Should I go gluten-free to reverse mild Hashimoto's?

[Tkev]

I re-tested my bloods on Monday after just over three weeks of following these changes:

Following a gluten-free diet

Supplementing folic acid 400 mcg

Supplementing ashwagandha 500 mg

Consuming approximately 30 g of liver pate

Supplementing magnesium glycinate 200 mg

CRP HS: 0.73 mg/L (previous test) / 0.36 mg/L (latest test) (ref < 3)

Ferritin: 100 ug/L / 102 ug/L (ref 30 - 518)

Folate - serum: 5.7 nmol/L / 11.5 nmol/L (ref > 7)

Vitamin B12 - Active: 125 pmol/L / 133 pmol/L (ref > 37.5)

Vitamin D: 106 nmol / 101 nmol/L (ref 50 - 250)

TSH: 2.63 mIU/L / 2.64 mIU/L (ref 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3: 5.2 pmol/L / 4.4 pmol/L (ref 3.1 - 6.8)

Free thyroxine: 15.7 pmol/L / 14.5 pmol/L (ref 12 - 22)

Thyroglobulin antibodies: 148 kIU/L / 85.5 kIU/L (ref 0 - 115)

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies: 54.5 kIU/L / 62.3 kIU/L (ref 0 - 34)

My CRP is more than halved; the gluten-free diet, ashwagandha, and magnesium might have helped.

My folate levels improved, so the folic acid and liver pate are helping.

My thyroid hormones were roughly the same.

I had a reduction in my thyroglobulin antibodies and no change in my TPO antibodies.

I will start taking 200 mcg of selenium and see if that helps. I will re-test in six months.

Should I continue to go gluten-free, or should I eat minimal gluten? Are there any other changes I could make?

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Testing after just 3 weeks of making changes is very early- it can take a couple of months for these to be seen.

For a GF trial you need to fully eliminate gluten for 2-3 months to see if this benefits you.

You need to be careful not to go above range with selenium. Studies have shown that those supplementing high doses (400ug daily) may have toxic levels. As such, it’s recommended to take no more than 100ug daily as a supplement (or 200ug if you have active Thyroid Eye Disease) or eat 1-2 Brazil nuts (as each nut may contain 50-90ug selenium dependent upon soil type).

[Tkev in reply to Buddy195]

Thank you. I'm going to re-test in 6 months. I'll try a selenium supplement alongside a minimal gluten diet.

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to Tkev]

There is no benefit of a minimal gluten diet- either fully eliminate for a few months and monitor effects/ benefits or return to consuming gluten.

[Sleepman]

Interesting question, I wonder if anyone in the group has any data or experience.

I went gluten free a year before I knew I was also AI underactive thyroid. I wondered if not eating gluten meant the antibodies attacked my thyroid instead !

I never showed on Celiac blood test and that is a thing.

If you are better gluten free, then it takes months for the damage in your body to repair. 3 weeks is not enough to know if you benefit in my experience.

Gluten is all or nothing, not partial.

After 3 months you could try some gluten and see if you feel ill for a week, like it does me. Oats gets me too unfortunately.

Endoscopy shows if you have damage to the stomach fronds that extract nutrients and is gold standard test but you will be on gluten for 6 weeks (getting more damaged) I just knew by then no gluten was massively better for me.

What are your symptoms ?

TSH T3 and T4 change through the day, so forum advice is to test at 09:00 each time to be able to compare. No food just water before the test.

Just having antibodies, I think does not mean you will get AI underactive - happy for someone to correct me on this. The measured thyroid antibodies (TPO) are the clean up not the actual gland munchers apparently ...

[greygoose in reply to Sleepman]

I went gluten free a year before I knew I was also AI underactive thyroid. I wondered if not eating gluten meant the antibodies attacked my thyroid instead !

There are no antibodies that attack the thyroid, whether or not you're eating gluten. And I've never heard of antibodies that attack gluten, either. But antibodies are exclusive. If they are TPO antibodies they are only interested in TPO. They don't rampage round the body looking for something to sink their teeth into - if they even had teeth. So I'm pretty sure you can rest easy on that score.

Just having antibodies, I think does not mean you will get AI underactive - happy for someone to correct me on this. The measured thyroid antibodies (TPO) are the clean up not the actual gland munchers apparently ...

If your TPO and/or Tg antibodies are postitive - i.e. over-range - you have an autoimmune condidtion - Hashi's or Ord's. And, yes, TPOab and TgAB are there to clean up the blood after an immune system attack on the thyroid - no, they don't attack the thyroid themselves - they don't attack anything. There fore if these antibodies are high it means that your thyroid is already under-attack.

The question then is 'when', not 'if', you will become hypo. It won't happen over-night. It might not even happen in your life-time. But, given long enough, enough of the thyroid will be destroyed to cause hypothyroidism. Doctors that say the above are just indulging in wishful thinking because they don't want to have to diagnose you. But I'm pretty sure they're just kidding themselves!

[Sleepman in reply to greygoose]

Thank you GG for taking time to correct my understanding.

[greygoose in reply to Sleepman]

You're welcome.

[Tkev in reply to Sleepman]

I did notice that my stools were a lot more solid when not eating gluten. I also felt in a better mood. I'm not sure if this was a placebo effect. Other than that, not much else was different.

[Sleepman in reply to Tkev]

In addition to loose stools gluten makes me tired and "off" if I accidentally take it.

[radd]

Tkev,

I would strongly suggest you remain gluten-free as it sounds as if this along with your optimising nutrients is helping reduce inflammation.

The thyroid antibodies together with symptoms evidence autoimmune activity but when we refer to ‘reducing thyroid antibodies’ it is also the accompanying inflammation that is referred to as one drives the other.

It’s great CRP has reduced but there are many other inflammatories markers. I found Kapparest helped reduce my inflammation/thyroid antibodies and I’m still take curcumin cyclically ten years later.

Your body is vulnerable atm and other dietary changes might involve being mindful regarding foods sugar content, eg eating grapes with cheese to prevent blood sugar swings. Also switching hot drinks to green tea, or something herbal. I like hot water with a little salt & pepper in, and the organic Biona juices are great: lemon, lime, ginger, etc.

Adding selenium to your sups regime not only is known to reduce thyroid antibodies but is part of the thyroid hormone making and utilising process so might increase your thyroid hormone levels. Have you thought about zinc? This is another mineral required especially for cell usage of thyroid hormone where it’s turned into energy. (I was deficient when finally diagnosed hypo).

I applaud you for trying this route after my son has reversed his elevated thyroid antibodies through diet and lifestyle changes, feels well and his age again, and remained off replacement meds.

If you haven’t read The Root Cause by Isabella Wentz, it’s great for inspiration. Also anything by Datis Kharrizian. For the actual physiology of thyroid hormone look at Tania Smiths who writes at the website thyroidpatients.ca/?s=Autoi...

I wish you well.

[Tkev in reply to radd]

Thank you Radd,

I have read Isabella Wentz Hashimoto's Protocol book. It's a lot to take on in a matter of weeks. I'm going to try a few things a re-test in 6 months.

[Obsdian]

I am not gluten free but am dairy free. I found at 4 weeks my pain level dropped hugely. My antibodies dropped by about 200 after about 8 months and my vitamins started improving and that took just over a year.

So if it's helping, definitely keep going long term.

[Tkev in reply to Obsdian]

I would be gutted if I had to give up dairy, I would find that more challenging, but if it stopped me getting ill in the long run I would do it.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I would also suggest remaining on strictly gluten free diet minimum 3-6 months, and if it helps remain on it indefinitely

Dairy is also an issue for many of us

Much easier these days to be dairy free as there’s loads of alternatives available

[CherryPie2]

I've been GF and DF for 3 months now and feel so much better. Celiac test was neg but did it anyway for my Hashimoto's.