Graves Disease: natural remedies and the evidence behind them

Best-studied supplement in Graves', especially for mild thyroid eye disease

Why this matches

Selenium is the most-studied supplement in Graves', and it's especially relevant early on. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in people with mild Graves' eye disease (thyroid eye disease) found a 6-month course improved quality of life and eased eye involvement, making it a reasonable foundational option to discuss with your doctor.

Why try it

Selenium is an antioxidant that supports thyroid tissue. In mild thyroid eye disease, a controlled trial found it improved comfort and quality of life. It's worth being realistic about its limits, though: a large trial in newly diagnosed Graves' found selenium did not improve the chance of the overactive thyroid settling into remission. Think of it as supportive, and always alongside standard care rather than in place of it.

Dose or use

100–200 mcg daily (as selenomethionine); consult a healthcare practitioner for your specific dose.

Time to results

Eye-related benefits were seen over about 6 months in trials

Key study

Randomized Controlled Trial (2011, PMID 21591944): 'Selenium and the course of mild Graves' orbitopathy' — a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 159 people with mild thyroid eye disease found a 6-month course of selenium improved quality of life and slowed eye-disease progression versus placebo. Note that a separate large trial found no benefit for hyperthyroidism remission, so selenium is best seen as support for mild eye disease alongside standard care, not a way to control the overactive thyroid itself.

Caution

High doses over time can cause selenium toxicity; do not exceed recommended amounts without guidance.

Low selenium may affect thyroid immune balance

Why this matches

If your selenium levels are low, correcting that deficiency may be an important factor in supporting overall thyroid health.

Why try it

Checking selenium status is a practical root-cause step — if you're low, correcting it can help support the antioxidant environment the thyroid depends on.

Dose or use

Ask your healthcare provider about a selenium blood test before supplementing.

Time to results

Varies based on individual deficiency levels

Key study

Correcting a documented shortfall can support recovery; this is a root-cause check, not a treatment claim — ask your provider to test your levels.

Caution

Supplementing without knowing your levels can lead to excess; always test first.

Low selenium may affect thyroid immune balance

Why this matches

If your selenium levels are low, correcting that deficiency may be an important factor in supporting overall thyroid health.

Why try it

Checking selenium status is a practical root-cause step — if you're low, correcting it can help support the antioxidant environment the thyroid depends on.

Dose or use

Ask your healthcare provider about a selenium blood test before supplementing.

Time to results

Varies based on individual deficiency levels

Key study

Correcting a documented shortfall can support recovery; this is a root-cause check, not a treatment claim — ask your provider to test your levels.

Caution

Supplementing without knowing your levels can lead to excess; always test first.

Low vitamin D is common in autoimmune thyroid disease

Why this matches

Checking nutrient gaps means looking beyond selenium — low vitamin D is common in autoimmune thyroid conditions like Graves', so testing your level is a sensible root-cause step.

Why try it

Vitamin D helps regulate immune function, and a documented shortfall is worth correcting; this is a test-first check, not a claim that vitamin D treats Graves'.

Dose or use

Ask your provider for a blood test (25-hydroxyvitamin D) before supplementing, then correct any shortfall to target.

Time to results

Varies based on your starting level

Key study

Low vitamin D is strongly associated with autoimmune thyroid disease; correcting a documented shortfall is a root-cause check, not a treatment claim — ask your provider to test.

Caution

Vitamin D is fat-soluble and can build up if over-supplemented; test first and dose to your levels rather than guessing.

Calming herb traditionally used in overactive thyroid

Why this matches

While managing ongoing symptoms, lemon balm is a gentle calming herb traditionally paired with thyroid-calming herbs and used for the anxiety and restlessness that come with an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

Lemon balm has a long tradition of use for anxiety, restlessness and sleep, and has traditionally been used to calm the nervous tension that can come with an overactive thyroid. That tradition is the honest basis here, not proof that it treats Graves'.

Dose or use

Commonly taken as a tea or tincture, often in the evening; follow product labeling.

Time to results

Often within a few weeks

Key study

Traditionally used for anxiety, sleep and overactive-thyroid symptoms; this specific use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Caution

May cause drowsiness and can add to the effect of sedatives; if you take thyroid medication, tell your doctor before combining herbs.

Acupressure point to calm anxiety and racing heart

Why this matches

If your main struggle is the anxiety, racing heart and poor sleep of an overactive thyroid, HT7 — the 'Spirit Gate' on the wrist — is traditionally used to calm exactly that cluster.

Why try it

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, HT7 is pressed to quiet the mind, ease palpitations and support sleep; it pairs well with PC6 as a simple, drug-free calming routine.

Dose or use

Find the point on the wrist crease on the pinky side; press gently for 1–2 minutes each side, ideally before bed.

Time to results

Can feel calming within minutes; use as needed

Key study

Traditionally used to ease anxiety, palpitations and insomnia; this use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials for Graves'.

Caution

This is a supportive comfort tool, not a treatment for the thyroid itself; continue any prescribed medication and see your doctor for ongoing symptoms.

Acupressure point for palpitations and anxiety

Why this matches

For easing physical symptoms, PC6 on the inner forearm is the classic acupressure point for calming palpitations, a racing heart and anxiety — the symptoms that dominate an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pressing PC6 is used to settle the heart and calm the nervous system; it's a free, drug-free self-care tool, though this use is traditional rather than clinically proven for Graves'.

Dose or use

Press firmly about three finger-widths above the wrist crease, between the tendons, for 1–2 minutes on each arm.

Time to results

Can feel calming within minutes; use as needed

Key study

Traditionally used to calm palpitations, anxiety and nausea; this use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials for Graves'.

Caution

Acupressure is a comfort tool, not a substitute for thyroid treatment; stop if it causes pain and keep taking any prescribed medication.

Amino acid that may ease hyperthyroid symptoms

Why this matches

If you mainly want to ease the physical symptoms, L-carnitine is an amino acid that works in your tissues and has been used to help with the fatigue, muscle weakness and palpitations of an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

L-carnitine helps move fat into cells for energy and is thought to blunt some effects of excess thyroid hormone in muscle and heart tissue; it is offered here as a supportive adjunct rather than a proven treatment.

Dose or use

Commonly 2–4 g daily in divided doses; check with your provider, especially if you have heart or kidney concerns.

Time to results

Typically several weeks

Key study

Studied as a supportive adjunct for hyperthyroid symptoms; no controlled trial is cited here, so treat it as supportive rather than proven.

Caution

May cause nausea or a fishy body odor at higher doses and can interact with thyroid and blood-thinning medications; use under medical guidance.

Traditional tonic for fatigue and vitality, not the thyroid

Why this matches

If you're looking for extra herbal support while managing ongoing Graves', astragalus is a traditional tonic used for fatigue and general vitality — not for the thyroid overactivity or the autoimmune process itself.

Why try it

It has been used for generations in herbal traditions as a general energy and resilience tonic; that is the honest basis here, not evidence that it treats Graves'.

Dose or use

Follow product labeling; consult a healthcare practitioner.

Time to results

Typically 4–8 weeks

Key study

Traditionally used for this condition; this specific use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Caution

Astragalus stimulates immune activity, and its role in autoimmune thyroid disease is unproven and potentially double-edged. Only use it under a practitioner's guidance in Graves', especially alongside thyroid or immune-modulating medications, and not as a treatment for the condition itself.

Classic Western herb for mild overactive thyroid

Why this matches

If you want extra herbal support while managing ongoing symptoms, bugleweed is the traditional Western herb used specifically for mild overactive thyroid — the situation you're describing.

Why try it

Herbalists have long used bugleweed to gently calm an overactive thyroid and ease palpitations; this use is traditional and has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Dose or use

Usually taken as a tincture or tea; follow product labeling and work with a herbal practitioner.

Time to results

Typically 4–8 weeks

Key study

Traditionally used for mild hyperthyroidism and overactive-thyroid symptoms; this specific use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Caution

Bugleweed can lower thyroid hormone activity, so do not combine it with thyroid medication or use it in hypothyroidism without medical supervision, and avoid it in pregnancy.

Amino acid that may ease hyperthyroid symptoms

Why this matches

If you mainly want to ease the physical symptoms, L-carnitine is an amino acid that works in your tissues and has been used to help with the fatigue, muscle weakness and palpitations of an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

L-carnitine helps move fat into cells for energy and is thought to blunt some effects of excess thyroid hormone in muscle and heart tissue; it is offered here as a supportive adjunct rather than a proven treatment.

Dose or use

Commonly 2–4 g daily in divided doses; check with your provider, especially if you have heart or kidney concerns.

Time to results

Typically several weeks

Key study

Studied as a supportive adjunct for hyperthyroid symptoms; no controlled trial is cited here, so treat it as supportive rather than proven.

Caution

May cause nausea or a fishy body odor at higher doses and can interact with thyroid and blood-thinning medications; use under medical guidance.

Acupressure point for palpitations and anxiety

Why this matches

For easing physical symptoms, PC6 on the inner forearm is the classic acupressure point for calming palpitations, a racing heart and anxiety — the symptoms that dominate an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pressing PC6 is used to settle the heart and calm the nervous system; it's a free, drug-free self-care tool, though this use is traditional rather than clinically proven for Graves'.

Dose or use

Press firmly about three finger-widths above the wrist crease, between the tendons, for 1–2 minutes on each arm.

Time to results

Can feel calming within minutes; use as needed

Key study

Traditionally used to calm palpitations, anxiety and nausea; this use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials for Graves'.

Caution

Acupressure is a comfort tool, not a substitute for thyroid treatment; stop if it causes pain and keep taking any prescribed medication.

Best-studied supplement in Graves', especially for mild thyroid eye disease

Why this matches

Selenium is the most-studied supplement in Graves', and it's especially relevant early on. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in people with mild Graves' eye disease (thyroid eye disease) found a 6-month course improved quality of life and eased eye involvement, making it a reasonable foundational option to discuss with your doctor.

Why try it

Selenium is an antioxidant that supports thyroid tissue. In mild thyroid eye disease, a controlled trial found it improved comfort and quality of life. It's worth being realistic about its limits, though: a large trial in newly diagnosed Graves' found selenium did not improve the chance of the overactive thyroid settling into remission. Think of it as supportive, and always alongside standard care rather than in place of it.

Dose or use

100–200 mcg daily (as selenomethionine); consult a healthcare practitioner for your specific dose.

Time to results

Eye-related benefits were seen over about 6 months in trials

Key study

Randomized Controlled Trial (2011, PMID 21591944): 'Selenium and the course of mild Graves' orbitopathy' — a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 159 people with mild thyroid eye disease found a 6-month course of selenium improved quality of life and slowed eye-disease progression versus placebo. Note that a separate large trial found no benefit for hyperthyroidism remission, so selenium is best seen as support for mild eye disease alongside standard care, not a way to control the overactive thyroid itself.

Caution

High doses over time can cause selenium toxicity; do not exceed recommended amounts without guidance.

Amino acid that may ease hyperthyroid symptoms

Why this matches

If you mainly want to ease the physical symptoms, L-carnitine is an amino acid that works in your tissues and has been used to help with the fatigue, muscle weakness and palpitations of an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

L-carnitine helps move fat into cells for energy and is thought to blunt some effects of excess thyroid hormone in muscle and heart tissue; it is offered here as a supportive adjunct rather than a proven treatment.

Dose or use

Commonly 2–4 g daily in divided doses; check with your provider, especially if you have heart or kidney concerns.

Time to results

Typically several weeks

Key study

Studied as a supportive adjunct for hyperthyroid symptoms; no controlled trial is cited here, so treat it as supportive rather than proven.

Caution

May cause nausea or a fishy body odor at higher doses and can interact with thyroid and blood-thinning medications; use under medical guidance.

Acupressure point to calm anxiety and racing heart

Why this matches

If your main struggle is the anxiety, racing heart and poor sleep of an overactive thyroid, HT7 — the 'Spirit Gate' on the wrist — is traditionally used to calm exactly that cluster.

Why try it

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, HT7 is pressed to quiet the mind, ease palpitations and support sleep; it pairs well with PC6 as a simple, drug-free calming routine.

Dose or use

Find the point on the wrist crease on the pinky side; press gently for 1–2 minutes each side, ideally before bed.

Time to results

Can feel calming within minutes; use as needed

Key study

Traditionally used to ease anxiety, palpitations and insomnia; this use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials for Graves'.

Caution

This is a supportive comfort tool, not a treatment for the thyroid itself; continue any prescribed medication and see your doctor for ongoing symptoms.

Acupressure point for palpitations and anxiety

Why this matches

For easing physical symptoms, PC6 on the inner forearm is the classic acupressure point for calming palpitations, a racing heart and anxiety — the symptoms that dominate an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pressing PC6 is used to settle the heart and calm the nervous system; it's a free, drug-free self-care tool, though this use is traditional rather than clinically proven for Graves'.

Dose or use

Press firmly about three finger-widths above the wrist crease, between the tendons, for 1–2 minutes on each arm.

Time to results

Can feel calming within minutes; use as needed

Key study

Traditionally used to calm palpitations, anxiety and nausea; this use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials for Graves'.

Caution

Acupressure is a comfort tool, not a substitute for thyroid treatment; stop if it causes pain and keep taking any prescribed medication.

Low selenium may affect thyroid immune balance

Why this matches

If your selenium levels are low, correcting that deficiency may be an important factor in supporting overall thyroid health.

Why try it

Checking selenium status is a practical root-cause step — if you're low, correcting it can help support the antioxidant environment the thyroid depends on.

Dose or use

Ask your healthcare provider about a selenium blood test before supplementing.

Time to results

Varies based on individual deficiency levels

Key study

Correcting a documented shortfall can support recovery; this is a root-cause check, not a treatment claim — ask your provider to test your levels.

Caution

Supplementing without knowing your levels can lead to excess; always test first.

Low vitamin D is common in autoimmune thyroid disease

Why this matches

Checking nutrient gaps means looking beyond selenium — low vitamin D is common in autoimmune thyroid conditions like Graves', so testing your level is a sensible root-cause step.

Why try it

Vitamin D helps regulate immune function, and a documented shortfall is worth correcting; this is a test-first check, not a claim that vitamin D treats Graves'.

Dose or use

Ask your provider for a blood test (25-hydroxyvitamin D) before supplementing, then correct any shortfall to target.

Time to results

Varies based on your starting level

Key study

Low vitamin D is strongly associated with autoimmune thyroid disease; correcting a documented shortfall is a root-cause check, not a treatment claim — ask your provider to test.

Caution

Vitamin D is fat-soluble and can build up if over-supplemented; test first and dose to your levels rather than guessing.

Calming herb traditionally used in overactive thyroid

Why this matches

While managing ongoing symptoms, lemon balm is a gentle calming herb traditionally paired with thyroid-calming herbs and used for the anxiety and restlessness that come with an overactive thyroid.

Why try it

Lemon balm has a long tradition of use for anxiety, restlessness and sleep, and has traditionally been used to calm the nervous tension that can come with an overactive thyroid. That tradition is the honest basis here, not proof that it treats Graves'.

Dose or use

Commonly taken as a tea or tincture, often in the evening; follow product labeling.

Time to results

Often within a few weeks

Key study

Traditionally used for anxiety, sleep and overactive-thyroid symptoms; this specific use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Caution

May cause drowsiness and can add to the effect of sedatives; if you take thyroid medication, tell your doctor before combining herbs.

Classic Western herb for mild overactive thyroid

Why this matches

If you want extra herbal support while managing ongoing symptoms, bugleweed is the traditional Western herb used specifically for mild overactive thyroid — the situation you're describing.

Why try it

Herbalists have long used bugleweed to gently calm an overactive thyroid and ease palpitations; this use is traditional and has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Dose or use

Usually taken as a tincture or tea; follow product labeling and work with a herbal practitioner.

Time to results

Typically 4–8 weeks

Key study

Traditionally used for mild hyperthyroidism and overactive-thyroid symptoms; this specific use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Caution

Bugleweed can lower thyroid hormone activity, so do not combine it with thyroid medication or use it in hypothyroidism without medical supervision, and avoid it in pregnancy.

Traditional tonic for fatigue and vitality, not the thyroid

Why this matches

If you're looking for extra herbal support while managing ongoing Graves', astragalus is a traditional tonic used for fatigue and general vitality — not for the thyroid overactivity or the autoimmune process itself.

Why try it

It has been used for generations in herbal traditions as a general energy and resilience tonic; that is the honest basis here, not evidence that it treats Graves'.

Dose or use

Follow product labeling; consult a healthcare practitioner.

Time to results

Typically 4–8 weeks

Key study

Traditionally used for this condition; this specific use has not been confirmed in controlled clinical trials.

Caution

Astragalus stimulates immune activity, and its role in autoimmune thyroid disease is unproven and potentially double-edged. Only use it under a practitioner's guidance in Graves', especially alongside thyroid or immune-modulating medications, and not as a treatment for the condition itself.