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- Connection Found between Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Connection Found between Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
- By Jefferson Adams
- Published 04/23/2007
- Thyroid & Pancreatic Disorders and Celiac Disease
- Rating:
Jefferson Adams
Jefferson Adams is a freelance writer living in San Francisco. His poems, essays and photographs have appeared in Antioch Review, Blue Mesa Review, CALIBAN, Hayden's Ferry Review, Huffington Post, the Mississippi Review, and Slate among others.
View all articles by Jefferson AdamsCeliac.com 04/23/2007 - The results of a recent Dutch
study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology have confirmed
a connection between Hashimotos Thyroiditis and celiac disease.
In the study, 104 individuals with Hashimotos Thyroiditis were tested for immunoglobulin A anti-transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies, IgA anti-Endomysial antibodies (EMA) and HLA-DQ typing. Those who tested positive for any of the serological tests were given an intestinal biopsy.
Sixteen patients (15%) showed positive celiac serology and five patients clear villous atrophy were diagnosed with celiac disease (4.8%; 95% CI 0.7-8.9). All five patients diagnosed with celiac disease, and 53 patients with Hashimotos thyroiditis (50%; 95% CI 43-62), showed the presence of HLA-DQ2 (and/or -DQ8).
In a separate test within the study, 184 Individuals with known celiac disease were given a serological test for thyroglobulin and Thyroid peroxidase Antibodies, after first being given thyroid biochemical, a Thyroxine-free thyroid stimulating hormone.
39 patients (21%) showed positive thyroid serology. According
to thyroid biochemistry results, ten patients showed euthyroidism (5%;
95% CI 2-9), seven showed sub-clinical hypothyroidism (3.8%; 95% CI 1.8-7.6),
and 22 patients showed overt hypothyroidism, Hashimotos
thyroiditis (12%; 95% CI 8-16). Furthermore, four patients with celiac
disease had Graves disease (2%; 95% CI 0.8-5) and one patient had
post-partum thyroiditis.
The study concludes that there is a clear association between Hashimotos
thyroiditis and celiac disease. Accordingly, it is recommended that patients
with Hashimotos thyroiditis be screened for celiac disease and
that patients with known celiac be screened for Hashimotos thyroiditis.
World Journal of Gastroenterology 2007; 13(10).
health writer who lives in San Francisco and is a frequent author of articles for Celiac.com. As always, Celiac.com welcomes your comments (see below).
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25 Responses to "Connection Found between Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis"
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said this on
15 Aug 2008 4:50:18 PM PDT For years I have suffered with Hashimoto's and could not understand why I could not loose weight on the oroxine medication even though I exercise and am active. Do you think a Gluten free diet could help me as I am 59 years old?
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said this on
20 Jan 2011 1:54:43 PM PDT @Colleen
Yes, going gluten-free can help you lose weight if you don't go for the gluten free cookies and such. With the diet, you will cut out fattening foods like pastries, pies, cakes, and most cheap Asian food as Soy Sauce has gluten and Asian restaurants tend to throw all products (gluten and non-gluten) on the same grill so that everything gets contaminated. The resulting diet is very healthy if you eat naturally gluten free (i.e. mostly lean meat, vegetables, and rice and potatoes for the starch). Most imitation and fake foods have gluten (like imitation crab meat), so the diet will force you away from that unhealthy food as well. If you have a gluten intolerance, any repairs this diet allows your body to make to your system will help you body return to a state where it can regulate its weight better. |
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10 Sep 2008 11:18:28 AM PDT I have antibodies in my thyroid so I did an IgG food allergy test which showed I was allergic to many things such as meats, lettuce, peaches and gluten in wheat. The doctor told me to not worry about the gluten for now but to try to get off the other foods that I a allergic to. I did that for 2 months and my antibody count went from 500's to 300's. I think normal is 0-14. Then I asked him if I should go off gluten. He said yes. I feel better without gluten. I have been off it for about a week.
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said this on
02 Dec 2008 3:10:07 PM PDT Interesting...since I had Hashimoto's about the same time I started getting celiac problems, though it has taken me 20 years to get a diagnosis of celiac.
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said this on
16 Nov 2010 8:29:31 AM PDT I'm right there with you .....I have been going through this for 20 years also getting the run around and playing ring around the rosey. Finally a Dr. who diagnoses me in about 5 min and tell me I'm not crazy!!!
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said this on
04 Apr 2009 9:02:23 PM PDT I have Hashimoto's and in my research have learned that anyone with this disease is gluten intolerant - as with many autoimmune diseases.
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said this on
07 Oct 2009 6:34:40 AM PDT Excellent info. I want to add that if your thryoid tests are within normal range, and you then go off gluten, you will most likely lose weight. At this point, your medication dosage may be too high for your reduced body mass. It's very important to be re-checking your thyroid hormones if you lose weight or change your diet as you could veer into hyperthyroidism, which is what happened to me along with all the messy symptoms. Stay on top of this, please.
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said this on
23 Jul 2011 10:42:17 AM PDT Great tip because I too went off gluten and dropped 10 pounds right away and suddenly started suffering symptoms of hyperthyroidism and it took me a while to realize what was going on. I just moved and need to find a new doctor, but currently I have stopped taking any thyroid medication and am functioning really well....any other time in my life I was not on medication for hypothyroidism, I would turn into a zombie with lots of aches, pains, and feeling depressed. I was on 120 mcg of synthroid before, now I'm on nothing and doing better than ever. I am going to be scheduling an appointment with a new doc soon though just to keep on top of things.
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09 Mar 2010 1:40:38 PM PDT I was finally diagnosed with celiac eight years ago, after suffering for 15 years before being diagnosed. I am also lactose intolerant. I have just been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and am so grateful to confirm that there is a correlation between celiac and Hashimoto's. Thank you so much for validating my suspicion.
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said this on
24 Apr 2010 4:48:42 AM PDT I was diagnosed with celiac three years ago and just recently my new doctor diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. She didn't specify Hashimoto's but it would make sense. I start on Synthroid today, so hopefully I'll start to feel better.
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said this on
06 Aug 2010 12:08:45 PM PDT I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and Celiac's disease at the same time. I was 33 when I got my diagnosis. I just figured I was weird and had both issues, I am so glad (not really but you know what I mean) to see there are others out there like me!
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said this on
14 Oct 2010 11:26:04 AM PDT I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and within three months of being on Levothyroxine, I began to experience celiac symptoms. My TSH shot back up while on Levothyroxine which made me suspicious about my diet. I read somewhere that thyroid medication is absorbed in your lower intestines, and that is also where you find damage from gluten if gluten is a problem for you. So, if gluten is damaging your lower intestines, then your body cannot fully absorb the optimal thyroid dosage from the medication. I cut gluten and all my hypo symptoms went away and my TSH has begun to go down again. However, if I do slip on the gluten-free diet (because it's really hard to stay on if you don't have an immediate reaction) I notice that within days of eating a cluster of gluten, I start to feel really hypo.
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said this on
02 Feb 2011 5:45:49 PM PDT My mother has had Hashimoto's for years. She is 85 and a few years ago started to have all sorts of gastro-intestinal problems. I convinced her to get rid of the gluten and she has been a great deal better.
I also have had Hasimoto's for the last 16 years. I really cut down on the bread a few years ago and I have been much better. The day will come when I have to give it up entirely I fear but until then I eat stuff made with wheat flour very sparingly. |
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said this on
23 Feb 2011 4:08:47 AM PDT Rogue antibodies cause damage in both organs, a really helpful article!
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04 Feb 2012 7:49:25 AM PDT I also would like to know if anyone has developed a condition with symptoms such as angeoedema (sp). hives, rashes, swollen lymph nodes under arms. and inflammation under the skin. Even though I have gone off gluten these symptoms still occur.
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said this on
02 Mar 2012 6:34:47 PM PDT tlee,
Yes, I have also experienced red rashes, hives, swelling all along my jaw line, neck, chest/breast area, even my arms, under arms, and shoulders. I have been trying very hard to stay gluten free but, I am also having these reactions with certain foods that claim to be gluten free. I also experience at times, extreme intolerance to cold, and become extremely tired (as if I had been drugged) I can't stay awake no matter how hard I try to fight it (this happens usually a few days before "that time of the month"). I too have had a great deal of difficulty trying to lose weight. I am very very active, I go to the gym. I do cardio, fat burning and weight /strength training every other day for 2.5-3 hrs. I also walk the opposite days that I am not at the gym for 2.5-3 hrs. I do feel like a freak at times!! Some people don't understand how it feels or what a struggle it is to deal with this on a daily basis. |
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said this on
12 Apr 2011 3:53:17 PM PDT I'm reading a book called "Why do I have Thyroid symptoms if my thyroid tests are normal". It is saying most doctors treat Hashimoto's as a thyroid disease by replacing the hormones the autoimmune keeps depleting plus most don't bother testing for adrenal wipe out. It is explaining why they should be treating the autoimmune disease and not be treating it like a thyroid disease. Many times thyroid meds only are a temporary relief. I've also ordered "Stop the thyroid madness" book.
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said this on
11 Jan 2012 1:52:11 PM PDT Although the evidence toward gluten and Hashimoto's is strong so is the evidence from excessive Bromine intake relative to iodine intake. What is interesting is Bromine is added to bread in many areas. People who go gluten free are probably also removing a key source of Bromine from their diets. Needless to say, but there is a lot to figure out.
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23 Jan 2012 9:32:34 AM PDT This web-site is excellent! I have learned so much ! Cutting back and eliminating all gluten has really helped. I feel less brain-fog, wake-up rested and ready to go, and my abdomen feels great not at all burning and painful.
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said this on
26 Sep 2012 5:01:36 PM PDT Joyce... as a child they called "nervous stomach"... at 30, "colitis"... at 50 "IRS"... at 70, now, I've discovered it is gluten intolerance. I cannot begin to tell how much pain and emotional hard ache this condition has caused. If you suspect you may have celiac disease, get help and understanding. It will cause much damage if untreated.
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10 Nov 2012 5:11:00 PM PDT I'm 35, and I have had problems all my life with my stomach, cystic acne, small blisters on my hands and feet, migraines (last one made me faint), depression, memory loss, sleeping problems and pain all over!!! Goodness, the list goes on and on. I have been hospitalized for my stomach and no doctor could ever tell me what was wrong. All these years and 4 kids later, I find people like you who leave comments on pages like this... what a great help!!! In reading your posts, I think now I can go into a doctor's office and tell them what test I need, not ask them... thanks!
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said this on
24 Feb 2013 2:50:00 PM PDT Hi, I have Hashimoto's and when I stopped eating gluten in all forms, the swelling in my thyroid went away. And if I eat any gluten, my thyroid swells.
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said this on
04 Apr 2013 4:53:01 PM PDT Very informative, thank you!
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