8 Household Products That Are Harmful To Your Thyroid

Did you know that there are a lot of household products that are harmful to your thyroid?

Your thyroid is a small gland shaped like a butterfly and you can find it on the underside of your neck. The thyroid plays an important role in your body’s metabolism.

When changes occur in the thyroid gland, it affects various organs in your body. It can even go so far that your quality of life deteriorates because the disrupted functioning of your thyroid gland can trigger various diseases and disorders.

The accumulation of toxins in the body is one of the main causes of long-term thyroid problems. 

You can of course ensure that the impact of toxic substances is kept to a minimum, for example by following a healthy diet. However, there are other factors that also affect the functioning of your thyroid gland.

8 Household Products That Are Harmful To Your Thyroid

It has been shown that the use of certain household products can lead to certain thyroid problems due to the presence of chemical or toxic substances.

You can keep the chance of these problems as low as possible by using these products as little as possible or even not using them at all.

1. Pesticides

Several studies have shown that people who come into contact with pesticides have an increased risk of thyroid problems. 

• For example, one study found that women who are married to men who use pesticides in their day-to-day work environments are at greater risk for thyroid problems.
• Another study showed that 60% of the pesticides used today can cause changes in the thyroid gland.

In other words, there is no doubt that frequent or regular exposure to products containing pesticides, such as herbicides, insecticides and antifungals, among others, is harmful to your thyroid.

2. Fire Retardants

Flame retardants and polybrominated diphenyl ether (or PBDEs for short) can also alter how your thyroid works.  These products are found on the screens of televisions and computers. They are also in the foam used to fill furniture and carpet.

As if that weren’t bad enough, exposure to PBDEs has also been linked to behavioral and developmental problems.

3.Plastic

Plastic generally has a negative effect on your body. It has also been shown to harm your thyroid.

One of the biggest current human health concerns is a certain chemical that ends up in food and water through plastic bottles. This substance is better known as antimony.

Scientists from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) found that the level of antimony in fruit drinks and juices in plastic bottles was 2.5 times higher than what is considered healthy in the case of tap water.

It has also been discovered that some phthalates in plastic bottles also have a negative effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland.

4. Non-stick surfaces

Non-stick products contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA for short). This is a chemical used in the production of Teflon, food packaging and other items that can be found in many households.

Even with limited exposure, this chemical can affect your thyroid. It is therefore better to avoid products with a non-stick coating altogether.

5. Toothpaste with Triclosan

Some of the more popular toothpastes today contain an ingredient known as triclosan. Triclosan can disrupt not only the functioning of the thyroid gland, but also the testosterone and estrogen levels and the effectiveness of certain antibiotics.

Triclosan is a compound that affects the hormones produced by the thyroid gland. This has a negative effect on the normal development of your reproductive system and your metabolism.

6. Antibacterial Products

Some antibacterial soaps, gels, and lotions contain triclosan and can also have a harmful effect on the thyroid gland.

Triclosan acts as an antibiotic to control the bacteria that spread on your hands, feet, teeth and other body parts. As we have already mentioned above, this substance can be harmful to other parts of the body, including the thyroid gland.

7. Heavy Metals

Many of the chemicals you regularly use in your home contain at least some amount of heavy metal. Examples of the heavy metals include mercury, lead and aluminum.

The production of antibodies to fight these heavy metals can lead to autoimmune thyroid disorders, such as Hashimoto’s and Graves’ diseases , for example.

8. Soy

The proteins in soy products contain phytoestrogens and  these can inhibit the production of peroxidase in the thyroid gland.

When normal thyroid function is interrupted, the body is unable to process iodine. And that is exactly how all hormones in the thyroid gland are produced.

Another problem with soy products today is that most of them are genetically engineered (GMOs). This can also have a very negative impact on human health.