HOT, HERBAL DRINK MASKING HYPOTHYROIDISM, UNKNOWN LABORATORY INTERFERENCE WITH FENUGREEK AND CORIANDER SEEDS: A RARE PRESENTATION OF SEVERE HYPOTHYROIDISM

Abstract

Tariq Alrasheed*

This case report highlights a unique instance in which the use of a hot, herbal drink made from fenugreek and coriander seeds interfered with laboratory thyroid function tests (TFTs), masking hypothyroidism. A 50-yearold female presented with generalized fatigue and symptoms suggestive of hypothyroidism, but initial TFTs indicated uncharacteristic results, suggesting central hyperthyroidism. Further inquiry revealed the nightly self-administering of an herbal drink containing fenugreek and coriander seeds. This drink was then withheld while a new TFT was ordered. The results of this test were consistent with the patient’s clinical presentation of hypothyroidism, confirming an interference in the previous tests. If unrecognized, this interference could lead to a delay in diagnosis and possible further morbidity or death. Additional studies are needed to confirm and explore the extent of such interactions and build guidelines to detect them.