Hashimotos

[BeeGee1962]

Hi Has anyone with hashimotos cut back or stopped gluten ? . Has it helped ?.

Thanks in advance 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Thousands upon thousands of members find strictly gluten free diet helps or is absolutely essential

ALWAYS get coeliac blood test done BEFORE cutting gluten out

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

healthcheckshop.co.uk/store...?

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet

(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)

Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

A year ago you were only on 75mcg

Only one step up from starter dose

Unless extremely petite likely to need at least 100mcg levothyroxine per day

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually

Low vitamin levels are extremely common with Hashimoto’s

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

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)

If/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

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

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/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Lalatoot]

Yes lots of us have and it has helped. Even if you have a test for coeliac and it comes back negative it is worth trying gluten free as you can be sensitive to gluten rather than full blown allergic.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

I was encouraged by other members to start a GF trial & wouldn’t go back....it’s helped reduce overall inflammation in my body & I no longer have any ‘tummy issues’ (previously an endoscopy highlighted gastritis which has now gone thanks to being GF & I no longer need to take PPIs like omeprazole)

[Karenk13]

Yes I did and made no difference except to my bank balance from having to buy gluten free foods 😂😂 I also tested negative for ceoliac after my sister tested positive so decided why would I deprive myself of the yummy glutens if its not helping lol

[nellie237 in reply to Karenk13]

Hi Karen,

I agree with you , enjoy, but suggest you get tested every couple of years . I tested negative in 2007, but positive 2020. If I'd known then what I know now, it would have saved me a whole heap of crap.

[Karenk13 in reply to nellie237]

nellie237 yeh agree thanks. I've been tested twice because of my sister so everytime I meet new consultant for something they check 😂 I was told you can become ceoliac at any stage and since its autoimmune and I already have 2 other autoimmune diseases the risk of getting a 3rd is more likely.

[Serendipitious]

BeeGee1962,

I’d highly recommend reading the book Hashimoto's Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back by Dr Izabella Wentz.

amazon.co.uk/dp/006257129X/...

I bought this book a few years ago read it and then forgot about it. I’ve picked it up again and finding it really helpful. The thing with Hashimoto’s is that simply replacing thyroid hormone doesn’t make everyone feel better. It’s an autoimmune issue not a low thyroid issue. There’s several protocols in the book, you prioritise based on her symptoms list, they are straightforward and easy to follow and through reading about them you can identify where your symptoms are coming from. Basically identify the root causes.

[Boon79]

I have been strictly gluten free for a while now and not much difference.I am definitely lactose intolerant so I take an enzyme before dairy.

I’m going to try to get to 6 months gluten free to see if I am any better.