Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and celiac disease: The nutritional link
If you suffer from an autoimmune disease, you know proper nutrition can play an important role in maintaining good health. But did you know that having one autoimmune disease makes you more likely to develop another immune-related disorder? It’s true, and often, people with one autoimmune disease don’t realize that some of their symptoms may be due to a completely different underlying condition.
One of the best examples of one disease’s symptoms mimicking or masking another disease’s symptoms can be seen in the relationship of celiac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Data indicate about four to six percent of patients with celiac disease also have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a condition that causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, the butterfly-shaped gland located beneath your larynx. Over time, the immune system can destroy the gland, impairing the body’s ability to produce important hormones.
The symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can vary markedly, and can include sleeplessness and fatigue, anxiety, depression, change in weight, joint and muscle aches and pains, sensitivity to cold, and hair loss. Some patients may also experience swelling in the neck area; a few experience no symptoms at all. Some of these symptoms are also very common to celiac patients without thyroiditis making accurate diagnosis challenging. It is recommended that health care providers are aware of the relationship between these two diseases in order to properly prescribe treatment protocols. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a progressive disease that when caught in the early stages can be well controlled, just as celiac disease can be controlled by proper diet and nutritional supplementation.
Getting proper nutrients can play a big role in helping to treat thyroid disorders and diseases, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The problem is, when celiac disease is also in the picture, your body may be prevented from absorbing those nutrients, which means the effects on the thyroid can become much worse. While taking supplements can be a great solution, the key is finding supplements that are produced specifically for people with celiac disease. Why? There are two reasons: First, because celiac disease damages the lining of the small intestine where many nutrients are absorbed, the body simply does not have access to nutrients from supplements that don’t include nutrients with high bioavailability. And second, because many common brands of supplements are processed by big manufacturing facilities that handle lots of products, they’re a very high chance those supplements will become contaminated by gluten, making them even more indigestible.
CeliVites supplements by Gluten Free Therapeutics were developed specifically to meet the nutritional needs of men and women with celiac disease. As the mother of an adult child with celiac disease, Leigh Reynolds, President of Gluten Free Therapeutics, understands the problems with ensuring proper nutrition. In addition to her child, several other family members also deal with the disease and related immune system issues giving the staff at GFT unique insights into these issues.
“Gluten Free Therapeutics was founded to help address the problem of nutritional deficiency in celiac patients by providing a source of readily absorbable, gluten-free nutritional supplements aimed at improving both the health and quality of life of those who suffer from the disease,” she said. The site is also filled with of research-backed information to help educate celiac patients about their disease.
If you suffer from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, celiac disease or both, getting the nutrition you need is critical to staying healthy. To learn more about CeliVites and to see the complete line of Gluten Free Therapeutics supplements and nutritional products, visit the company website or follow GFT on Facebook or Twitter. And to learn more about Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, visit the website of the American Thyroid Association.
This original article is made possible by Gluten Free Therapeutics. Our mission is to educate, inform, and provide the most effective nutritional products possible to allow those with celiac disease and serious gluten intolerances to heal their bodies. CeliVites complete line of superior gluten free supplements includes multivitamin/multimineral supplements, iron supplements, and calcium supplements for people living with celiac disease. All CeliVites products are designed to help you heal, restore and rebuild your body, because going gluten free isn’t enough!
Comments ()
i have Sjogrens & Hashimoto’s which I feel were caused by gluten intolerance. I would to hear more about your supplements, especially an alternative to Synthroid.
Hello Maggie,
Nutritional supplements are not an alternative to hormone replacement (synthroid). If your doctor has prescribed a thyroid hormone, you should take it so that your body doesn’t suffer the ill effects of hormone deficiency. We have had some of our customers report that they like taking Tirosint as an alternative to synthroid because they have gastrointestinal signs after taking synthroid, probably due to the excipients. Tirosint is composed of only thyroid hormone, glycerin and capsule, no excipients. If you have a problem with gluten, Tirosint may be helpful. Perhaps you can discuss this alternative medication with your doctor.
While we appreciate you inquiring about our supplements and we would obviously love to have you as a customer it would be remiss of us to suggest that nutritional supplements can serve as an alternative to hormone replacement.
Thank you for reaching out to us and we wish you good health.
I was switched to Tirisint and my dosage of thyroid hormone I needed dropped dramatically. I had stopped absorbing my Synthroid because of the gluten
JoAnn,
We appreciate you comment. While we do not recommend medications we can share that our experience with Tirisint has been very positive. We went to great lengths to verify that it is gluten free. It passed our due diligence and we have been very happy with this medication.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
My daughter has celiac disease should I be concerned with other autoimmune disorders
Hello Tonya,
That is a very good question. You have read our blog on hashimoto’s thyroiditis. That blog was part of a four part series called “understanding the autoimmune connection.” You can read all four blogs here on our website or on our Facebook page. We chose the autoimmune diseases with the highest percentage of correlation between celiac and the for diseases we highlighted. That would give you a start but there are others that are less common. We suggest that you talk to your daughter’s health care professional about your daughters family history. That should help you learn what if any other autoimmune diseases to look out for.
thank you for your question.
I have Celiac for about 18 years. I have been on a gluten free diet and now also on Lactose free. I buy my Tirosent 75 mcg thru the government they charge me $250.00 every 3 month where can I get a break on the price. I am afraid to go on generics because it caused me a lot of problem-es in the past . I have ben on Tirosent for 8 years now and no problems but I am paying $250.00 for 3 months supply I am hoping someone out ther micht have a lower fee a
Hi. I have Hashimoto’s and am hypothyroid. My doctor (hematologist) from Rush in Chicago ran a double strand DNA test which screens your blood for any other autoimmune diseases as usually once you have one you develop others. My blood levels were all up and down..all over the place after spending years undiagnosed. Adding in Synthroid was not enough. He helped get my levels back in line and made me feel so much better I can’t tell you..it made all the difference. Hope this helps.
Renita–I would really love to learn where you went for your testing or the doc’s info. I have tried to manage my Hashi’s and other related issues for several years, but it’s getting harder and harder to do so. I’m four hours from Chicago but would gladly make the trip.
I’ve been gluten free 4 years. I’m still having thyroid issues trying to get the dose of Nature Thyroid correct. I take many, many supplements. I’ve been on a candida cleanse diet for 3 months also. What supplements do you suggest I should be taking?
Thank you for your question. While several nutrients act in concert to support the thyroid gland, of particular importance is iodine, supplied in Body Health by CeliVites at 75% of the daily value. Iodine is an important trace mineral that is typically present in the American diet in iodized salt. In order to avoid the risk of cross contamination from processing, many people following a gluten free diet select sea salt which contains variable amounts of iodine and trace minerals yet is not fortified. For this reason supplementary iodine may be necessary. Iodine is important for proper thyroid function, and chronically low iodine can result in hypothyroidism and goiter. We would recommend Blood Health by CeliVites if you don’t get enough iron in the diet to support healthy blood cell development and Bone Health by CeliVites if you have concerns about bone density. We wish you the best in your transition to health.
Thank you for your article. I can’t tell you how alone I feel sometimes. My family has a history of celiacs disease but no one ever said a word about it, so I never knew. I was diagnosed a few years ago and it all made sense to me. But then I realized that maybe I was dealing with something else. I didn’t feel terribly better, weight was still an issue, and energy level. At the time I was gluten free completely and had gone on a vegan and raw diet in hopes to heal my body from years of harm. I ended back up at the doctors office only to discover that I had developed a hashi thyroid condition. Once I had been gluten free for over a year I knew for sure that my issues were not related to gluten, it was my thyroid. I tried to manage it on my own for some time and the thyroid issue became more of a challenge to manage. Then out of nowhere I found out that there was another issue. It was a domino effect. Celiacs caused the thyroid issues, the thyroid issue threw me into premature menopause at the age of 31! Trying to decipher the difference between a thyroid managing hormones and menopause has been a nightmare. I refuse to do hormone replacement therapy or any of the crap they want to prescribe me to mask or prolong these issues. I have been looking for my own solutions, but I am interested in this info because it may help.
Hello Michelle,
Thank you for your candid comment. You are not alone in having thyroiditis and celiac disease. Fortunately both are manageable with little side effects. It sounds like you are following a gluten free diet, that is imperative for your celiac disease. Just be sure to be vigilant about excluding gluten. There are prescription medications that will help you with the thyroid issues. We cannot recommend them but your doctor will be familiar with them. As far as the early menopause this too is not unheard of. Again we don’t give medical advise but we can tell you that all of your issues will stabilize in time with proper treatment. We suggest following your doctors recommendations regarding prescribed medications, avoid gluten at all times and take a supplement to help with your nutritional needs. Your body is fighting to be healthy and you can help it by providing the nutrients it needs. No one solution will help it is the combination of medication, elimination of gluten, and nutritional supplements that will go a long way to helping you feel better. We of course wish you the very best. You are not alone and you can get better.
thank you again for taking the time to read our blogs and comment.
I have celiac’s,sleep,apnea.,antiphoslipid,diabetes,a goiter and nodules. My thyroid test come back in the normal range so my old Dr. wouldn’t give me meds.I have just changed Drs and she says when a patient is symptomatic,which I am,and has a goiter,she gives meds. She just order 15 kinds of blood tests so we are waiting to see on them. I will tell her about your blog,I was very pleased with it.
I am on thyroid treatmeant and i am also getting regular problems with my stomach which includes bloating and stomach cramps. Could this be related. Zoe
Hi Zoe,
Yes, it is possible. The purpose of this blog was to point out the relationship between Hasimotos and celiac disease. If you have stomach issues on a regular basis you may want to discuss this with your doctor. Even if you don’t have celiac disease you could have an allergy that is triggering your stomach problems. Better to know than to suffer. Good luck.
Hello, I have Hashimotos /Hypothyroid and Homozygous C667t methylation disorder. I have read mixed studies on iodines affect on standard thyroid disease vs hashimotos. Should we be supplementing or not? What is the concensus? Thanks!
Hello Kathleen,
We appreciate your question. Other may have the same concern. However we do not give medical advice. It would be remiss of any company to do so. Your question is valid and we suggest that you discuss it with your doctor. This looks like a good question for an endocrinologist. We wish you well and thank you for your input.
I have Celiacs and hypothyroidism,I take levothyrozin,and Prozac .Are these gluten free.And also what shampoo and lotions can I use that are Glutin free?Thank you.
Hello,
I am reaching out because I’m really overwhelmed and can’t find clear answers online.
I recently found out through an ultrasound that the right side of my thyroid shows signs of disease but all of my blood tests (including antibodies) are normal. They said it could be the very beginning of Hashimoto’s.
I have decided to try going gluten free, however I am terrified by everything I’m reading and I’m not sure just how careful I have to be. I also have OCD so that is making me completely paranoid about cross-contamination but I’m not sure to what level I need to be. For example, if I go to chipotle do I need to tell them to put on new gloves before they touch my to-go bowl? Should I avoid eating out at restaurants altogether? I am terrified of the idea that microscopic particles of gluten are damaging my thyroid and I don’t even know it because I don’t have overly obvious symptoms.
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Best,
Rebecca
Hello Rebecca,
We cannot tell if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease (CD) from reading your comment. Since you are clearly expressing a need to understand the how to be truly gluten free we will respond as if you do have CD and suspected Hashimotos. For a celiac any gluten is too much gluten there is no acceptable level of gluten ingestion as far as we are concerned. What you are describing is not over the top behavior and is indeed the kind of questions you should be asking. Being OCD is a actually a good thing in this situation. it means that you will be hyper vigilant in controlling situations where contamination is possible. And yes eating out is very challenging and most beginner celiacs chose to master their own kitchens and meals before heading out. If you do go out to eat be sure to talk to the staff and yes gloves for the food preparer is necessary. But remember that gluten particles can travel so be careful of where you are eating.You may want to take a miss on places with food that has high levels of gluten in their menu.
There is a ton of information about cross contamination on the web so I will not go into all of that here. It would take way too long. We are writing an article right now that talks about cross contamination at home and how to test for gluten in foods and home surfaces. That should be published next week. We will have it on our website and on Facebook if you are interested in reading it. The main thing we would say is not to let others talk you out of protecting your health. Your desire to learn is admirable. The more you learn about Hashimotos, celiac disease and living with CD the more comfortable you will become. Our blog site has over sixty fact based articles you can read as well. We wish you well with your journey and we wish you good health.
Very interesting article! I can really relate. I have Hashis and I am on synthroid, and I suspect Celiac as well. I’ve always had digestive issues (constant stomach pain, constipation, fatigue, bloating), and at the suggestion of my endocrinologist I stopped eating wheat. I tried it, and now I react violently to the tiniest amount of gluten: bloating, severe stomach cramps, constipation for days followed by diarrhea, fatigue, mouth sores the lot. It also seems to effect my thyroid, and my synthroid becomes seemingly less effective. My endo says I probably have celiac but won’t help me treat it because it “isn’t his area”, and now I can’t get tested because I CANNOT eat wheat for the diagnosis. My cousin has diagnosed celiac and my mom has similar gluten issues. I’m a college student and I really struggle to find a health professional who can help me, I don’t have a GP and my endo refuses to monitor anything but my thyroid levels. It’s rough: I feel like I have to figure everything out on my own and college life doesn’t help the situation. Any suggestions for finding a doctor who can help with the aspects and interrelations between both my thyroid symptoms and digestive issues would be most helpful. I’m kinda at a loss what to do, besides take the thyroid meds despite occasional ill effects and live in fear of cross contamination. Any advice for support?
Hello Melissa,
You are asking all of the right questions. And with your tenacity it looks like once you get the proper health care team in place you will in good shape. We know how frustrating this is, we hear from many people who struggle to find good medical care related to celiac disease. We encourage you to explore the celiac disease foundation’s website. They are a non profit that exists to assist people with celiac disease. They have a practitioner directory that you can use to see if there is anyone in your area you can turn to for help. The website is https://celiac.org/ and like our website there is a lot of good information.
Please continue to push for qualified help. You are on the right track. It looks like you have found our articles so please take advantage of the many articles we have provided. Many people use them to not only for education but for points to discuss with their doctor.
Good luck.