Thyroid and hair thinning

[ClaireW80]

Hi folks. I was recommended this site by a good friend. I was diagnosed with coeliac disease about 5 years ago. I had blood tests to check thyroid and iron levels a year or so back after feeling exhausted. Doctor said both were in normal range but iron was on the low end of normal so I asked to go onto iron tablets which definitely helped the tiredness. I have also seen my hair thin and flatten over the last 5+ years and I am always cold. I struggle to maintain a good weight and only succeed by reducing my food intake to two meals a day. My friend suggested getting my thyroid re checked, especially with regard to my hair deteriorating. What blood tests should I be asking for that might have an influence on thyroid changes or hair thinning? Or coldness and weight sluggishness!? Any advise would be welcomed as I am completely new to this idea and link to health concerns. Thank you! 🙂

[Angel20]

Full blood count to check everything and it is worth adding again the thyroid tests

[fuchsia-pink]

Welcome to the forum

I'd check TSH, free T4, free T3 and thyroid antibodies [that's the full suite of thyroid tests] AND key nutrients - ferritin, folate, vit D and B12 - (a) because if you are hypo (under-active thyroid) these are often low and (b) because hair loss is often due to these being low.SlowDragon does an excellent summary of the tests available and discounts and will hopefully pop up in a bit x

[Lora7again]

Low ferritin can cause hair loss ... do you have any recent blood results to share with us?

[ClaireW80 in reply to Lora7again]

No. I’m so sorry. I have never written down results. I just phoned through and they said all was well. 🤦🏽‍♀️

[Lora7again in reply to ClaireW80]

I found out on a hair loss site that ferritin has to be over 80 for hair growth. I would ask for a copy of your results. Just to add I have had two lots of extreme hair loss lasting a couple of years both times. Mine was caused by my thyroid levels being either too low or too high. The last time it happened I had some hair extensions put in because my hair was so thin. At the moment my hair has been growing back for over a year and I am losing about 3 hairs a day instead of hundreds a day. I do know how distressing hair loss can be and luckily mine has grown back.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Lora7again]

I found out on a hair loss site that ferritin has to be over 80 for hair growth.

If there were absolutely true, there would be an awful lot of people with no hair!

From results we see here, there are many who seem never to have had a ferritin level over 80.

But I fully accept that adequate iron is important for hair growth.

[Lora7again in reply to helvella]

This is what I was told by HerAlopecia site and they help a lot of people with hair loss. There can be other factors as in my case which was caused by a combination of low ferritin, low vitamin D of 7 and very high thyroid levels. I have also lost a lot of hair when my T4 and T3 were too low. I am just passing on what I have learned when suffering with extreme hair loss. Also some people with thyroid disease never get their hair back so I am very lucky.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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 and thyroid antibodies tested

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 .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

Often cheaper to order on a Thursday

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

Also vitamin D available as separate test via MMH

Or alternative Vitamin D NHS postal kit

vitamindtest.org.uk

As coeliac and on gluten free diet vitamins are frequently low

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

You need to stop iron supplements a week before testing ferritin levels to get true ferritin result

If taking any supplements that contain biotin you need to stop these a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results.

[ClaireW80 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you VERY Much for your comprehensive answer. I do take iron and calcium and a multi vit from H&B which contains biotin. I will contact my surgery in the new year and see what they are willing to support and then look to go private with the rest if needed. I presume If I go private, I can then take the results back to my doctors if they show I am deficient...? Thanks again. 🙂

[MichelleHarris in reply to ClaireW80]

I try to eat healthily. I was taking a supplement containing Zinc for 6 months but still my Endo found I had a severe Zinc deficiency. Might explain why my toe nails dropped off. My hair has been like straw for years, could never grow my nails. But now since toing my Zinc levels up, my hair has grown beautifully. My hairdresser is so shocked. I’m so glad he found it with a nasty virus about too x

[infomaniac]

I feel your pain ClaireW. My hair is half as thick as it used to be and it was always full of life and bouncy but now it's flat as a pancake and no amount of gels, sprays, mousses make any difference (as my cupboard full of products attest to!) I eat well, I take all the right supplements, I don't have gluten soy, coffee, fluoride, dairy and can hardly drink alcohol now either-all to no avail.

I've read that as hair isn't necessary to the body it goes to the back of the queue but I am at a loss as to what I can try next. I am trying to heal my gut but it's a long slog with no evident progress so far.