One of the questions I’ve been asked since launching ThyroForm is:
“What’s the evidence behind it?”
And if you’re going to take something every day, it is entirely reasonable to understand this.
The first thing to say is that Foundation itself has not been through a clinical trial. It is a food supplement rather than a medicine, so individual formulations are not routinely required to undergo clinical trials before they can be sold.
So what did I base it on?
The answer is a combination of published scientific evidence, physiology and a decade of treating patients with thyroid disease.
There isn’t a magic thyroid supplement
If you’ve spent any time looking online, you’ll know there are hundreds of supplements claiming to “boost”, “repair” or “fix” the thyroid. There is no supplement that can do that yet and the thyroid doesn’t need magic. It needs the raw materials to do its job.
So instead I wanted to make something that supported the body with thyroid hormone production if relevant, metabolism and conversion. And it is these nutrients that I included.
So, why these ingredients?
Every ingredient in Foundation has a reason for being there.
Selenium
Selenium is probably the nutrient with the strongest evidence base in thyroid disease.
It forms part of the deiodinase enzymes that convert T4 into the active hormone T3 and is also involved in antioxidant systems that protect the thyroid gland from oxidative stress.
There are also several studies and meta-analyses that have shown that selenium supplementation can reduce thyroid antibody levels in some people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Whilst the evidence that this translates into improved symptoms is less consistent, reducing the autoimmune activity within the thyroid is biologically plausible as being beneficial and, at the very least, selenium supports the normal production and metabolism of thyroid hormone.
For that reason, I see selenium as an important part of thyroid nutrition, but not a miracle treatment.
Zinc
Zinc receives less attention but is involved throughout the thyroid hormone pathway.
It contributes to normal thyroid hormone synthesis, conversion and signalling, and deficiency has been associated with impaired thyroid function.
The clinical evidence isn’t as extensive as it is for selenium, but the biological rationale is strong.
Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions throughout the body, including those related to energy production.
Many people with thyroid disease also have low magnesium intake, and although magnesium isn’t a “thyroid supplement” in itself, it plays an important supporting role in normal cellular function.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in the UK.
There is an association between low vitamin D levels and autoimmune thyroid disease, although it remains unclear whether low vitamin D contributes to autoimmunity or simply occurs alongside it.
Either way, correcting deficiency is important for overall health.
Foundation contains a maintenance dose of vitamin D. For patients with low blood levels, additional vitamin D may still be needed, which is why we also developed a separate high-strength Vitamin D3 + K2 supplement.
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone)
Vitamin K2 works alongside vitamin D in calcium metabolism and bone health.
Whilst vitamin D is widely discussed, K2 is often overlooked, so I chose to include them together.
Active B Vitamins
Foundation contains methylcobalamin (vitamin B12), pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6) and riboflavin-5-phosphate (vitamin B2).
These vitamins play an important role in normal energy metabolism, nervous system function and red blood cell production. Whilst they are not specific “thyroid vitamins”, they support many of the metabolic pathways that thyroid hormone is regulating throughout the body.
I deliberately chose the biologically active forms, which can be used directly by the body without requiring further conversion. This is particularly relevant as many of my patients are dealing with fatigue, brain fog and low energy, where ensuring adequate B vitamin intake is an important part of the wider picture.
Foundation is not intended to correct significant deficiencies. Patients with low active B12 levels or conditions affecting B12 absorption may still require additional supplementation or B12 injections. Instead, Foundation provides a sensible nutritional baseline that will be appropriate for most people.
Why not include everything?
Simply, because I don’t think everyone needs everything.
There are many people who don’t tolerate certain nutrients particularly well, such as iron or folate, whilst others simply don’t need them.
If I’d wanted to create the biggest supplement on the market, I could have added copper, manganese, omega-3, probiotics and another twenty ingredients.
Instead, I wanted to create something that genuinely reflects how I practise medicine and, if I’m honest, how I look after myself too.
The philosophy is simple:
Start with a strong nutritional foundation, then use blood tests, symptoms and clinical judgement to decide whether anything else needs adding.
Many of my new thyroid patients require additional vitamin D, particularly during the winter months, which is why we have also developed a separate high-strength Vitamin D3 + K2 supplement.
Over time, I hope to expand the range with iron, vitamin B12 and folate. The aim isn’t to produce an endless catalogue of supplements, but a collection of targeted products that can be combined when appropriate, allowing you to take what you need without lots of unnecessary extras.
Why I created it
If I’m honest, I partly made Foundation for myself.
Over the years I’d accumulated various supplement bottles, just like many of my patients.
I wanted one pill containing the nutrients I most commonly recommend in clinic, using well-absorbed forms and as few unnecessary additives as possible.
As it turns out, many of my patients wanted exactly the same thing.
A final thought
Foundation isn’t designed to treat thyroid disease.
It’s designed to support normal thyroid physiology by providing the nutrients most commonly involved in thyroid hormone production and metabolism.
It’s also designed to simplify supplementation.
Because in my experience, better healthcare isn’t usually about taking more.
It’s about taking the right things, for the right reasons.