You’ve probably heard about some of the amazing benefits of coconut oil, but one health benefit might be new to you. It turns out that coconut oil can help fix problems associated with an under-active thyroid.

An under-active thyroid results in what is known as hypothyroidism. It occurs when the thyroid gland can’t make enough thyroid hormone to keep the body running properly, causing the body’s functions to slow down, including the metabolism. 

How Coconut oil works

Coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fat, including lauric acid and medium chain fatty acids. These fats function as a usable energy source that nourishes the thyroid and the rest of the body. This nourishment is essential as it is what stabilizes hormone production and corrects issues like hypothyroidism.

How to use Coconut oil

Adding coconut oil into your daily diet is the main goal of utilizing coconut oil as a natural remedy. You may consider taking a tablespoon by mouth daily or simply adding the oil into your regular cooking practices. You do want to be sure to use unrefined organic coconut oil either way, though.Try adding coconut oil to hot tea, coffee or milk, using it in your daily cooking, adding it to smoothies or drizzling it over a salad.

Here are some of the ways that coconut oil helps treat problems related to hypothyroidism.

Coconut Oil Encourages Weight Loss

Unexplained weight gain is one of the most common, and perhaps one of the most frustrating symptoms of low thyroid hormones. Weight loss becomes a much harder task for those suffering from an underactive thyroid, because thyroid hormones have a direct impact on the body’s metabolism. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that medium-chain triglycerides have a greater satiating effect, which can help facilitate weight loss.

Coconut Oil Increases Body Temperature

One of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is feeling cold a lot of the time. This is due to a slow metabolism. When the coconut oil increases the metabolism, it increases the body temperature. This is because the metabolism is like a furnace of the body. When this furnace is working, it is creating heat.

Boosts Metabolism

Thyroid hormones play a key role in how your cells function and affect your metabolism level. An underactive thyroid can lead to less energy, fatigue and constant tiredness. You can combat these symptoms of low thyroid with coconut oil. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil enter easily into the mitochondria – the cells’ energy-burning powerhouses. From here, the fats are converted to energy. This is turn gives a boost to your metabolism. It even raises the basal body temperature, which is important for those dealing with low thyroid. Plus, most of the fat content in coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid. When ingested, the lauric acid gets converted into monolaurin, which has antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoa properties. This improves your metabolism as well as immunity.

By adding virgin coconut oil to your diet, you’ll keep your metabolism as well as immune system strong. Even the ancient practice of oil pulling with organic coconut oil can help improve metabolism and shed excess pounds.

Fights Inflammation

Those suffering from a thyroid disorder often experience muscle and joint pain due to inflammation from unbalanced hormone levels. Coconut oil naturally suppresses inflammation and helps to repair tissues, making it highly effective in the treatment of hypothyroidism to reduce inflammation and fight pain.

Relieves Constipation

Low thyroid hormones slow down the body’s functions, including the digestive tract, the small intestine and the large intestine. This condition also weakens the contraction of muscles that line the digestive tract, leading to constipation. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil provide the energy needed by the intestinal cells to stimulate bowel movements, and coconut oil works as a natural laxative to help things run more smoothly.

Prevents Hair Loss

A thyroid disorder can affect many parts of the body, including the hair follicles. The lauric acid in coconut oil is able to provide hair with the proteins it needs to stay healthy and strong, to reduce hair loss.

Summing Up

Coconut oil has been found to be very helpful for people who have hypothyroidism. It has been scientifically proved to increase metabolism. Coconut oil is best used in its extra virgin state and organic would be the purest form. The amount varies between 3 to 6 tablespoons a day and has been said to have a very pleasant taste.