In the first article in this series, I showed that hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease in 90% of cases. In this article we’re going to discuss the connection between autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and gluten intolerance.
Several studies show a strong link between AITD (both Hashimoto’s and Graves’) and gluten intolerance. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] The link is so well-established that researchers suggest all people with AITD be screened for gluten intolerance, and vice versa.
What explains the connection? It’s a case of mistaken identity. The molecular structure of gliadin, the protein portion of gluten, closely resembles that of the thyroid gland. When gliadin breaches the protective barrier of the gut, and enters the bloodstream, the immune system tags it for destruction. These antibodies to gliadin also cause the body to attack thyroid tissue. This means if you have AITD and you eat foods containing gluten, your immune system will attack your thyroid.
Even worse, the immune response to gluten can last up to 6 months each time you eat it. This explains why it is critical to eliminate gluten completely from your diet if you have AITD. There’s no “80/20″ rule when it comes to gluten. Being “mostly” gluten-free isn’t going to cut it. If you’re gluten intolerant, you have to be 100% gluten-free to prevent immune destruction of your thyroid.
So how do you find out if you’re gluten intolerant? Unfortunately, standard lab tests aren’t very accurate. They test for antibodies to gluten in the bloodstream. But antibodies in the blood will only be found in cases where the gut has become so permeable that gluten can pass through. This is a relatively advanced stage of disease. Blood tests will miss the many milder cases of gluten intolerance that haven’t yet progressed to that stage.
Stool analysis is far more sensitive, because it detects antibodies produced in the digestive tract that aren’t yet escaping into the bloodstream. Using this method at Entero Lab, Dr. Kenneth Fine, a pioneer in the field, has found that up to 35% of Americans are gluten intolerant.
In addition to the stool analysis, Dr. Fine’s lab uses a cheek swab to test for the genes connected with gluten intolerance and celiac disease. People with HLA DQ genes are more likely than the general population to have autoimmune disease, celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Dr. Fine’s research shows that more than 80% of Americans have one of these gene types.
When I first read Dr. Fine’s research, I was astounded by the implications. It suggests that 1 in 3 Americans are gluten intolerant, and that 8 in 10 are genetically predisposed to gluten intolerance. This is nothing short of a public health catastrophe in a nation where the #1 source of calories is refined flour. But while most are at least aware of the dangers of sugar, trans-fat and other unhealthy foods, fewer than 1 in 8 people with celiac disease are aware of their condition. I would guess that an even lower proportion of people are aware they are gluten intolerant.
One reason gluten intolerance goes undetected in so many cases is that both doctors and patients mistakenly believe it only causes digestive problems. But gluten intolerance can also present with inflammation in the joints, skin, respiratory tract and brain – without any obvious gut symptoms.
As much improved as Dr. Fine’s methods are, they aren’t perfect. In some patients with autoimmune disease, their immune system is so worn out they can no longer produce many antibodies.
Hashmioto’s, the most common autoimmune thyroid condition, is primarily a Th1 dominant condition. I’ll explain what this means in further detail in a future article. For now, what you need to understand is that in Th1-dominant conditions, the Th2 system is suppressed. The Th2 system is the part of the immune system responsible for producing antibodies. When the Th2 system is severely depressed, the body’s ability to produce antibodies is impaired. The levels may be so low that they won’t show up on a test. So, even if you have gluten intolerance, your test for gluten antibodies may be falsely negative if you have Th1-dominant Hashimoto’s.
This is why I recommend that you avoid gluten if you have AITD, regardless of whether tests show an active antibody response. This is especially true if you have one of the genes (HLA DQ1,2, or 3) that predisposes you to developing gluten intolerance. In my opinion continuing to eat gluten when you have a confirmed autoimmune condition simply isn’t worth risking the immune destruction it could cause.
In fact, the more I learn about gluten and its effects on the body, the more I think we’d all probably be better off not eating it. Mark Sisson has written extensively about the dangers of gluten and gluten-containing grains, so head over there and have a look if this is new to you. The short version: foods that contain gluten (both whole grains and flours) contain substances that inhibit nutrient absorption, damage our intestinal lining, and – as I’ve described in this article – activate a potentially destructive autoimmune response. What’s more, there are no nutrients in gluten-containing foods that you can’t get more easily and efficiently from foods that don’t contain gluten.
The good news is that if you have AITD and are gluten intolerant removing gluten completely from your diet will dramatically improve your health. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
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{ 119 comments… read them below or add one }
I took gluten out of my diet back in February of this year at the recommendation of a doctor. I must admit that I spent the first three months or so fantasizing about donuts. However, I feel so much better that I have no intentions of adding gluten back to my diet. Within a couple of months the strange swelling zit like things that used to appear all over my body finally went away (Oh, the money I wasted on acne cleansing products! Grrrr!). I stopped having horrible issues with my digestive system. Eventually, the joints in my knees even began to bend once again.
Just about every woman in my family is on some sort of medication for thyroid issues. I’m eager to share this blog and many of the links with them!
At first, removing gluten is not easy. You will have to memorize a rather long list of things other than just wheat that you’ll need to avoid (I know when I’ve made a mistake because I’ll have stomach cramps the next day and the spots all over my body come back). Here’s a link to a rather extensive list of common ingredients that are not gluten free: http://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsafe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Unsafe-Ingredients/Page1.html.
BUT not consuming gluten does eventually become much easier as you work towards making it a habit. The key, for me personally, to avoiding gluten seems to be planning ahead. Going to a summer BBQ? Don’t forget to bring your own gluten free bun! Thinking of joining friend for dinner? You’ll need to contact the restaurant and discuss the gluten free options on their menu (If they don’t know what you’re talking about, pick another restaurant!). About to drop an item in your grocery cart at the grocery store? Read the label carefully first!
What’s been especially helpful to me are other gluten free folks’ blogs. These are full of tips and recipes that your gut will truly appreciate. Not eating gluten doesn’t mean you’ll never have bread or brownies again. It just means you’ll learn to prepare these things for yourself with non wheat flours that you’ve probably never heard of.
It can also possibly mean the end to a lot of physical ailments
I avoid all products containing gluten. Ocassionally I will have a “moment” and slip…then relalize why it is I can’t have it in the first place! Sooo not worth it. I feel so much better without it and am symptom free when I follow the strict diet. It took me a while to pin point what it was but now that I know my health is sooo much better and I no longer have to rely on medicine for it….which was quite costly.
Thanks for the details. I never knew all those things were related! And after struggling with blood poisoning from a bad surgeon, I’ve struggled with my immune system. This answers all the questions the Dr’s haven’t been able to. I’ve actually found it pretty easy to ignore gluten-full foods. I’ve ALWAYS had stomach cramps from pancakes and waffles, biscuits and gravy, etc. No wonder! I’ll be able to rebuild my immune system knowing ALL the things to avoid! Thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve been reading about mercury and the thyroid. I was thinking back about the time when in the 8th grade I was diagnosed with an under-active thyroid. Around that same time I had been walking around blind not wearing my contacts. It turned out that the reason the contacts bothered me so much was that the contact solution had thimerosal in it. I was told I was allergic to it (not that it is a poison and I should sue the company) at the time and I switched to another solution and was fine. I’m not sure how long I had been using this solution, but probably a couple of years. Not surprisingly, I became very nearsighted.
It was around this time that I also was found to be hypo-thyroid. I would come home from school and go right to bed and wake up for school the next day. My mother thinks she remembers my T4 and T3 being low, but TSH being normal. I also had a few amalgam fillings which I’m sure didn’t help. I suspect that mercury poisoning caused my thyroid disorder. I wonder if chelation (http://www.earthtym.net/ref-merc-thy-01.htm), is too late to recover my thyroid function since I have been taking Synthroid for approximately 30 years.
http://www.eidon.com/mercury_thyroid.html
Thank you for an extremely interesting series of articles! It’s really hitting home.
I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance in 2001 after almost 10 years of digestive problems (amongst other things). My stomach got better and for a couple of years I thought I was recovering. In 2003 other types of symptoms (like chronic motion sickness) started to be a real problem and in 2005 I started suffering from exhaustion and from there on it just got worse. In januari this year I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism type 2. My blood test for antibodies came back negative and my T3-, T4- and TSH-levels were all good.
After reading your latest article I wonder how this ads up. Shouldn’t I’ve gotten better after 2001 when I started on a strict non-gluten diet (I’m still on it)? Instead that’s when I started getting really sick!
Btw I can mention that I turned down the offer of thyroid hormones and instead I depend on my homeopath and other clever people to help me try and build up my health again in a natural way. I hope that to be the better way to do things, and I am feeling much better since a couple of month but still there’s a long way to go.
Best regards
Charlotta Rexmark, Sweden
Charlotta,
I doubt removing gluten made you more sick. It’s more probable that the timing was a coincidence.
With thyroid hormone resistance, it’s important to figure out the cause and correct it. Typically chronic stress, high cortisol or homocysteine or genetic factors are involved. Treatment would involve reducing those factors and taking steps to improve receptor site sensitivity. I’ll discuss what these would be in a future article. Also, it’s probably best not to rule out thyroid hormone replacement if you have continued symptoms.
Excellent post! In my experience as an herbalist, if gluten is removed from the diet, then the iodine becomes not so much of an issue. Thanks again for the great series, and anticipating more!
Awesome article!
Gluten is addicting and evil. One has to be very cautious about purchasing prepared or processed foods because it is in almost all of it. I just tell my patients to avoid processed foods all together.
One thing that I noticed is that it is very hard to get people off gluten. I can tell them over and over again to stay away from it but each week when I ask them about their diet and if it has changed or not, the answer is always no! They don’t want to give up their pizza, beer, bread, or processed food! Even when I tell them they can buy gluten free products they still seem to buy gluten products. Maybe I need to start using scare tactics and show them pictures of gluten intolerant guts and brains or before and after pictures.
Thanks for another great article Chris. It is interesting with Dr Fine’s work that he found that 100% of infants tested had antibodies to gluten. One has to wonder whether the ‘tolerance’ seen thereafter nothing more than a slow weakening and destruction of the immune response? If you haven’t got enough troops to repel an invading army, does that mean you are becoming more tolerant of them?
If I am reading this correctly, the process seems to be that first, if you eat gluten and are predisposed to problems with it (like many are), then you begin to have antibodies to gluten in the gut. Then eventually, probs in the gut from the gluten will lead to some gluten getting into the bloodstream. Then the body will create antibodies to the gluten in the bloodstream. And then the body may (or will) accidently mistake thyroid tissue for glutin, since they look similar to the antibody, and then your body will start to attack your thyroid. THis will go on for a bit until finally, poor thyroid function will start to manifest physical symptoms of illness.
If I am getting this correctly, it brings up a few questions. Can thyroid function recover/regrow over time if antibody attack is halted? Of course, this may be difficult if the antibody attack is fully developed because, as Charlotta mentioned, it’s easy to make an occasional mistaken intake of gluten. If antibodies persist for 6 months (I would not be surprised if this number is an underestimate), then only 2 mistakes a year will make for an ongoing attack on the thyroid.
So perhaps the other trick is to avoid gluten as much as possible before the problem reaches critical, such that the process never reaches the point of thyroid attack in the first place. I do wonder if for many people, if they only ate a little bit of gluten instead of the mass hoards that SAD eaters usually consume, then the gut and body in general would not reach the point of hypersensitivity for so many people. Another issue is that those eating so called healthy whole grains might be at greater risk for problems.
OK, more questions. If you follow this link:
http://www.ei-resource.org/illness-information/related-conditions/celiac-disease/
it talks about gliadin also resembling intestinal tissue. Attacks on gliadin then result in damage to intestines, thus starting the cycle that lets the gliadin into the blood stream, at least for those with immune response to gliadin. So anyway, later in the article on that link, they then talk about testing for antibodies direct against the intestinal tissue! So sounds like to me that at some point, the body starts to target not only the gliadin, with collateral damage to the intestine, but ALSO starts making antibodies directly against the intestinal tissue itself! Obviously, although you can stop eating gluten, you are not going to stop having intestine (hopefully), so what if the body does not stop making antibodies against the intestine? Hopefully, without the stimulus of the gliadin, they body’s immune response will come down but do we know if it will and under what circumstances. The same issue is probably also important for thyroid. In some poeple, does the body start making antibodies directly against the thyroid at some point as it apparently does for the intestine? At some point, do you get to the point of no return for some people even if they eliminate all gluten?
Eva,
Yes, you’ve got it.
And yes, thyroid function can recover to some degree when the underlying autoimmunity is dampened. However, it’s important to understand that once the autoimmune process begins, it can’t be fully reversed. The body doesn’t forget. Once it produces antibodies to a tissue, that tissue will always be tagged for attack. This cellular memory is what makes our immune systems are so expert at fighting off pathogens, but it works against us in the case of autoimmune disease.
The key is to avoid triggers (like gluten, iodine and others) that ramp up antibody production and thus increase the autoimmune response, and to regulate the immune system and bring it back into relative balance. I’ll be discussing the basics of this in an upcoming post, but this is something that’s best done under the supervision of a knowledgeable practitioner.
I have a 12 year old that was just diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. Her antibody level was 1,886 . She was started on a low dose of levoxyl (.5) and I immediately put her (and myself) on a GF diet. I would like to know if there is a chance that she can get off her meds if her antibody level returns to normal being GF. I have had Hashimotos since I was a young teenager. I have been in and out of endos all across this country and I had never heard of the gluten connection. I wish I had done my homework much earlier.
There’s a chance, but I usually don’t recommend it. The implications of not having enough thyroid hormone are more significant than the potential side effects or complications of the medication. They key is to address the immune imbalance that characterizes Hashimoto’s – that should reduce the required dose of medication.
After being diagnosed with Hashimotos I was placed on a relatively high dose of synthroid (.112mcg). I tried losing weight and was never successful over several years. I made a 10lb – 1 year weight loss goal and started to cut out all carbs and refined sugars. After about 2 months, I just decided to make this “diet” a lifestyle change. I have been gluten free for about 6 months! During this diet, I started feeling really sick because I became over medicated on the dose of sythroid I had been taking for years. I visited my doctor who told me that I was healing myself and this healing led me to be overmedicated ( I no longer needed the large dose I was on and adjusted me to .50mcg). Because of this gluten free diet, I lost 27 lbs in 6 months and dropped the amount of my synthroid dose by more than half.
If you are going gluten free, I recommend you communicate often with your doctor because your levels will change and you will want your doctor to adjust your medication accordingly (so you don’t start feeling hyperthyroid!).
Going gluten free has been an answer to my weight loss, my foggy thinking, my stomach issues, body aches and so much more. I can’t tell you how this has saved my life.
Also make sure to have your vitamin D levels checked too.
There are lots of website you can visit to help start you on your gluten free journey – and you are worth it!
This paper that I linked to in my article suggests that gliadin antibody production may decrease to undetectable levels after six months on a gluten free diet. This doesn’t mean celiac has been cured, because eating gluten would immediately ramp up antibody production again. But it does mean the immune response has been dampened significantly.
Jimmy Moore just put up his podcast interview with Dr. Khaarrzian.
http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/2167/dr-datis-kharrazian-episode/
Thanks, Jacob. I didn’t even realize Jimmy had interviewed him.
Thanks for the great articles on what is such a common, complex condition that can affect the whole body! I am one of those with Hashimoto’s struggling with seeming ineffectiveness of thyroid hormones to remove the symptoms after a few weeks of them seeming to work each time the dose is raised, plus cycling symptoms and flare-ups so it is all a journey of discovery. I’ve been trying gluten-free on and off for a few months as challenge diet to see if I can sense any effects, but they are unclear, apart from an extremely sore thyroid for 2-3 days 3-4 days after stopping the gluten each time – must be telling its story! I’m just a bit confused in your explanation of detecting antibodies to the gliadin and the role of gut permeability. The gut needs to be permeable at some stage for the gliadin molecules to enter the bloodstream, right? And then this is the mechanism by which the body mounts an antibody attack as these protein molecules are not where they are supposed to be? This would then be the process by which the antibodies could attack thyroid tissue? If the gut has not become permeable anywhere, and the person is not a coeliac then how would they develop gluten intolerance? Is gut impermeability and presence in the bloodstream key for developing gluten intolerance? How does this tie in with the lab method for measuring gliadin antibodies from the gut in the stool? Just a little confused…
You can’t do an “on and off” gluten-free diet and expect results. As I said in the article, you must be 100% gluten free for a significant length of time to receive the full benefit of eliminating gluten.
Gluten intolerance develops in the gut. The gut doesn’t have to be permeable for that to happen. The gut does have to be permeable, however, for the antibodies to leak through the gut wall and into the bloodstream, where they can be detected on a blood test. Celiac is just an extreme form of gluten intolerance. You don’t have to be celiac to produce antibodies to gliadin. Celiacs will also often have antibodies to transglutaminase, an enzyme in the intestines, and endomysium, a msucle sheath.
My daughter (she is 7) was diagnosed with Graves disease last year. We have struggled mightily in trying to get her thyroid under control. It is so volatile and appeared to be unresponsive to treatment. I finally decided to get a second opinion after having some doubts with our pediatric endocrinologist. The new doctor ran 9 vials of blood and found the presence of some antibodies in her system which could possibly indicate Celiac Disease. Sure enough, after consulting with a pediatric gastroenterologist and a biopsy having been done, my daughter has Celiac Disease as well. Totally explains why her thyroid never came under control. While controlling her diet is extremely hard (mostly because I am new to this)… I am thankful that its just diet that needs to be reformed to help her out. Thanks for an awesome article.
I noticed in the linked study it said: ” In these two celiac patients, the serologic markers became undetectable 6 months after beginning a gluten-free diet. However, thyroid autoantibodies did not positively correlate with dietary habits.” Does that mean that although gliadin antibodies were no longer detectable after 6 months, thyroid antibodies were still there, ie did not correlate with diet? The link does not let me see the whole study, just the synopsis, and it is only n=2 for celiacs, but if that is what it is saying, sounds like once the body starts making thyroid antibodies, it tends to keep making them, even if the gliadin is no longer fueling the fire. Not good. Either that or n=2 is not enough subjects for statistical significance and that is what they are saying by ”not positively correlated,” ie did not reach statistical significance.
It means that removing gluten doesn’t eliminate antibodies to thyroid. Keep in mind, however, that antibody levels aren’t necessarily a measure of severity in autoimmune thyroid disease. As I mentioned in the article, low antibody levels aren’t always a good thing, because that may indicate a severely depressed Th2 system. In that case, we might expect to see antibody levels actually rise as we address their immune imbalance and they improve. On the other hand, high antibody levels doesn’t necessarily mean severe tissue destruction. Antibodies themselves don’t destroy tissue – they just tag it for destruction.
I think it’s best not to worry too much about the antibody levels and instead to focus on clinical symptoms as a measure of progress.
Eva,
To clarify my last reply, gluten doesn’t exist naturally in the body. The reason the gliadin antibodies disappeared in those patients is because they weren’t eating gluten anymore. Thyroid tissue, however, is still there and the so the body will continue producing antibodies to it.
Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU! I have been trying to say what you are saying in these pages for YEARS but did have the knowledge, or confidence, or the right WORDS to say it with. MY BODY knew it though. My body knew that something wasn’t right with the medication that I was taking for my thyroid, but I didn’t have any other way of saying it except for ‘something doesn’t feel right’.
I am right behind you, going back to school to become more educated in these areas so that I can first heal myself, and then help others. THANK YOU AGAIN! xo
Thanks for the explanation, so useful to know more. Does the gut need to be impermeable somewhere for the antibodies to interact with the thyroid? Once you have antibodies to gliadin or transglutaminase in your gut, by what mechanism can this then lead to interactions with the thyroid?
Molecular mimicry mechanisms with gliadin have been postulated for autoimmune thyroid conditions. The antibodies produced against gluten appear to stimulate B-cell production tagging of the thyroid tissue. But that doesn’t mean gluten intolerance is the sole trigger of autoimmune thyroid by any means. Your body is capable of producing antibodies to thyroid tissue without the influence of gluten.
Hi Chris,
This is bit of the subject, but do you think there are any problems with eating combinations of foods? ie. meat and dairy, meat and eggs etc. I have read a few things about not eating certain foods with others but havent found any scientific research to support this.
Also, I am unable to eat fish oil as I am allergic to fish and found it gave me problems. Do you think taking ground flaxseed is a of any benefit to try and get omega 3? we have a good source of organic pasture fed beef and eggs so hopefully this will help the omega3/6 ratio.
Thanks for all the great info! the acupuncture studies are going well- learning electroacupuncture and some TCM stuff this week
cheers
Marley
The omega-3s in meat and dairy probably aren’t enough if you have an inflammatory condition. I’d look into algae oil for DHA at least. I’m not sure if you’d be allergic to that or not, but it would be a better choice than flax.
I don’t think there’s a problem with combining meat and dairy and meat and eggs – unless you notice there is for you. If it causes problems, it’s a sign of dysbiosis and you should investigate the cause (i.e. H. pylori, bacterial overgrowth, etc.)
“The key is to avoid triggers (like gluten, iodine and others) that ramp up antibody production and thus increase the autoimmune response, and to regulate the immune system and bring it back into relative balance.”
The problem that I see with Dr. K (from what I read from his book) and yours articles so far, is that they address only a small part of the problem. Gluten is a very well know problem with Hashi and many other autoimmune diseases, ok. But hardly is the only problem. What about fluoride, chloride, bromide, bisphenol-A, mercury, and the many other contaminants that are well know endocrine disruptors and all make hashimoto worse? What to do about them? Do you and/or Dr. K thinks that only avoiding gluten, eating a paleo diet and regulating our immune system are enough?
“As I mentioned in the article, low antibody levels aren’t always a good thing, because that may indicate a severely depressed Th2 system.”
Chris, can you provide any reference for this? Thanks!
Mario,
It may be that fluoride, chloride, bromide and BPA toxicity need to be addressed in certain patients. But most practitioners (myself included) using Dr. K’s methods aren’t doing this explicitly, and are seeing dramatic results. BTW, Dr. K believes that hormone replacement is necessary in those with significant tissue destruction and persistently high TSH levels. Thyroid hormone is too important for proper physiological function to ignore. I’ll be addressing this in a future article.
Here’s a paper showing that Th1 dominance suppresses the Th2 system and reduces Th2-mediated antibody production to near zero.
Chris,
I was looking for a paper that showed Th1 dominance and antibody supression on AITD, not in general. But, anyway, searching on Pubmed, I came across this interesting paper, that showed that a high iodine intake produced lymphocyte proliferation, higher NK cells activity and Th1/Th2 imbalance on mice. But in rats with high iodine + selenium there is no difference in relation with the group that did not took iodine.
Sorry, forget the link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17828501
Mario, this paper shows that increasing levels of Th1 IFN decrease levels of Th2 iL-4 in Hashimoto’s, and that Th1 dominance is positively correlated with disease severity.
This paper shows a similar trend in Graves’ opthalmopathy. As Th1 cytokines rise, Th2 cytokines fall. Th2 cytokines are necessary for antibody production.
Chris,
Thanks, I had already found these papers.
But, any comment on the study that I linked above, where a high intake of iodine did not cause a immune flare if selenium was taken together?
Certainly worth consideration amongst all of the other studies on both sides.
Some other interestings studies about selenium and iodine:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17828501
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17044649
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8462484
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14703411
On your post about iodine, you cited a studies from Brazil, Sri Lanka, Turkey, China, Greece, and Azerbaijan that showed a increase in Hashimoto when iodine was added to salt. The question is: do these countries have a sufficient selenium intake?
Greece: selenium status is one of the lowest of the Europe (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3717869)
Brazil: the study was done in Sao Paulo, city were most brazilian japanese live. Brazilian japanese have significant lower levels of Se than japanese living in Japan (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11708308).
China: Minerals as calcium, zinc, selenium, kalium and vitamins as vitamin A, B1, B2 were insufficient (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19731520).
Turkey: Selenium status of Turkish children is found to be lower than that found in the literature (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8886316).
Turkey: Turkey is one of those countries where iodine deficiency (ID) is widespread, Se levels are marginal (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18039495).
Sri Lanka: This study has shown for the first time that significant proportions of the Sri Lankan female population may be Se deficient (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11194147).
Azerbaijan: no studies found.
Excellent detective work, Mario. After my exam I’ll review these studies and revisit the topic.
Selenium is pretty amazing. I don’t know if you saw my series on EFAs & fish/fish oil, but selenium completely protects against the effects of mercury in seafood by binding to it and creating a new compound that can’t be utilized by the body. Interesting that it may have a similar effect with iodine.
Thanks, Chris. I’m as skeptic as you, after reading a lot of positive stories on iodine group and experience the same with me and my wife (which, by the way, is a m.d.), I can’t believe that iodine could have such a deleterious effect.
Yes, I have read your series on EFA & fish/fish oil. I was taking fish oil, but stopped and increased sea food (cod, shrimp and crab mostly). It’s so much more tastier!
Yes, selenium is pretty amazing. It is showed to reduce thyroid antibodies (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20039895) and is low in Hashimoto patients (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18322655, this study found that hsCRP is considerably lower in persons with high serum selenium!).
But, make no mistake. Selenium supplementation with iodine deficience is not good (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2045471).
Last thing: thank god I don’t live in USA, where bromide levels are the highest in the world. So, make no mistake, don’t underestimate bromide. It is a powerfull endocrine disruptor and iodine + selenium are protective against it (here a study not from Brownstein nor Abraham: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16601782).
Chris, I truly appreciate your insightful articles and your willingness to educate the public about this debilitating auto-immune disease. I have found much resistance (sometimes hostile) among certain Hashi patients who would rather call my dietary changes drastic or crazy. To some people, turning their backs on common sense certainly requires less conviction than bypassing the funnel cake stand.
Tamra
I have Hashimoto’s, and when I quit gluten this February, the antibody attacks and swelling stopped. I’ve also cut my thyroid hormone dependence by over 1/4. Now, I only get these attacks when I have a stressful situation or when I eat something that stimulates my TH2 pathways.
For those Hashis who have tried the GF diet, just remember that eating a piece of yeasty, sugary GF cake every day can be equally as harmful to the gut. I’ve found that cow milk, soy and corn can also cause my gut to swell.
Hashis must also remember that proper nutrition (especially avoiding processed, fried foods) and exercise is paramount in managing this disease.
Tamra,
You bring up a great point, and I was thinking of doing a follow-up post on it. A lot of GF products on the market are highly processed and full of junk. Just because something is GF, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. In a future article on blood sugar and thyroid, I’ll explain why a low-carb diet free of refined carbohydrates (including refined GF carbs) is the best choice for people suffering from thyroid disorders (and everyone else, for that matter.)
Chris- I’ve recently discovered, by accident, that gluten is creating havoc in me. In Nat’s comments of 7/19, she states that she “knows when she’s made a mistake cuz the next day she has stomach cramps and the spots come back all over her body.” I have these brown spots which began a few years ago, and the majority of them are under my arms and inner thigh areas. I’ve been told that they are blood sugar related. Can you share more about these spots? Will they go away with correcting my food intake? I’m very new to the GF concept, but I know this is where I need to focus.
Wow. What a great discussion. I’m thrilled to have found your site Chris! I’m a gluten-free cooking writer and have had a recent email conversation with a reader about several gluten-free grains and starches (tapioca, aka. cassava root, millet, teff, sorghum and soy) which may have goitrogenic effect on the thyroid gland. I am just embarking on a search to learn more about this potential effect.
PubMed search results for “cyanogenic glucosides in cassava, millet, sorghum” and “goitrogens in cassava, millet and sorghum” turn up little (very little, like a mouse study and old studies done in the Sahara and Nigeria, where populations consume large amounts of millet and cassava.)
Chris, do you have insight into the potential thyroid-suppressive effects of any of the above mentioned gluten-free flours? As someone with non-celiac gluten sensivity (diagnosed through Dr. Fine’s Enterolab,) Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and casein intolerance, I am increasingly convinced to adopt a Paleo diet, avoiding gluten-free grains in the process of seeking real health.
Thanks again for your enlightening work.
Best,
Teri
Teri,
I don’t believe dietary goitrogens are significant contributors to thyroid dysfunction – although environmental goitrogens are. I will probably write about this in a future article.
That said, as you well know there are many who believe grains aren’t a good idea because the anti-nutrients they contain. The only grain I eat these days is in the form of very occasional sourdough buckwheat crepes – and buckwheat isn’t technically a grain.
Just thought I’d add a Gluten free sprouted buckwheat and Quinoa bread (no yeast) Recipe
>Quinoa is high in protein>
>Sprouting the grains starts the breaking down of protective proteins making it easier to digest.
>Sprouting and the Bi- carb of soda makes it Alkaline…which is better if there is Inflammation in the body!
RECIPE:
2 cups quinoa
2 cups of buckwheat
Put grains into bowl, wash and then put just enough water to cover and stand overnight.
In the morning process in a food processor or I use an Oscar juicer (mincing option)
Add a little water needed to make it thick enough that it can pile up in a hill without flopping.
Add about 3 teaspoons of bicarb of soda ( or any raising agent you wish)
And bake straight away in a baking paper lined bread pan, in a 180- 200 degrees oven, for 1hr and 1/2.
Turn out of pan after 10 mins and place without paper on a wire rack, let cool.
ENJOY!
Opps forgot to mention you can add Salt, nuts and seeds…
And In the morning the seeds will have sprouted little tails..dont sprout for much longer or it wont work!
Thanks for your comments Chris and I’m glad to hear your suggestion about eating buckwheat. For anyone beginning a gluten-free diet, buckwheat is actually an herb (Fagopyrum esculentum ), not a grain at all. And it has some amazing nutritional properties compared to the basic line-up of gluten-free flours (rice, sorghum, millet, tapioca, cornstarch, potato starch.)
Two substances in buckwheat are being studied (I think at Cornell?) for their positive effects on blood glucose regulation – “D-Chiro-Inosito” and “fagopyritols.”
But I’m wondering why you don’t believe dietary goitrogens have a significant effect on thyroid dysfunction? In populations with iodine def with diets high in grains like millet, goiters and thyroid disease are epidemic. Do you mean dietary goitrogens don’t significantly affect thyroid function in populations with adequate iodine status?
I’ll look forward to reading your article (which I hope will discuss halogens and thyroid dysfunction.) Thanks again Chris.
Excellent article and follow up conversation.
Selenium can be measured functionally using a lymphocyte proliferation assay (spectracell labs does a good job with this). Additionally reverse T3 can be measured as a marker for selenium deficiency as it is required to convert T4.
Looking forward to the next article.
All the best,
Peter
Great Article! I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 18 months ago. I have lots of joint pain/muscle aches. That has been my biggest symptom (I have obvious ones too) & docs keep looking at me like I have 10 eyes. The symptoms come & go & I can’t seem to regulate my thyroid (even when I stay on the same dose for a long time). I’m wondering if something else is making my thyroid fluctuate (ie. gluten) & I know that the joint pain / muscle aches are common in gluten sensitivity. I was tested for celiac & it came back negative. I took an immuno blood lab test & wheat was a +1. So, I’m wondering if I really do have it & whether it’s worth going off gluten for 6 months. Any thoughts?
I suggest all people with hypothyroidism (and probably just all people in general) should be off gluten forever.
Thank you so much for answering questions on this forum!
thanks for the great info! I was diagnosed 6 weeks ago w/ gluten, dairy and corn intolerance/allergies, low Vit D, hypothyroid, overactive adrenals, and low protein levels. I’ve been gluten and dairy free since the diagnosis, and mostly corn free except where corn by-products occasionally slip in (e.g. dextrose.), and am on thyroid supplements. I feel better than i have in years! lots more energy, skin rashes are clearing up, depression is lifting. I loved reading your posts about the interrelationship of these conditions– i was wondering if there was a link.
And i’m curious about the grain connection. I’m a botanist, and know that most of the common grains (all?) (rice, millet, wheat, ancient wheats, corn, teff, etc.) are all fruit (seeds) of plants that are botanically grasses, and are more broadly classified as monocots –a group of plants that includes lilies, orchids and grasses. Buckwheat is in a completely different classification–it’s a dicot, or broad-leaved plant. Is it something about monocots that makes them harder to digest or more likely to cause an immune response? i’m thinking about other plants that we eat, and almost everything I can think of is a dicot. (coconut being another exception–it’s a monocot–as is ginger, lemongrass, and turmeric.) Just curious as to whether you have any thoughts on this, or know of any research about it.
Anyway, i’ll definitely be sharing links to your site with friends and family members. thanks for the great articles and detective work with putting all this together.
I think buckwheat is well-tolerated in most people. I eat it myself, usually in the form of buckwheat crepes (recipe). I’m not aware of any specific research suggesting dicots are better absorbed than monocots. Please let me know if you find any!
I read the information in the studies you referenced. Of those, only one indicated an unusually high prevelance of celiac in Graves and Hashimoto sufferers. The last referenced the high level of thyroid disease in celiac sufferers, not the high rate of celiac in thyroid disease sufferers. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that those who have celiac should be monitored for autoimmune thyroid conditions – not vice versa. Granted, getting tested is easy, and might as well – but the leaping to the conclusion that there is a strong correlation based on these studies is a bit much and makes me skeptical.
I must add that two of the studies you referenced indicated a 3-5% rate of celiac in those with autoimmune thyroid diseases – hardly compelling.
Thanks for the effort creating this blog. I saw almost girl have thyroid, is it through that only girl has the biggest possibility to attack by thyroid? Maintaining gluten – free foods would not be perfectly safe. There are lots of diseases from now on, like Celiac Disease, Hashimoto and this hypothyroidism.
Thanks for the effort creating this blog. I saw almost girl have thyroid, is it through that only girl has the biggest possibility to attack by thyroid? Maintaining gluten – free foods would not be perfectly safe. There are lots of diseases from now on, like Celiac Disease, Hashimoto and this hypothyroidism.
I had My Thyroid removed last year because they found two hot nodules. I’ve always had a hyper thyroid but not enough for a doctor to put me on meds. This past year has been better as far as my mental state but my body has been doing some strange things. I have developed loss of pigment in my skin and my stomach hates me. I have a doctors appointment this week to see if I’m gluten intolerance and for the pigment loss. My question is, Is it possible for untreated gluten intolerance to cause cancer in the thyroid?
I just wanted to say thanks – your blog (and twitter feed) is my main source of health news. I can also pretty confidently say after having been totally off gluten for 5 months that it has helped with my thyroid symptoms. I’m a Hashimoto’s currently in the ‘wait and see’ place with a TSH of 7-8, tried Levothyroxine and Euthyrox before but it made me worse. I’ve been off medication for about a year and have been having increasing problems with muscle tremors and spasms – but since I cut off gluten they’ve gone away. So I’m definitely not going back
Hi Chris, Thank you for replying to all of our comments. My mother has Graves disease and has often suspected an intolerance to gluten, suffering from severe migraines and dark circles under the eyes which I have heard can be an allergy of some sort. I am being watched by my doctor for Graves disease as my thyroid functions higher than normal . I do also have the dark circles under the eyes, depression, joint pains, very lethargic and irritable. I have also suspected an allergy to gluten which I will try eliminating to see. Do you know if a gluten allergy affects kids behavior? My 2 sons have continuously itchy skin(especially their bums), are constantly moody, explosive in temper but, also there is something they seem to eat that make them act with no eye contact, inability to focus, and extremely hyperactive behavior from there normal childlike selves. I am aware of a food dye allergy they have which we have cut out but, are you aware of symptoms with gluten like this? Thinking that it might be an allergy or intolerance in the family.
Tiffany, that sends up some red flags to me – lack of eye contact in particular.
There is a long but totally unscientific comment thread over at the Primal Parent (http://theprimalparent.com/2011/09/09/shared-custody-family-battles/) with examples of children’s behaviour after eating dairy and grains, which may be of interest to you.
As daunting as it seems at first, you might want to read up on the backgrounding for the GAPS diet (http://gaps.me/?page_id=20) and consider taking part in the 30-day intro diet challenge (no, not a weight loss thing AT ALL!) in October over at Health, Home & Happiness (http://www.healthhomehappy.com/2011/09/gaps-intro-challenge.html).
Call me a cynic, but I have found mother’s intuition, when coupled with focussed self-education, to be far more thorough in promoting a child’s health than a test run by a doctor. By all means, if your research turns up specific questions, refer to professional help to confirm or rule out your suspicions! In the mean time, as Chris has said above, cut out grains and see if that changes anything. Good luck.
Is there anything in your studies that might show a connection to Krabbes syndrome??
My daughter has been gluten free for two years. We are very careful to avoid cross contamination. She has her own toaster, butter, peanut butter, etc. The whole family eats gluten free dinners 80% of the time. When we have burgers, she uses Udi’s buns. Again, we do not cross-contaminate. We are so careful. She just had a blood panel done for anti-bodies. Since she has had virtually no gluten in two years (some mistakes have been made – but rarely) we expected the anti-bodies to be non-existant. However, her test results showed that she eats gluten regularly. She does not! If she did, we all would know. It causes pain and changes her personality. What else could cause this?
Bethany, from all the research I have been doing, all grains contain some form of gluten. It was a very difficult realization for me to know that to get well I would have to even give up my favorite comfort food, rice. The challenge comes in staying away from the gluten as it is ubiquitous. Supplements often contain rice in some form as a filler. It is true, the best thing to do is to not eat anything processed. When you go out, you have to consider what goes into things like soup, dressings, sauces. It is a daunting task. Good luck!
Kathryn: rice does not contain gluten. I’m not sure what research you’re referring to, but I’d like to see it.
I would be so so happy if I could still eat rice, but thought that going grain free might make me heal faster from the Hashimoto’s related hypothyroidism (recent TSH was 13), anemia, hypoglycemia, eczema, and adrenal fatigue.
I based my comment on rice having gluten because apparently although a very low amount, rice has a prolamine called orzenine, and prolamine is a subfraction of gluten. Corn has a much higher amount of prolamin called zein. Perhaps there is not enough research in this area because rice is not known sensitivities. I am getting this information from:
http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/video-tutorial/gluten-sensitivity-what-is-it/
There was one study mentioned in the above tutorial video that was on rice sensitivity:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18957470
I am really interested in learning as much as possible, so I am anxious to hear your opinion. And I am dying to eat sushi! Love your site!
Bethany, being gluten intolerant since 10 years I know that there is not room for any mistakes, not even rarely. It takes the intestines upp to six months to heal after being subjected to gluten, so one mistake every six months is enough for your daughters body to experience a non-gluten free diet. Maybe this can be what’s happening? As far as I know, nothing else than gluten in her diet can cause that test result.
I’ve been off wheat almost 6 months and feel a lot better. Still not clear about whether oats contain gluten or not……….. I follow the D’Adamo blood type diet, am a type O.
Very interesting article. I have just been diagnosed with Graves disease (in the last 4 days). I had one doctor tell me to eliminate gluten, another tell me to go gluten free and another tell me to not change my diet at all. To be honest I am totally and utterly confused. Will going gluten free help my Graves and who should I listen to?
Thanks
Yes, gluten should be eliminated especially in cases of autoimmune disease, because it is an inflammatory protein. But you need to take additional steps to address your immune system.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the reply. I am also taking Neo-mercazole (carbinazole) tablets, 5 mg, 3 times a day and zinc tablets.
When I was looking for gluten free products in my supermarket, I found gluten free spagetti (gluten, wheat, dairy, egg, yeast, soy free) and also gluten free toasted corn crispbread (same things free). What are your thought on these products in relation to Graves? (We don’t have alot of variety in Gluten free products in Australia)
I had one doctor tell me not to eat any gluten free products for my Graves as they didn’t work. He wan’t to put me on a pure lean red mean (unseasoned), eggs, chicken breast, apples and oranges. He said that that would be my diet for the rest of my life. No normal human can live on such a bland diet.
Thanks again for your time.
Hi Jade,
I am also in Australia and was diagnosed with Graves 6 years ago and have been on and off Neomercazole since then. I trusted that my endocrinologist knew best and sat back waiting for it to take it’s course and burn out. I was advised after my first (and second and third !) relapse that I should have radio-active iodine treatment. I laughed and asked the Dr if they were still researching it as it sounded archaic! Thankfully I didn’t have it done as since this time, there has been further research into the longer term problems associated with this treatment. About a year ago I read a book that first brought the gluten connection to auto-immune thyroid disease to my attention. It was like a light had gone on. Despite not having what I would call ‘symptoms’ (read: Pain) after consuming gluten, I thought I’d try it out. I have been on a bit of a health journey this year with allergy testing to confirm things and going back on gluten (negative results), then eliminating gluten again after reading some more books. I have now been off gluten for almost 3 months and am starting to notice that I really did have symptoms after all (a recent trip to a restaurant where ingredients were not identified gave me instant reactions). I am becoming more attuned to my body’s reactions to things. I have read so many conflicting opinions and had different drs tell me different things, I have decided to listen to my body and keep researching. After eliminating gluten and dairy, I had a month or so of feeling just awful; think it was a bit of a detox. I now feel much better generally – more energy, much calmer, happier etc. I would recommend you shop around for GF products – different Coles or Woolies have different ranges, so try all the ones in your area. Also look things up on the internet – many companies sell online and will deliver GF products. Alternatively, don’t look for a GF replacement, look at meals that are naturally GF – stir fries, meat with salad and vegies etc You’ll find after a while (and it can be a bit of a rollercoaster) that you don’t crave or even miss gluten based products. Best of luck!
Hi Nic, thanks for the advice. I have 2 specialists appointment on the 14th December 2011. It will be interesting what they say. Personally I would prefer to stay on the Neo-mercazole (carbinazole) as I have been informed that even if you have the radio-iodine or the thyroid removed you are still required to stay on meds for the hypo-thyroidism that comes after those 2 treatments. I have now been gluten and caffine free for 30 days! I am so proud of myself. Have shopped around in Coles and Woolworths. Both have different but great products (I love the Woolworths gluten free chocolate cake mix
). And have also found gluten free ice-cream in Woolworths. It’s funny what you say about accidently eating gluten and feeling sick. My mum has been on the diet with me (great support!). Last night she ate a meal containing gluten and was very ill afterwards. There was nothing else in the meal that would have made her sick. Coincidence? I don’t think so 
Earlier this summer I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. I had the bullseye rash for two short days. Thankfully, I had taken a picture to show my doctor so I could be properly diagnosed. I did one round of the doxycycline, which was miserable but necessary. After a couple of months I was still exhausted and my joints still hurt. I went back to the doctor, begging for answers. I was tested for everything. The result came back, and my TSH levels were extraordinarily high. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. All consulting doctors believe the Lyme virus attacked my thyroid. Does this mean I have autoimmune thyroid disease? My doctor didn’t mention any change of diet. He simply said I had to take levothyroxine for the rest of my life, along with regular testing to ensure the dosage is correct. He did say I could gain weight more easily. Should I be concerned with cutting gluten out of my diet? Thanks in advance for your input on this. It’s all so new to me. I was only diagnosed with hypothyroidism two months ago.
Thanks again,
Alicia
I have started the paleo program, and am wondering if eating dates and sweet potatoes is off limits. sugar is my downfall,and I seem to need some sweets in my program. Thanks Mike
Those aren’t off-limits, but if you know you react to them, might be best to limit them.
I have a 9 1/2 year old son who has autism and significant cognitive delay. His diagnosis of cognitive issues came early, 13 mo, but an autism diagnosis at 4. He was an extremely thin child, very active and usually under weight until the age of 6. At six he began to gain weight, as well as height at a rapid pace. His weight gain was rapid and then began to having significant edema in hands and legs and began to have a redness to his skin.. We followed up with a pediatrician who did a full blood and kidney workup with no avail. He met with a cardiologist to confirm that his heart was not enlarged or not functioning to explain the swelling. The weight continued to rise and at 7 we met with an endocrinologist who did further testing. His finding included advanced bone age, he ruled out precosious puberty, and identified that he had boderline hypothyrodism. He started a daily dose of levothyroxin and told us to watch his activity level and diet. A year later, the weight was still increasing and the thyroid levels were still boderline and his levothyroxin dose was doubled. We just met recently with endocrinologist who has now given him a diagnosis of Obesity and has referred us to a dietician. I have been a proactive parent is addressing diet and exercise in our family. We allow no fast food, no soda, limited juice and milk. He eats whole grain cereals, yogurt, fruit, vegetables, low fat meats and limited sweets. He still has a redness to his skin at all times, swelling and digestive issues (though those are common with autism) He frequently has hot, red rashes around his torso and boil like pimples on his legs and arms. His activity level is non-stop and we also do many family activities to keep him moving.
Out of ideas and frustrated I mentioned to our chiropractor that I was confused on how a kid who eats a steady diet of healthy food and spends little time on the couch is obese. He mentioned looking into “Leaky Gut Syndrome” and said that it can put the body into starvation mode which encourages over-eating and little nutritional benefit from the food.
I have a sister diagnosed with celiac. My son has been test for celiac several years ago and the test came back negative. Reading your article raises more questions on the tie to gluten intolerance/sensitivity and thyroid disfunction for him. Do you have any suggestions for our family? I am extremely concerned for his health and I feel like I am gaining little from our extensive list of physicians. He has so many challenges to deal with already, I cant add exessive weight and physical issues that will result from it (as well as other health issues) Thanks for your input!
Hello Eileen,
I read the description about your son and immediately felt heartache for him and your family. I have an adult son who never had the severe symptoms that your son has, but nevertheless has issues on the autistic spectrum and things have been difficult. Due to my own hypothyroidism, I have been urging him to stop eating gluten, as I have read many times that gluten affects the brain. After about six months, he finally agreed to try this week, and he wants to know how to navigate food selections when out with his friends who all eat the standard American diet. This is a huge step for him, but he is still eating dairy products which often may be just as damaging to many individuals.
I really wish I had known more information when my son was younger. I only found out about gluten and thyroid connection in the last two years after reading a book by Dr.Kharrazian called “Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms”. It is an excellent book and many holistic minded doctors have been trained by Dr. K. I would encourage you to read the following link:
http://drknews.com/autoimmune-gut-repair-diet/
When my children were young, I fed them what I thought was a “healthy diet”. Those were the days before the internet, and I didn’t even know that many excellent books existed that would have told me that children need the right kind of fat and cholesterol for their brains. Instead I gave my children lowfat milk and cheese, lean cuts of meat, unfermented soy products (not good for the thyroid) and tried to convince them that whole wheat was superior. I had no idea that whole grains and beans needed a lot of soaking time to deactivate phytic acid in them. The phytic acid makes it difficult to absorb nutrients in the foods. I am sure that the bread and canned beans I bought were not soaked sufficiently to deactivate the phytic acid. I had no idea that organ meats were prized in many traditional societies for their health giving properties. I just thought organ meats were disgusting. To think about it now, I ate the same way when I was pregnant. My oldest is relatively healthy, but younger two needed glasses and both have/had health issues. We now eat lots of organic virgin cold pressed coconut oil, butter from grass fed cow milk, some olive oil
and we usually only buy grass fed beef/lamb. Chicken and eggs are as much as possible from pastured sources, and we try only to buy organic produce when possible. We try to eat several servings of wild caught fish each week, and I make bone broth from meat/fish bones for the minerals and to promote gut healing. When we do buy milk, it is as much as possible whole raw milk that is so creamy and delicious. I know many people worry about possible contamination, but we researched our source and have every confidence that our dairy farmer uses best sanitary practices.
It can be expensive to eat this way when compared to the cheap meats/fish from large corporate owned agribusinesses. But we don’t buy all sorts of processed and packaged foods, nor do we eat out much. I would rather know I am putting better quality food for my family to eat and put off purchasing something else. It is better for the environment as well, which ultimately affects our health.
A great source of information for eating better and learning about health for me has been the
Weston A. Price Foundation. Do you know about the GAPS diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) ?The following link will take you to an article written by Dr. McBride who started the GAPS diet. The article is in the Weston A. Price site.
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/gaps
Finally, please read the article by Dr. Peter Osborne, who has studied gluten and health issues extensively. Even if your son’s celiac test came back negative, there is a good chance he may have gluten sensitivity. There is a genetic test that can confirm that in the majority of people who are sensitive. However, it would be probably be worth getting your son and your family off of gluten.
Here’s the link:
glutenfreesociety.org/gluten-free-society-blog/the-many-heads-of-gluten-sensitivity/
I know how daunting and scary it is to have to change so much. It is better just to do it as a family instead of trying to change for one person. Also, I would encourage you not to rely on the packaged, processed gluten free products. Most of them will spike blood sugar levels very high.
I don’t have all the answers, but you do have a lot of support. There are a lot of parents trying to do the best for their kids and are constantly searching for answers. Please keep us posted.
My very best to your son!
Very informative video from the gluten free society. It explained a lot of things for me.
Eileen,
Your son needs to be gluten free. He has autism, hypothyroid, digestive issues, AND dermatitis herpetiformis. These are all Celiac related.. Not to mention you have a family history.. Remove gluten ASAP! Celiac tests are not always accurate.. In fact, I would say they are inaccurate most of the time. I would look into all the autism diets such as GFCF (and soy free) and/or GAPS and/or SCD. Many people start out with GFCF, see tremendous improvements, but want further healing (of the gut) so they move on to GAPS and/or SCD. GFCF would be the easiest to start with. Some kids have to go soy free too. Definitely don’t turn to soy to fill the gluten/dairy void no matter what. It’s all GMO these days. And don’t beat yourself up about this.. My kids were 11, 8, 6, & 3 before I realized we had a massive problem with gluten. They were diagnosed with everything under the sun, but tested negative for Celiac. Two years later after going gluten free, they have lost most of their diagnoses and are doing FABULOUS. My youngest is now recovered from autism. Mainstream medicine is failing our children, but we don’t have to. Be your child’s expert because no one else will be.
Extremely interesting article.
My husband was diagnosed with diabetes(type 1) about 4 years ago at age 30. Then shortly after with “a thyroid disorder” still trying to find out what that means. Is there a difference between hypothyroidism and Auto Immune Thyroid disorders? If so how do you tell? I just think that it is extremely strange how you can suddenly develop two different autoimmune conditions later in life. Also, a week or so ago, the doctor told him he was extremely anemic. I have a hunch that it possibly may be linked to gluten. My husband thinks I am crazy, and he is just an unlucky guy. Anyway, he doesn’t really ask the doctors too many questions. So I would like to tell him what to ask. I can’t go to his appointments with him right now because I am on deployment. My question is what kind of tests should be administered to see what type of thyroid condition he has? Also, as far as the gluten thing goes should he be tested for celiac disease or a gluten intolerance? Is it possible all of these health problems that he has could be the result of years of eating gluten?
Heather…
Please purchase (Kindle/Kindle for PC–download is free) the following (life-changing) book, as it addresses all the issues you have cited:
http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Body-Mind-Beyond-Health/dp/1594774137/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322613298&sr=8-1
ALSO: go to coasttocoastam.com or this link:
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2011/06/21
The link is to a long radio interview on these problems by the author of the book, indicated above.
Your lives may well be changed forever…
Btw, the link that I pasted to the radio interview may require a monthly membership to access. The interview is so good that it would be worth the $6.00 (or so) that the subscription requires. (It is month to month so can be cancelled at will.)
The interview–and esp. the book–delves deeply into the gluten issue; the book also discusses Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and how modern diets can trip both of them.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for an excellent site!
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a little over two years ago, and have been struggling to get to terms with it.
I didn’t know about the gluten-thyroid link until I read about it here. So about a week ago, I started on a gluten free diet, and it feels like my body almost immediately started responding positively. More energy, less constipation etc etc. And yesterday(about five days gluten free) I was feeling much better than I have in a very long time.
However, today I feel weak and tired again and constipation is back aswell. Feels almost like when I started on thyroid replacement and the dosage was to high for the adrenals to handle.
So I was wondering; could it be that thyroid levels have already risen, thanks to the gluten-fre diet, and that they are now too high – leaving the adrenal struggling..? Could this really happen this soon in to being gluten-free..??
Would very much appreciate a response.
Thanks again for a wonderful site!
best regards
//George
I’ve done a lot of work and research around Gluten Free diets, being in the field of nutrition. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed myself with hypothyroidism. I started gluten-free but would like to ask how long does it take for symptoms (especially fatigue) to alleviate a bit? I know it differs for everyone…but what signs should one look for? Also what is your research based off of? Would like to know more
Cindy…
This is purely anecdotal, but everyone giving this an honest shot must be 1) hardcore about it, and 2) give it time. Remember, a week is an eternity when making what amounts to a radical change in diet.
Your time frame must be long term: 6 months to a year, minimum.
But you WILL get results, esp. as pertains to the thyroid (and, perhaps, primarily because such a diet tends to be los glycemic). Please consider this VERY important work by Nora T. Gedgaudas: Primal Body, Primal Mind. http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Body-Mind-Beyond-Health/dp/1594774137/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324616290&sr=1-1
The book has an extensive chapter on gluten-free dietary imperatives.
Hi Cindy,
I have been gluten free for six months because I have Hashimoto’s. I had blood work done after the 1st month and my TSH was no better, but apparently that can fluctuate. I tend to be anemic and hypoglycemic. I have found that as long as I am getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep, the fatigue is not really there. The biggest change for me is that I went almost 100 percent grain free (had a little bit of rice noodles recently) and stopped eating the really sweet fruits. I think that this is helping the blood sugar regulation and adrenal fatigue. I eat a lot of good quality fats like organic coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, fat from pastured animals that keeps me satisfied. I also eat enough good quality protein of animal sources. I no longer eat the large amount of legumes I ate in the past, but still eat a lot of vegetables (with fats). I know now how I did my body disservice when I used to succumb to the large bag or corn tortilla chips (I figured, what the heck, it’s not wheat and it’s organic)! I also take a cow’s liver supplement, ubiquinol, do glutathione therapy, vitamin b and d, probiotics amongst a few other supplements. I should have a blood test done in the next few months to find out if my glucose levels are better.
My biggest problem is eczema, and I am thinking that I may have to eliminate dairy and eggs. I try to stay away from dairy most of the time, but have it once in awhile. I still rely on eggs every week. There is something called molecular mimicry in which the protein of one molecule resemble a protein of another – such as gluten and casein. The problem lies when the body reacts negatively to the similar proteins of different molecules. Cyrex labs has an array of tests called the
Gluten-Associated Cross-Reactive Foods and Foods Sensitivity.
I have not taken it because I am afraid to find out if I am sensitive to things like chocolate and eggs…but I really should.
Cindy…
Kathryn’s comment is v. helpful, but you should know that most of what is there–including the direction re Cyrex Lab’s–is included in the book I referenced above. (I don’t know whether she arrived independently at this information, but if not the lack of attribution only reinforces how important the Gedgaudas book is. (Additionally, I have no connection, in any way, whatsoever, to Ms. Gedgaudas, her publisher, Amazon.com, or anything remotely tied to the subject in any commercial sense.)
Also, here is a most informative interview w/ the author, a couple hours worth on Coast to Coast AM:
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2011/06/21
Listening requires a monthly membership of $7.00, but even this would be worth the one shot it would cost to listen to it.
Hi Kathryn and Robert,
Kathryn it sounds like you need an overall anti-inflammatory diet and congrats on taking your helth into your hands—thank you for the feedback. I have worked with patients with food sensitivities and highly recommend you getting a food sensitivity test by a nutritionist (they know how to look for things some other doctors may overlook).
Robert,
Thanks so much for your feedback it’s very appreciated. I plan on looking at the resources you’ve given me and look forward to discussing them with you. This is great of you to put this all together…it’s gaining more popularity and needs people like you giving out the right information!
Hey Robert,
I love Primal Body Primal Mind, but had not read it in a few months. In fact I just started reading the book after I posted last night and read the chapter about gluten.. Her book is just amazing!
I learned about Cyrex labs from another website, and I attended a seminar for health care practioners regarding gluten sensitivity where Dr. Thomas O’Bryan talked about Cyrex labs. The doctor I consider brilliant is Dr. Datis Kharrazian who wrote :
“Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms” . I have learned so much from his book and website, and first found out about the gluten connection to autoimmune diseases a couple of years back. However, I didn’t know that it was a complete elimination of gluten, not most of the time of gluten free to allow healing to begin. I kept thinking that a little was ok once in awhile.
http://www.thyroidbook.com/about-dr-kharrazian.html
I’ve started downloading podcasts of Ms. Gedgaudas’s talks on the net and listen on my drives. Sometimes I don’t want to get out of the car!
Kathy and Cindy…
Yes, I know that we are really under the gun here w/ the holiday schedule, so quickly…
Outside of the Bible, Ms. Gedgaudas’s book is, perhaps, the most life changing thing that I have ever read. It is not moving, of course, but from a practical life perspective it is unmatched. (Of course, Nora, herself, is relating what she has learned and complied from other sources, including sites like this and those you have referenced.)
So, quickly… BE WARNED: if you decide to walk through this door you may experience a long and lonely ride. Since I don’t know where to start, I will dispense just a couple of recent anecdotes regarding myself and my friends.
Primal Body was a “teacup” moment for me. (The movie “Hunt for Red October”–a definite guy flick but a classic for some campy scenes amid the tumult–contained a scene where a top Russian apparatchik (sp?) was walking his way to his office, grunting his acknowledgement to the muffled morning greetings echoing about his entrance. But one only saw his upper back and the camera panned forward w/ his progress. As he takes his seat at his desk, one only sees his large hands working his mail. He opens a note from his son-in-law, Captain Ramius, who has absconded w/ the Soviet Union’s marine Death Star, the Red October. As he reads the note, one only sees his left hand holding the note, and his right hand holding his teacup. The cup then abruptly drops from his motionless hand against the bone china saucer (w/ the characteristic note).
Well, that is why I say that Primal Body, Primal Mind was my teacup moment. It is something that, once apprehended, changes everything, forever. (And that is true even if one “falls off the wagon” because the truth is out.) I wasted no time in conveying the outline of the concept to others (and purchased several copies as Kindle gifts for people to read on their PC screens–that option is there for everyone via “Kindle for the PC, avail. as a free download from Amazon). One of my closest friends is now taking this approach up full bore and has lost 15 lbs. in a couple of months. Btw, I am 6’1″ and was 175 last spring. I am now 152 lbs. (my fall senior high weight in ’73) and have abdominal and stomach muscles I never knew I had. My waist is 27″, but my legs and rump are still strong, and my chest is 40+!). Now, I am only relating information about weight and measurements (and who in the world cares about a guy–nobody) because I want to convey that this diet does NOT emaciate oneself, if followed correctly. (Remember the injunction–if you decide to go this route–about not consuming too much protein because one will revert to carbo-burning again.)
(There is really way too much to discuss here…) Okay, last night a heavier friend (about whom I worry much and would be a choice candidate for this LIFESTYLE–it is not a diet; it is more akin to AA) and I were having a great time w/ a holiday meal at Bob Evans. I was trying to “Primal Body” the menu and decided upon the (surprisingly good) Cobb salad. I noticed that the last time we were there I couldn’t read the menu, at all. Well, about a month ago, I noticed that, suddenly, I could read very fine print again. I was reading labels on gluten free flour offerings from Bob’s Red Mill (purely a coincidence–and I have LIVED for bread and spent years perfecting it from home by baking it in a steam bath within a huge cast iron pot, lid on) and was astonished that I could read everything on the label. I then grabbed a bunch of other products to see if I could keep it up–I did! Primal Body has much information about cross-linked sugars and proteins in the blood called Advanced Glycation End Products or AGEs. These twisted molecules gum up the free flow of nutrients between our cells (I am butchering the description now–please refer to the book) and otherwise disrupt the flow of blood through the finer capillaries of the body–the eyes, for instance.
So, anyway, my incredulous friend at Bob Evans was astonished as I rattled off all kinds of menu descriptions. And, you know, I don’t really want to debate things like this w/ anyone. This experience is not fabricated by me, and I gain no energy from misleading others.
Btw, my Christmas gift (to myself) this year is an upgrade, in the form of poles, boots, and bindings, to my circa mid-eighties Rossignol (waxable) cross-country skis because I no longer have the discomfort that prevented my doing so since the early nineties.
I could go on and on. The improvements, mostly, are subtle and slow going. But they are on-going, too.
I shudder when I think how different things would be for me if I hadn’t turned on the radio that night…
Merry Christmas
(And that book couldn’t be a better gift)
Hey Robert , I really enjoyed your post! You should start your own blog.
What you say about Primal Body , Primal Mind really resonates with me too. Nora Gedgaudas has written such an easy to understand and fascinating book. I congratulate you on taking charge of your health. And believe me, I just turned 53 but I notice men my age and older who have managed to stay or get into shape, because I believe almost all of us have the ability to stay in or attain a healthy state. I see hundreds of guys who pass through my workplace and the healthy looking ones do stand out. So keep up the great work and keep the rest of us motivated.
There is a slight chance that I might be able to participate in a climb to the top of Mt Kilimanjaro in the new year, so I am trying to get into the best condition that is possible for me. I don’t know too much information on being paleo and endurance exercise. If anyone has tips, I am all ears.
Guess we are slightly off topic! Gluten….best to eliminate it for Most people.
Another very good book is Wheat Belly by William Davis M.D. I don’t agree with everything in his book, but nevertheless, a lot of important information the public should know about.
Happy holidays!
Kathryn…
I really, really don’t understand someone who wants to go after Kilimanjaro–you have got to be kidding me. Insane. (But we all admire you, actually.)
I find that I must apologize to all the readers–esp. you and Cindy–for the (obnoxious) references to body type, something a self-respecting guy should never do. Again, I did so only because this matters to some people, though I regard the changes to weight a purely secondary issue. (But thank-you for your kind remarks and your reference to my starting a blog (and the Good Doctor here is WAY ahead of me there).
Please have a nice Christmas–everyone here, really, have a wonderful holiday. We are all struggling to stay strong not only for ourselves but those around us whom we love.
Merry Christmas, all!!! (And, Hey Doc–you too!)
Robert,
Well, Kilimanjaro is not quite Everest..now that to me is insane! Also it would be part of a medical research project so the whole science part is very interesting to me. May not even happen.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Hi Chris,
Thank you for doing your part to educate people about the effects of gluten.
Do you have a list of cross reactive proteins that are related to wheat or gluten?
Besides gluten, what else will trigger thyroid antibody production?
What is the recommended dose of selenium to help inhibit thyroid antibodies?
Is there anything else that inhibits thyroid antibodies?
What is recommended as far as iodine supplimentation goes?
Thank you for your help,
Rob
Thank you for making the gluten-thyroid connection understandable! Ive been hypo/hashi for 10 years and was just told this week to go gluten free. It is so mmuch easier turning down a cookie now with this knowledge! But will take awhile to become the ingredient expert I need to be. I am really looking forward to your next article!
Where was this info six years ago?! I’ve spent that last six years covered with chronic hives. Taking massive amounts of anti-histamines (the only thing any Dr would do for me). Last year, I didnt have a single week without hives and that was it for me. I finally figure out I was on my own figuring this out.
Yet another Dr blamed yeast so while walking a yeast free path, I figured I should go gluten free. Well I didn’t last too long on all things yeast sugar free but I decided to stick with gluten free. After three weeks, no hives. I can report that I am still mostly hive free. I am still learning the gluten free ropes and I can’t quite figure out why working out causes hives but I’m onto that next (now I think thyroid).
PS: I really got hive relief when I gave up coffee in conjunction with gluten (I’ve read there is a link there too).
Laurie…
About the “sugar-free” diet… Please consider checking the sources re the paleo-diet (Primal Body/Primal Mind) that I have indicated, above. More than likely your thyroid is still being hammered by the (most likely still) high-glycemic nature of your diet.
But the gluten-free step removes a lot of the bad things…
R.
I’ve had Hashis for almost 20 years now. My symptoms have been poorly managed by synthetic hormones; my PCP would just increase or decrease my Levoxyl based on what my TSH happened to be doing on the day I had my blood drawn.
So after years of going to a traditional western doctors and endocrinologists, I finally stopped the madness and went to a naturopathic doctor.
First thing she did was order Array 3 and Array 4 from Cyrex Labs. (www.cyrexlabs.com)
Predictably, my antibodies for almost all of the wheat proteins were double and triple where they should have been compared to the “normal” reference ranges. (In 20 years of treatment, no doctor had ever bothered to test me for Celiacs.)
What was even more interesting, were all of the cross-reactive foods in array 4 that I am producing antibodies for. Milk, sesame, hemp, rye, barley, buckwheat, millet, spelt, quinoa, tapioca, and spelt all showed up with a high AI response. Coffee, interestingly, was the highest of the bunch at more than twice the reference range.
(These tests are expensive – $550 for Array 3 & 4, and likely not covered by your insurance, but it really is a great comfort just to “know.”)
I”ve been vegan for the past 15 years, which is pretty much the worst possible diet that a Hashis/celiacs person could possibly be on. All I ate was pasta, bread, seitan (straight up wheat gluten) and soy. It makes me sick to think how much damage I have done over the years, thinking I was living a “healthy vegan lifestyle.”
I’m on a prescribed gut-healing detox diet for the time being and trying to educate myself about where I go from here, so thanks for this community! I need to re-learn and rethink eating. It’s sort of daunting, but my health is worth it.
I’ve been taking synthroid since I was 14 and now I’m 45. Is it possible to heal my thyroid gland and not take synthroid anymore?
Courtney…
While this is not professional advice, quit dilly-dallying and check the links, above, for Primal Body/Primal Mind AND the radio interview appearing on Coast to Coast. Don’t expect friends and family to be too sympathetic as you try to Stop the Madness.
Be advised: this is a long road. I can tell you that two years ago I had a lowered body temperature and aggravatingly cold hands in in temperate weather. Last night I walked my white German shepherd mix in below-zero wind chill w/ no discomfort to my hands, whatsoever, in the standard glove that I had worn before. My body temperature as returned to normal–despite my dropping twenty pounds–as evidenced by nominal readings during my five blood donations within the past year.
You must be radical and tough w/ your health–it is a type of faith to go gluten and carbohydrate free. As a bread LOVER and carbohydrate freak for over 50 years, I can tell you that it is worth the trip.
Gods I wish I had known of this connection when I was searching with everything I had to fight the graves disease that was consuming my body for 6 years before I finally gave in and let the stupid doctors have their way and radioblated it. Single biggest self betrayal of my life, but after trying everything I could find, I could not maintain the shaky normal readings I finally achieved. Had I known that bread – the staff of life – was what was killing me… It’s a bitter pill to be sure… Gluten free for 14 months now. Can’t save my thyroid, but it will save the rest of me, and I can warn others.
I have an 18 yr old daughter who has been suffering from terrible migraines for the past couple of years. Other symptoms have included: cramping in legs, nausea, dizziness, struggles to lose weight, insomnia, irregular cycles, and I can’t remember the rest offhand. She is never without pain from a headache! They’ve tested her thyroid and found it normal. Oh, and she was growing regularly as a child and then her height really seemed to stunt (she’s 5’2 but her growth patterns seemed to match mine exactly as a child but then stopped and I’m 5’6″).
I’m desperate to help her. I talked to her about going gluten-free. I’m wondering if this could help her even though she has no types of thyroid dx. I have crohns (I’m in remission), one daughter has IBS and then one of my son’s is ASD. Lots of gut issues in the family as you can see. My son is GFCFSF so I’m familiar of what to remove from the diet.
Thanks for any help!
My daughter had migraines and going off gluten cured them. She also did not grow as tall as she might. I wish we had caught it sooner. I think it would be an excellent idea to get your daughter tested for gluten intolerance.
First of all thank for the information on your website, I have read quite a few of your articles with great interest and have already started on a completely gluten-free diet after my recent diagnosis of hashi’s. I am trying to understand the gluten-AITD connection and there is one thing that I still don’t understand. You wrote “These antibodies to gliadin also cause the body to attack thyroid tissue.” Initially I understood that as meaning that the same antibodies that my body is making against gluten are also going to work against my thyroid, but thinking back to my blood test, they are clearly two different antibodies. This article you linked to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/12192201/ confirms that, with the celiac patients’ gluten antibodies going down with a gluten free diet, but not their thyroid antibodies. If this is the case, why would eliminating gluten help control hashi’s? I understand it cannot be cured, but my understanding was that by decreasing the body’s production of thyroid anti-bodies the destruction of the thyroid could be slowed down or stop, allowing decrease in hormone replacement for some patients and an improvement in symptoms. If the antibodies don’t go down with gluten removal, how is any of this possible? By the way I understand that if the Th2 system is severely depressed, the system will not produced much antibodies at all, but I assume that happens at a very progressed stage of the disease, is that correct? For people that are still only slightly hypothyroid and at an early stage of the disease, shouldn’t a control of hashi’s be able to be measured with a decrease in thyroid antibodies? And if so, if a gluten free diet doesn’t decrease those antibodies, then doesn’t that mean going g/f won’t help? I really hope that there is a way to control hashi’s, so much so that I have already gone completely gluten free in a matter of days after getting my diagnosis and researching like mad, but these questions are now making me wonder…by the way I’m completely sold on gluten not being any good for anyone in general, I just want to understand how it can control hadhi’s better.
Thank you in advance for your response!
I have been gradually going gluten free and am pretty well compliant with it now. My antiTPO dropped from in the 800′s to 63 over this time. I have subclinical auto-immune thyroiditis. At the same time, the TSH dropped from 10 to just over 3. Having magnesium and 3 brazil nuts/day may have helped too.
Hi Honora,
Thanks for posting your results. It is inspiring stories like yours that got me to cut out gluten and hope that it’s possible to control hashi’s. May I ask if you have also been able to decrease your dose of thyroid meds, if you were taking them previously and how you have been feeling as your antibodies and tsh drops. Also, did you get tested anywhere for gluten intolerance and if so what were the results? Thanks so much and I’m so happy for you that you’ve had such great results!
Honora…
I am w/ Liz on this one… Could you also please post–for the benefit of all who read here–what “anti-TPO” is and what it indicates, as well as the approximate goal of your efforts (within the anti-TPO signature levels) and how long it took you to achieve your current levels?
I am completely in the dark about gluten antibodies, their persistence within the body, and what dietary relapse (or accident) does to these levels. This would be a v. good topic to discuss. This would be especially true for those of us w/o medical coverage.
In short, I believe anyone who reads this page would be very thankful for you (or anyone) contributing something along these lines.
Thanks so much, R.
TPO stands for thyroperoxidase, an enzyme involved in thyroid hormone production. If you have anti-TPO antibodies, that means your immune system is attacking your thyroid. That is autoimmune thyroid disease. It is most often Hashimoto’s, but it could be Graves’ or Ord’s as well.
Thank-you, so much, for the traction, Doctor… R.
Thanks, Liz and Robert. Well, my AITD is sub-clinical which means I think that I didn’t have any signs or symptoms (clinically euthyroid) though I do have a bit of a goitre as the ol’ thyroid tries to compensate for its poor effectiveness at producing T4 and T3. Weirdly enough, my reflexes are exaggerated and I’ve been more jumpy for quite a few years. I haven’t asked an expert why that would be so but I assume I simply don’t have hypothyroid symptoms because so far the T4 and T3 are in the normal range. I think the optimum is in the upper third of the range but my Total T4 is at the lower third (80nmol/L in the range for 55-140 but up from 70) and the Total T3 is 2.44 up from 1.89 (normal range 1.2-2.8 nmol/L) so that’s in the upper third which is great.
The doctors say that if my TSH gets up to 10, then I’ll need to be commenced on Thyroxin. To be at the mercy of a prescriber doesn’t sound like a good idea to me as I’m constantly reading of the dissatisfaction and misery this causes so many patients. Even getting my desired dose of Vitamin D3 was a struggle, first entailing changing my doctor and then 4 phonecalls. And this was despite having my Vit D3 levels measured 5 times in the last couple of years showing the pathetic rise on the usually prescribed dose.
I had the Enterolab gluten sensitivity on feces which also included anti-casein IgA testing and gene pane done by the American Red Cross. It was all normal except I had HLA DQ 2,1 (subtype 2,5) which indicated a predisposition to gluten sensitivity. Not surprising with my mainly Irish and Scottish descent. A recent anti Tissue Transglutaminase was negative as expected as coeliac enteropathy (gut damage) is a different disease process to gluten intolerance.
Basically, if my sister hadn’t spotted the ‘small, diffuse goitre”, I wouldn’t know that the TSH was up and I had positive thyroid antibodies (subclinical hypothyroidism). I wasn’t really eligible to see a thyroid specialist but I wangled it as they run the clinic a few metres from my workplace and they discharged me after a single consultation. I’m due to get more TFT’s and thyroid antibodies in March so will see how things go.
Hi Honora,
Thanks so much for following up! Funny, I’ve been jumpy too and never connected it to any of my other symptoms….my main symptoms are fatigue and anxiety and I just assumed that the jumpiness was just part of the anxiety and didn’t see it as a separate symptom. I wonder if anyone else has that?
I find that really interesting that your enterolab tests came back normal….including not having antibodies to gluten (just the gene predisposition) and yet the gluten-free diet seems to be working so well! I was going to get tested and I thought that if I had no antibodies to gluten then it meant going gluten-free couldn’t be the solution. So another curve ball. Your story has been incredibly eye-opening, I can’t thank you enough for posting, now I am going to continue going gluten-free regardless of what the tests show.
I hope your antibodies and tsh levels continue to improve and I hope you post again in March!
From what I have read, most “gluten antibody” blood tests only test for two specific proteins:
Gliadin-Transglutaminase IgG
Gliadin-Transglutaminase IgA
Cyrex Labs Wheat/Gluten Array tests for 22 other wheat/gluten proteins which may be the culprit.
Of the two above, only one was out of range for me.
Gliadin-Transglutaminase IgG: 2.52 (Ref Range: 0.4 – 1.6)
Gliadin-Transglutaminase IgA: 1.0 (Ref Range: 0.6 – 1.6)
With only two tests and a partial picture, a typical doctor might say that I’m not gluten intolerant.
However, with a fuller picture of the other 22 proteins, they would clearly see that I am above range for 18 of the 24 tested proteins – sometimes double and triple the top end of the reference range.
Get the full picture!
I wouldn’t recommend waiting until your TSH gets to 10 to begin treatment with thyroid hormone replacement, natural or pharmaceutical. TSH is a more sensitive indicator of thyroid hormone status, because it will respond to changes in cellular receptor sensitivity and transcription whereas T4 and T3 levels may not.
Just for comparison, as a 20 year Hashi’s patient, my labs which were run on 12/15/2011 had the following results (which were alarming. You’d think my immune system would have given up by now!)
antiTPO: 1251 (Ref Range: 0 – 34)
antiThyroglobulin: 2966 (Ref Range: 0 – 40)
Vitamin D: 19.3 (Ref Range: 30 – 100)
Free T4: 0.97 (Ref Range: 0.82 – 1.77)
Free T3: 2.0 (Ref Range: 2.0 – 4.4)
I’ve been grain-free for just about a month now. I retest my thyroid levels in another month, and my antibodies in 6 months. I’m very interested to see the results!
Stacey,
Sorry to hear your results are so alarming! I hope the grain -free diet works! Please let us all know how your thyroid and antibody levels respond after the grain-free diet. There are so few scientific studies tracking the progress of antibodies and symptoms of non-celiac people with other auto-immune diseases, and thyroid levels with thyroid autoimmune diseases,that it would be really great to start a place where we can do that.
Chris,
Maybe you could start a page where people going gluten or grain-free could show their results (improvement of symptoms, antibody levels, tsh and other thyroid indicators)? This could become a powerful tool to get more doctors to look into the gluten connection with their patients and convince other patients to give it a try! It’s not the same as a controlled study, but it could be very interesting!
Stacy: you’re antibodies are quite high and your T4 and T3 are on the very bottom of the range. This suggests the autoimmune process is still very active, and not under control. I’d recommend focusing your attention there. Best,
Stacy,
Thanks for adding in your results from the two labs…you actually answered a question that has been on my mind. I wanted to know if either test would catch a gluten intolerance or if I had to do both. It looks like both tests showed a gluten intolerance (even though your enterolab results only had one of the two out of range, I think that it is still significant), but the cyrex results make the gluten intolerance even more obvious. I as worried that the cyrex tests werent as sensitive since they aren’t stool tests, but from your results it sounds like that isnt a problem.
Hi, Everyone…
The last series of posts–esp. those of the Doctor–have been very helpful in starting a new perspective to this page–a bit more hard and fast test histories and symptom diaries would go a long way toward making sense of the pathology ambiguity surrounding, what could be, one of the most profound disease patterns or sets of our time.
Liz mentioned (as has the Doctor, of course) that the gluten allergenic reaction and the gluten autoimmune response are two different things. (I will reference a great Wikipedia article–that, no doubt, others here have already found–that explains some of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten_sensitivity .) What I have a hard time separating are issues (such as) can one have both a sensitivity (which can be precursor to celiac disease?) and an allergenic response to gluten? If one is gluten free for an extended period of time (and is, say, an autoimmune candidate) will a single slice of bread begin the autoimmune path all over gain; i.e., does any level of antibody directed to a particular target completely reinvigorate the autoimmune reaction path so that all progress is lost? (The Doctor indicated that it was not an “80/20″ thing.) How long does it take to quell the various gluten-inspired antibodies once they are activated? Do antibodies such as these ever truly disappear, go “dormant”, or dissipate to a degree that one could be deemed to possess a margin of resistance against them generating again? I’ll tell you that I don’t have a clue to any of this.
I also have not been able to discern, anywhere, a timeline for recovery of some of the typical symptoms from hypothyroidism to dermatitis (one site stated that, w/ a particular drug and w/ a gluten-free diet, the prognosis was serious relief after 1 – 3 years). I can throw in my bit here and state that, after about six months of a gluten-free effort (a pretty good attempt w/ a couple of slips during the holidays) my body temp. is approx. (at least) one-degree higher (now perfectly normal) and my heart rate has jumped 10 – 15 beats per min. That is just for starters, as all kinds of little things have improved to make me feel reborn (a bit).
Thanks for everyone’s efforts… R.