Hashimoto S Thyroiditis Diet Hashimotos Thyroiditis.
Are you suffering from fatigue, depression, sweet cravings or an inability to lose weight? Your thyroid could be a major contributing factor to these symptoms. Your thyroid may have been checked by your physician but were you evaluated for autoimmune thyroid disease? The number one cause of hypothyroidism in the world is Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroid. This is a condition in which the body produces antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. This results in slow destruction of the thyroid gland leading to hypothyroidism. The autoimmune attack can also result in hyper functioning of the thyroid known as Grave's Disease where too much thyroid hormone is produced. Your physician will order thyroid peroxidase and antithyroglobulin antibodies to diagnose this condition. A thyroid stimulating hormone test or TSH will usually be elevated in these cases because the brain is trying to tell the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone. This condition is usually managed by synthetic thyroid hormone but unfortunately many will still have symptoms because the underlying cause(s) has not been addressed.
It has been shown that patients who have autoimmune thyroid disease also have pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency) and gluten intolerance. Pernicious anemia can occur when the body is producing antibodies to intrinsic factor which is required for vitamin B12 utilization. Many studies have linked gluten intolerance to autoimmune thyroid by a mechanism called molecular mimicry. This occurs when the body's immune system identifies a dietary protein such as gluten foreign to the body but also attacks it's own tissue which is tagged by the immune system. Constant intake of gluten will lead to a constant attack on the ingested protein as well as thyroid tissue. Destruction of the thyroid cells lead to increased amounts of thyroid hormone circulation leading to symptoms such as anxiety, tremors, hot flashes and rapid heart rate. These symptoms can significantly improve on a gluten-free diet.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to autoimmune disease including autoimmune thyroid. Vitamin D influences the immune system by keeping immune cells in balance that may become overactive and attack tissue cells. In addition to having low vitamin D levels, autoimmune thyroid patients also have a defect in the vitamin D receptor requiring much greater amounts of supplementation. Lack of sunshine, decreased absorption due to inflammatory bowel, high cortisol due to stress, obesity and aging can all effect vitamin D levels.
Iodine is a major factor in thyroid health but too much of it is not recommended for patients with autoimmune thyroid. Iodine stimulates the enzyme that is under attack from Hashimoto's disease. Supplemental iodine will increase this immune response leading to further destruction.
We routinely check for these underlying causes of autoimmune thyroid leading to a decrease in immune attack on the thyroid as well as improvement in symptoms.
hashimoto s thyroiditis diet.