Low vitamins and minerals possible coeliac - Thyroid UK

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Low vitamins and minerals possible coeliac

Kimmi87 profile image
15 Replies

Hi here are previous results still waiting on thyroid function results done 3 weeks ago also taking iron and vitamin D 800iu thanks

Jun 2017

Thyroglobulin antibodies 258.3 (<115)

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 905.5 (<34)

Ferritin 54 (30 - 400)

Folate 2.1 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 261 (190 - 900)

Vitamin D 53.2 (50 - 75 suboptimal)

Selenium 0.94 (0.89 - 1.65)

Magnesium 0.83 (0.70 - 1.00)

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Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87
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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Your high antibodies confirm you have Hashimoto's

A small percentage (approx 5%) with Hashimoto's are actually Coeliac, but much larger % (88% according to Izabella Wentz- see link below) are gluten intolerant and have leaky gut due to the Hashimoto's

You could ask for coeliac blood test (very unreliable) Endoscopy requires high level gluten every day for 6 weeks before test. Known as gluten challenge. But if test is negative you would still be best to go gluten free (at least for 3- 6 months to see if it helps)

Your very low vitamin levels are a result of the Hashimoto's and the constant change in levels it can cause

You will need to improve your vitamin levels with supplements. SeasideSusie gives full details in lots of posts -

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Very very many of us with Hashimoto's find changing to gluten free diet helps reduce Hashimoto's flares and can help gut repair and eventually TPO antibodies can slowly lower

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Healing gut with probiotics, bone broth and fermented foods

thyroidpharmacist.com/?s=Bo...

Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87 in reply to SlowDragon

Ok thanks the previous GP said it would be worth me cutting out FODMAPs since she thinks I have IBS but can this still be done when I go gluten free or am I just making more work for myself by excluding FODMAPs

Mary-intussuception profile image
Mary-intussuception in reply to Kimmi87

If you are going to ask to be tested for Coeliac Disease then you need to eat gluten / wheat products. So if having test , best not to give up gluten yet.

Look up NICE guidelines for treatment of Coeliac's

Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87 in reply to Mary-intussuception

Thanks yes being tested for coeliac. I told previous GP I think I have it and I am an undiagnosed coeliac and she said she was happy to test but still printed off a factsheet for IBS which I took from her but I just think the IBS diagnosis is another way of her saying she has run out of ideas of what is wrong with me. I have noticed that even a little bit of gluten sets off my stomach upset

Mary-intussuception profile image
Mary-intussuception in reply to Kimmi87

IBS is one of the terms I would like to ban!

Along with 'it's just wear and tear' frequently said to people with Arthritis of ALL ages.

Your Folate is LOW (below range)

Your B12 is low. Yet these don't seem to have been addressed by GP?

You may wish to add the nutrients results to your earlier thread.

You could also post them on Pernicious Anemia forum for their advice.

I would be asking GP to test for Pernicious Anemia.

Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87 in reply to Mary-intussuception

Thanks for reply previous GP says folate is only slightly under range and suggested my ongoing symptoms are due to IBS caused by stress and suggested counselling and antipsychotics. I left this surgery today

Mary-intussuception profile image
Mary-intussuception in reply to Kimmi87

If you want to go gluten free now then you could ask your new GP to refer you to Gastroenterologist. If you check the NICE guidance I think that's what it says in there anyway.

X🐥

Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87 in reply to Mary-intussuception

Thanks I am doing the gluten challenge and I am planning to go to new GP on Friday or Monday to be tested for coeliac

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Kimmi87

Make sure if you do that you get a date for endoscopy. Otherwise you could be eating high level gluten, making yourself worse and no endoscopy in sight

Your ferritin and vitamin D are also too low - see the link I added from seasidesusie in my first reply

Most/many GP's have no idea that gut, gluten and low vitamins are a result of the Hashimoto's.

Mary-intussuception profile image
Mary-intussuception in reply to Kimmi87

Actually, my Folate result was a little higher than yours but was reported as LOW - make non-urgent appoinment to see GP. When I called in to make appoinment my Vitamin D presription was there waiting for me to collect. I didn't know! GP gave me the Folic Acid and said to retestin 3 months.

Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87 in reply to Mary-intussuception

Ok I plan to see a better GP about all of these thanks

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Kimmi87

Ferritin 54 (30 - 400)

This is far too low. I've seen it said that ferritin should be half way through it's range, but I've also read that for females 100-130 is best. Whichever is correct, you need to raise your level, and an absolute minimum of 70 is neded for thyroid hormone to work.

You don't say how much iron you are taking but take each tablet with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation, or you can eat liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and include lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

**

Folate 2.1 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 261 (190 - 900)

You are folate deficient with low B12. Do you have any signs of B12 deficiency b12deficiency.info/signs-an... If so then please post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice healthunlocked.com/pasoc

I have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:

"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."

And an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:

"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".

"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."

Folate should be at least half way through it's range.

**

Vitamin D 53.2 (50 - 75 suboptimal)

800iu D3 isn't going to ever raise your level. It is hardly a maintenance dose for someone with a reasonable level.

The recommended level, according to the Vit D Council, is 100-150nmol/L.

My suggestion would be to buy some D3 softgels like these bodykind.com/product/2463-b... and take 5000iu daily for 8 weeks, reduce to l5000iu alternate days for a further 4 weeks then retest, privately if necessary with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/

When you've reached the recommended level you'll need a sensible maintenance dose which may be 2000iu daily, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range.

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.

**

Selenium 0.94 (0.89 - 1.65)

Rather on the low side. Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can help reduce the antibodies and you will be fine taking this amount with this result.

**

Magnesium 0.83 (0.70 - 1.00)

Again, on the low side, which is not unexpected, most of us are. As magnesium is an important cofactor of D3 you should take it when supplementing that, so just choose the form which will suit you best.

Kimmi87 profile image
Kimmi87 in reply to SeasideSusie

Thanks I am taking 1 iron tablet per day for iron deficiency and GP has said this is enough

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Kimmi87

If you have been diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia then your GP isn't following the treatment guidelines, it's 1 x ferrous fumarate 2 or 3 times a day, you might want to point this out to him, and here is the information:

NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary for iron deficiency anaemia treatment (which will be very similar to your local area guidelines which you can find on Google):

cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-iro...

How should I treat iron deficiency anaemia?

•Address underlying causes as necessary (for example treat menorrhagia or stop nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, if possible).

Treat with oral ferrous sulphate 200 mg tablets two or three times a day.

◦If ferrous sulphate is not tolerated, consider oral ferrous fumarate tablets or ferrous gluconate tablets.

◦Do not wait for investigations to be carried out before prescribing iron supplements.

•If dietary deficiency of iron is thought to be a contributory cause of iron deficiency anaemia, advise the person to maintain an adequate balanced intake of iron-rich foods (for example dark green vegetables, iron-fortified bread, meat, apricots, prunes, and raisins) and consider referral to a dietitian.

• Monitor the person to ensure that there is an adequate response to iron treatment.

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