Efficacy of Ginger Supplementation in Relieving Persistent Hypothyroid Symptoms in Patients with Controlled Primary Hypothyroidism: A Pilot Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
January 2022
in “
Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine
”
hypothyroidism ginger supplementation serum TSH levels Thyroid Symptom Rating Questionnaire ThySRQ weight gain cold intolerance constipation dry skin appetite memory loss concentration disturbance dizziness body weight body mass index waist circumference fasting blood sugar triglycerides total cholesterol ginger TSH BMI blood sugar cholesterol
TLDR Ginger supplements helped reduce symptoms and improve metabolic health in hypothyroid patients.
In a pilot randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 60 hypothyroid patients aged 20-60 with normal serum TSH levels, ginger supplementation (500 mg twice a day for 30 days) was found to significantly reduce persistent hypothyroid symptoms compared to a placebo. The study used the Thyroid Symptom Rating Questionnaire (ThySRQ) to measure outcomes and found that the ginger group had a significantly lower mean total ThySRQ score (8.63 ± 5.47) than the control group (15.76 ± 6.09, P < 0.001). Ginger supplementation led to improvements in symptoms such as weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin, appetite, memory loss, concentration disturbance, and feeling giddy or dizzy, but not in hair loss, nail fragility, hearing, hoarseness, speech, and depression. Additionally, ginger resulted in a significant decrease in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and levels of serum TSH, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. The study concludes that ginger supplementation may help relieve persistent symptoms in hypothyroid patients and improve weight and metabolic parameters.
