How does the Endocrine System Control Metabolism?

Let's not forget that the endocrine system organs are all connected to one another. The pituitary gland, for example, is just as important as the thyroid gland in regulating metabolism.

The pituitary gland is the gland which keeps the thyroid gland in check and helps regulate how much hormone it produces. We can't even tell whether the thyroid is working properly without checking the pituitary gland hormones.

The endocrine system is truly a system. It works well when every "player," that is, every gland in the system is working well.

@StarJo-- I've heard about soy, but I've never heard about coffee interacting with thyroid medication.

I have hypothyroidism which I'm taking medications for. My doctor told me to avoid all foods that come from the cabbage family-- so cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli. I'm also supposed to avoid soy, peanuts and strawberries.

Apparently, these foods can prevent the endocrine system from recognizing the hormones and reacting to them. So if I took the medicine and ate these foods, it would be like not taking the medicine at all.

@anon4353, @jml-- I'm not sure that any food or drink can do that to the extent of treating or balancing out hypothyroidism. If you have this condition, it can only be treated by taking additional hormones to speed up metabolism.

So you would be taking synthetic thyroid hormones that mimic natural thyroid hormones and this will get your metabolism to work faster. I really don't think that a particular food or drink can do this.

It's interesting that the endocrine gland system responds to some of the same foods when it comes to regulating hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. For both, berries that have lots of antioxidants, like strawberries and blueberries, are good choices, as well as salmon.

My sister has an overactive thyroid, and her doctor told her to eat broccoli, kale, or cabbage once a day. He also mentioned yogurt, milk, and protein, but he included berries and fish, as well.

She doesn't eat a lot of meat, but she gets protein from nuts and beans. Her doctor said that those would be helpful in regulating her thyroid, too.

@StarJo – It's also helpful if you avoid alcoholic drinks. I have an underactive thyroid, and my doctor told me that alcohol could make me gain even more weight than I already have.

I gained nearly twenty pounds rather quickly, so I knew that something was wrong. I wasn't eating anything different or exercising any less, so I was relieved to hear it was related to my endocrine system function.

I've heard that you should avoid soy and caffeine if you are taking medication to treat an underactive thyroid. Both can interact with the medicine.

My cousin has hypothyroidism, and she is currently on medication for it. She can no longer eat some of her favorite foods, like edamame and tofu. She also had to cut down on her coffee and soda consumption.

I remember learning that in the endocrine system, the pituitary gland is responsible for kickstarting the thyroid gland. It releases these hormones that stimulate the thyroid, and then the thyroid can do its thing to regulate metabolism.

If you are taking eltroxin for the rest of your life, should you be using a supplement?

Coconut oil speeds up the metabolism and can correct hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroid symptoms are sometimes related to deficiency in iodine (which is one of the basic building blocks of thyroid hormones) and selenium (a building block of certain enzymes required for the conversion of the T4 hormone to T3, which is the hormone active in the cells). Fish, seaweed, and other foods rich in iodine can sometimes help with hypothyroidism.

What foods or drinks stimulate the endocrine system to increase thyroid activity?

What foods and drinks stimulate the endocrine system so that hypothyroidism is minimized? In other words, what foods or drinks stimulate the metabolism?