How To Treat Graves' Disease

Watch Iodine In Diet

Patients with Graves' disease often need to watch their dietary iodine intake. Consumption of foods with high levels of iodine could worsen symptoms, and patients are generally advised to follow a low-iodine diet. It is particularly important to avoid seafood, seaweed, nori, algae, carrageen, and iodized salt. Patients should also try to avoid egg yolks, dairy products, and certain food colorings. Using low-iodine or iodine-free alternatives like non-iodized salt, egg whites, and non-dairy milk is recommended. Since nitrates increase iodine absorption, patients should monitor their nitrate intake and take steps to reduce it. Nitrates occur naturally in processed meats, spinach, cabbage, beets, parsley, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and pumpkin, and patients may need to eliminate these foods from their diets. Patients may want to ask their doctor about whether it is safe for them to consume soy products, as animal studies suggest these could interfere with some treatments for Graves' disease. If soy products are unsafe, other non-dairy options such as rice or oat milk may be useful. A nutritionist can help patients with planning healthy meals free from or low in iodine.

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