Hashimoto Thyroidism and Celiac

[Shari61]

Hello! My name is Shari. I’m 60 yrs old and just diagnosed with Hashimoto.  I’m reading how Celiac, leaky gut and hashimoto are connected.  I’m removing gluten from my diet to see how I feel, and finding out that I feel much better without gluten, and really sick when I slip.  I’m trying to learn what I can, since my first face to face with doctor is in October.  Way to long to wait for information I need now.

[Scott Adams]

Welcome to the forum! Have you thought about getting tested for celiac disease before you go gluten-free? I ask this because you can only be screened for it while you are on a regular gluten diet. 

[Shari61]

I haven’t had the test, but I’ve already tried removing breads and pasta’s so far.  I feel better having just eggs in the morning instead of a bagel or English muffin.  I actually find it holds me over until I get back home from work.  I don’t snack anymore.  But last Sunday , I ate Salmon with pasta and spinach.  Of course, I couldn’t help myself when they brought out the bread with seasoned olive oil.  I’ve been out a whole week from work with severe stomach issues.  I’d go to work if there was a bathroom I could get to fast, but being a Rural Postal driver, bathrooms are scarce. 🙃

[Scott Adams]

So it sounds like you would prefer to self-diagnose rather than to get tested, which would require you to eat gluten daily for 6-8 weeks. 

Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.

This article has some detailed information on how to be 100% gluten-free, so it may be helpful (be sure to also read the comments section.):

 

 

[Shari61]

Probably, since I keep missing several days to a week for just eating gluten at one meal. Even though the meal had two gluten items.  I just don’t want the explosive bathroom trips and the stomach cramps and pain.  Plus feeling off balanced again.  If my doctor says I have to, then I’ll consider it after the holidays. 

[Scott Adams]

In case you'd like to read more on Hashimoto's and celiac disease we have many articles in this category:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/thyroid-pancreatic-disorders-and-celiac-disease/ 

[Wheatwacked]

Overall, the available evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation may have beneficial immunomodulatory effects in HT patients Impact of Vitamin D on Immunopathology of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: From Theory to Practice

Vitamin D deficiency is very common in Celiac Disease.

The Iodine & Hashimoto’s Question  "I recommend keeping dietary and supplemental iodine intake between 150 and 450mcg daily."

When we were kids in the sixties iodine was used as a dough conditioner.  That meant every slice of bread had about 100 mcg of iodine.  Since 1970 the intake of iodine in the US has dropped by 50%.  

Quote

Recent surveys, however, have indicated that the proportion of the U.S. population with low urinary iodine levels is increasing. Although median values of urinary iodine in the U.S. population indicated adequate intake in the United States, the median decreased more than 50 percent between the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I, 1971-74) and NHANES III (1988-94). This reduction may be due, in part, to changes in food production.

Iodine Level, United States, 2000

I take 10,000 IU a day to keep my vitamin D level at 80 ng/ml (200 nmol/L) the normal level for 25(ohD)  in humans, since 2015.  

The safe range of iodine in the US is 150 to 1100 mcg a day.  In Japan it is 150 to 3000 mcg.  Note that traditional Japanese have younger skin, hair.  The Japanese students started testing smarter than US kids in the 1980's.

I take 500 to 1500 a day of Liquid Iodine.  Hair, nails, muscle tone, brain clarity, and the blindness in my right eye is recovering and a sebaceous cyst the has not been healing since 2014 is finally healing.  My daughter in law says her 650 mcg in her expresso every morning has made her skin softer.

[PamandMoose]

I am age 66. Did not know I had Hashimotos until thyroid cancer DX, and removal of thyroid. That was age 30!!!!  (approx... can't do the math right now!)  Was then DX Celiac Disease only 2 years ago!!!! Age 64.  Doctors just did not talk about Celiac back then, and it has done major damage to my body (bone density, anemia). Please stay on top of both thyroid & possible Celiac issues. In my experience, doctors do not regular do testing for Celiac. And true DX requires an endoscopy/biopsy. I seriously hope you do not have Celiac as it is much more of a lifestyle change as is Hashimotos.