A Case Study on Effective Ayurvedic Management of Hypothyroidism

Abstract

The thyroid gland is a key component of the endocrine system, regulating metabolic processes, growth, and development through thyroid hormone secretion. The prevalence of endocrine disorders has increased markedly in recent decades, with hypothyroidism emerging as a major public health concern. It affects approximately 2–5% of the global population, while urban India reports a significantly higher prevalence of 10.95%, with a greater burden among females. Psychosocial stress and anxiety further contribute to thyroid dysfunction due to the gland’s sensitivity to neuroendocrine stimuli. Additionally, subclinical hypothyroidism, defined by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels with normal thyroxine (T4) levels, often remains underdiagnosed despite its adverse impact on quality of life. These observations underscore the need to investigate hypothyroidism from an Ayurvedic perspective and to develop evidence-based management strategies grounded in traditional medicine. This case report describes a 50-year-old female patient with hypothyroidism, presenting with a six-year history of abdominal heaviness, fatigue, sour belching, loss of appetite, anxiety, hair fall and throat irritation with marked worsening of symptoms over the preceding five months. The patient had been on allopathic treatment for hypothyroidism for six years. Following 3 months of Ayurvedic intervention, significant symptomatic improvement was observed, along with a reduction in serum TSH levels from 7.813 mIU/L to 4.2 mIU/L.