Does anyone know if Thyroid conditions and or Zinc issues can cause extreme hairloss?

[lisgaff]

I have an underactive thyroid, alopecia universalis and a zinc deficiency. All diagnosed within the same 6 month period (I also gave birth a few months before it all came to light). Does anyone know if Thyroid conditions and or Zinc issues can cause extreme hairloss?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Both hypothyroidism and zinc deficiency can cause hairloss.

You might find this article about vitamin deficiencies and loss interesting:

hubpages.com/health/16-Vita...

[greygoose in reply to SeasideSusie]

Some good advice and some bad, in that article. It says to take a multi-vit, but we know that's not a good idea. And, we hypos certainly don't want to take iodine.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to greygoose]

I know, we have to sort the wheat from the chaff. It also says that we can get selenium from Brazil nuts, but doesn't go on to explain that they have to be grown in selenium rich soil. At least it's a list of vitamins to consider.

[greygoose in reply to SeasideSusie]

Indeed, there is that. We just have to use it intelligently.

[Lora7again in reply to SeasideSusie]

I tried eating some brazil nuts and cracked my tooth on one so I now take selenium tablets.

[atalanta in reply to greygoose]

Why not to take iodine? Thought that element was necessary to hypo sufferers?

[greygoose in reply to atalanta]

Certainly not necessary for hypo sufferers unless their hypothyroidism is caused by iodine deficiency.

Iodine is a necessary ingredient of thyroid hormone in a healthy thyroid. But, if your thyroid isn't working properly, it cannot make thyroid hormone no matter how much of the ingredients you give it. And, the problem is that high levels of iodine are anti-thyroid. Before drugs like carbimazole were invented, high doses of iodine were used to treat hyperthyroidism.

In excess, iodine can cause all sorts of problems, like thyroid cancer. It can also trigger Hashi's - and if you have Hashi's, it can make it a whole lot worse.

And excess doses are easily reached. You only need a tiny amount of iodine daily because it is recycled in the body. Plus, as it is an ingredient of thyroid hormone, you will be getting it from your thyroid hormone replacement - 100 mcg levo will give you 68 mcg iodine, which is recycled. And, then, you have the iodine you get from your food. However, if you're hypo and your thyroid is no-longer making thyroid hormone, you need less iodine, not more.

So, for all those reasons, you should not be taking supplemental iodine.

[lisgaff in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much!

[Nanaedake]

Did you have a lot of entonox or anaesthetic for delivery? If so, it might be worth getting B12 and folate checked too. B12 can be neutralised by anaesthetic if already low.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How long since you were diagnosed as hypothyroid?

Do you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

ijtrichology.com/article.as...

Low vitamin levels are extremely common with Hashimoto's

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

Do you always get same brand of Levothyroxine?

What are your most recent Thyroid results?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Presumably you have had zinc levels tested?

[lisgaff in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your response.

I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid in March/April time. Now on 100mg which GP says I should stay on. Also on Zinc 200mg post blood test result of 8.1 umol/L. I have a high level of thyroid antibodies, most recent level was about 700, this is a reduction from 950 around diagnosis time. I try to avoid gluten to help reduce number of antibodies.

Last Serum folate result in Nov was 4.4ug/L which is classed as normal.

Last B12 was 402 ng/L which is classed as normal.

Last Ferritin was 31 ug/L which is normal.

Vitamin D came back normal.

Ta very much

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to lisgaff]

Last Serum folate result in Nov was 4.4ug/L which is classed as normal.

Last B12 was 402 ng/L which is classed as normal.

Last Ferritin was 31 ug/L which is normal.

Vitamin D came back normal.

They may be in range, so classed as normal, but it's where in range that matters. None are optimal. If you post the ranges with the results we can help further.

[lisgaff in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for your response - I have added in the ranges.

Last Serum folate result in Nov was 4.4ug/L which is classed as normal.

range is 3.9-20

Last B12 was 402 ng/L which is classed as normal.

range is 197 - 1999

Last Ferritin was 31 ug/L which is normal.

range is 13-150

Vitamin D came back normal. Range wasnt specified in the results online.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to lisgaff]

Folate is very low, it's recommended to be at least half way through range.

B12 is low According to 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."

Ng/L is the same as pg/ml.

A good B Complex, eg Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B, will raise both folate and B12.

Ferritin is low and is recommended to be half way through range. This could be connected to your hair loss.

As you have Hashi's (confirmed by raised antibodies) you might find this article interesting:

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

particularly the part where it says:

According to some experts, ferritin levels of at least 40 ng/ml are required to stop hair loss, while levels of at least 70 ng/ml are needed for hair regrowth. The optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is between 90-110 ng/ml.

You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

but I would also ask your GP for an iron panel and full blood count as you could have iron deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia.

Even though you don't have a range for Vit D, what was the result and was it nmol/L or ng/L, that's enough to know if you need to improve it or not.

[lisgaff in reply to SeasideSusie]

Vit D results

25 Hydroxyvitamin D2 level - 9.4 nmol/L

25 Hydroxyvitamin D3 level - 99.5 nmol/L

Combined total vit D2&D3 - 108.9 nmolL

Ok so I should get in an apppointment with my GP.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to lisgaff]

The Vit D Council/Vit D Society recommend a level of 100-150nmol/L so you have come in at the lower end of that range. That is OK. I like mine nearer 150nmol/L.

Your GP will do nothing about your low folate and B12 because they are in range, and that's all they care about, they have no knowledge of "optimal" levels. So you will have to self supplement as suggested. But I would certainly ask your GP for the iron panel and full blood count due to your low ferritin.

[lisgaff in reply to SeasideSusie]

You have been SO helpful thank you very much.

I will book in an appointment with GP on the iron panel and full blood count.

hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...

Are the above the right kind of products?

Ta

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to lisgaff]

That link is to Igennus Echiomega and Igennus Vegepa, you don't want those. You want either Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B Complex and H&B don't sell them. Do an internet search, plenty of places sell them, do price comparisons.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to lisgaff]

As SeasideSusie has explained .....these are all too low and likely to need supplementing to improve to optimal

Strictly gluten free diet does need to be absolutely strictly gluten free to be effective

Don’t share cutting mat, butter dish, jam etc etc

Separate toaster for GF bread

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

[lisgaff in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

[Lora7again]

Nope..

[Poppy_the_cat]

Most definitely.

Shall dig out excellent info later today and forward it on.

Zinc + thyroid issues can definitely = hair loss.... But hang on, you can reverse it!

Excellent article/paper.

Fully illustrated with photos.

Showing 'before'....and thankfully 'after' successful treatment.

Poppy the 🐈

😉

[lisgaff in reply to Poppy_the_cat]

Thanks so much! really appreciate it.

[Poppy_the_cat in reply to lisgaff]

I've got to access my laptop. It's not where I am located at present... I shall try to do it this evening.

Looks like you have a wee darling too from your photo?

Will email later

😉

I've just started to make myself a micro silver spoon to consistently scoop out the same amount of HRT, in order to get a consistent, measured amount, as measuring "1/8 of a teaspoon" is a non-starter!!

Catch you later.

Poppy the 🐈

[Poppy_the_cat]

Hi, Sorry it taken a while for me to find it. I need to take the time to re-organise loads of folders, as well as cope with a new kitten who is poorly... and so many other things..

this is an excellent parer. please read.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

I also have a document I have put together. If you want it, private message me and i will send it to you.

best wishes,

poppy the cat x