoto’s. It found no statistically significant improvement in TSH, free T3, or free T4. Antibody findings were mixed, and the certainty of evidence was very low. This leaves substantial uncertainty about thyroid benefits from routine gluten avoidance. Araújo and colleagues, 2025.
Should you test for celiac disease before going gluten-free?
Yes—discuss testing first if celiac disease is a possibility. Removing gluten can make diagnostic results less reliable. Celiac evaluation may include blood tests and, when appropriate, a small-intestinal biopsy. NIDDK guidance on celiac diagnosis.
Initial blood testing commonly includes tissue transglutaminase IgA; total IgA can help identify IgA deficiency that affects test interpretation. Your clinician chooses the appropriate testing sequence. NIDDK clinical guide to celiac tests.
After appropriate evaluation, a clinician or dietitian can help decide whether a structured dietary trial makes sense for your symptoms. Decide in advance what you will track and when you will reassess. Feeling better after a food change is useful information, but it does not by itself identify the cause or prove thyroid recovery.
How can supportive care work alongside levothyroxine?
Build the nutrition plan around your medication routine and follow-up testing. Your prescribing clinician should know about supplements and significant dietary changes.
Food and supplements can affect levothyroxine absorption, including products containing iron or calcium. Review timing with your pharmacist or prescriber. Thyroid blood testing commonly occurs about six to eight weeks after starting levothyroxine or changing the dose. Avoid adding iodine or kelp supplements without discussing them, because excess iodine can worsen thyroid problems in people with Hashimoto’s. NIDDK guidance on medication and nutrition.
At follow-up, ask to review both your laboratory results and what has changed in daily life: energy, bowel habits, sleep, concentration, and ability to do your usual activities. Agree on the next step based on the whole picture.
What if your TSH is normal but you still feel unwell?
Persistent symptoms deserve evaluation even when TSH is normal. They do not automatically mean you need more thyroid hormone.
A clinician can revisit the thyroid results and medication history while investigating other explanations, such as iron deficiency, poor sleep, or another medical condition. More than one issue may be contributing. A careful evaluation should take your symptoms seriously without assuming every symptom comes from Hashimoto’s. Clinical discussion of ongoing symptoms in treated thyroid disease.
Bring a short timeline: when symptoms started, when medication changed, which supplements you use, and what makes symptoms better or worse. This gives the appointment a more useful starting point than an isolated antibody number.
How do you choose a Hashimoto’s doctor in Westminster, CO?
Look for clear credentials, an understandable testing plan, and coordination with the clinician managing your thyroid medication. Ask what the provider can do within their professional role.
Dr. Glenn Harrison, DC, BS, leads Dr. Harrison’s Center of Functional Medicine in Westminster. The DC credential identifies a Doctor of Chiropractic; it should not be confused with an MD or DO endocrinologist. Thyroid medication decisions belong with an appropriately licensed prescribing clinician.
Useful questions for a consultation include:
- Which tests are relevant to my symptoms, and why?
- How will your recommendations fit with my existing thyroid care?
- Which supplements are optional, and what evidence supports them?
- What would count as meaningful improvement?
- What are the expected visit, testing, and supplement costs?
Related thyroid guides
- How to choose a holistic thyroid doctor in Denver: 8 questions to ask before you book
- Thyroid or perimenopause? Why the symptoms overlap and what to test
Frequently asked questions about natural Hashimoto’s treatment
Can Hashimoto’s be treated without medication?
Some people with thyroid antibodies and normal thyroid function do not need medication. Once overt hypothyroidism develops, thyroid hormone replacement is generally needed. Diet and supplements cannot be relied on to replace it. ATA Hashimoto’s guidance.
Does a lower TPO antibody level mean Hashimoto’s is cured?
No. A lower antibody result alone does not establish restored thyroid function or symptom improvement. Selenium research illustrates why changes in laboratory markers and changes in quality of life must be evaluated separately. 2024 selenium clinical trial.
Should I stop gluten before my first appointment?
Discuss possible celiac testing first. Starting a gluten-free diet before evaluation can affect the accuracy of testing. If you already avoid gluten, tell your clinician so they can advise on next steps. NIDDK celiac diagnosis guidance.
Where can I discuss functional medicine thyroid support near Denver?
Dr. Harrison’s Center of Functional Medicine is located at 9035 Wadsworth Pkwy, Suite 3300, Westminster, CO 80021. You can request a free 15-minute discovery consultation to discuss your concerns and whether the practice’s approach fits your needs.
Talk through your next step in Hashimoto’s care
If you are exploring natural Hashimoto’s treatment in Denver, start with a clear account of your symptoms, your current treatment, and the questions you want answered. Bring recent thyroid labs and a complete medication and supplement list.
Call 720-449-6217 or request a discovery consultation with Dr. Harrison’s Center of Functional Medicine.