04/07/2026
Food for thought!
The latest research shows that to decrease our levels of Reverse T3 (RT3), which is the brakes on our thyroid and metabolism, we need these 4 nutrients.
And let's face it - iron is a tricky one for most thyroid people.
For those of you who always demand the science (lol), here you go:
Selenium - the enzymes that manage thyroid hormones are selenoproteins (D1, D2, D3). Without enough Selenium there is a decrease of T3 production and a buildup of RT3
Sources - Brazil nuts, fish, meat, seafood
Iron - required for Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) and impacts peripheral metabolism. Without enough iron we have a reduced clearance of T4 which leads to higher RT3 levels
Zinc - works with selenium to regulate the conversion process of T4 into T3. Supplementation of zinc has been shown to help restore T3 levels in patients and limit conversion to RT3.
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) - a precursor to glutathione has shown a direct clinical effect on RT3 levels. Likely due to NAC's ability to reduce oxidative stress, which can inhibit the D1 enzyme spoken about earlier.
Keep in mind that even if you take these supplements, or eat foods high in these nutrients, if you are producing cortisol (stress) then you will continue to increase RT3 production... yep, back to the stress thing!! Sorry....
All of this is only relevant if you manage to get your doctor to actually order a RT3 blood test for you of course... but thats a whole other dilemma right? xx