Gluten, a protein found predominantly in wheat, rye and barley, has been found to cause digestive and immune problems for a number of people who are unable to properly digest this protein. A spectrum of symptoms may result from gluten sensitivity, including an immune response in which thyroid function becomes impaired, leading to low thyroid activity, known as hypothyroidism. A gluten-free diet may resolve hypothyroid symptoms in some people.
Common Causes
Gluten intolerance has been linked to hypothyroidism, in some people, explains Mary Shomon, in her book, "Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You ... That You Need to Know." Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the intestines, is triggered by gluten in people with a genetic predisposition. Celiac disease, in turn, can trigger a thyroid disorder resulting in low thyroid function. If your hypothyroidism is related to gluten sensitivity a gluten-free diet may completely reverse your hypothyroid symptoms.
Genetic Component
Between two and five percent of people with autoimmune thyroid disorders also have celiac disease, possibly due to similar genes for the two conditions, offers registered dietitian Clara Schneider, M.S., R.D., R.N., C.D.E, L.D.N., in her book, "The Everything Thyroid Diet Book: Manage Your Metabolism and Control Your Weight." If you are being treated for hypothyroidism, as a precaution, when considering a gluten-free diet, it might become necessary to reduce your thyroid medication. Consult your doctor about using a gluten-free diet and have your thyroid hormone levels checked to avoid adverse effects.
Nutrient Absorption
A gluten-free diet may improve your body's ability to absorb nutrients from food, thus increasing your vitamin, mineral and calorie intake. As a result, you may find yourself feeling better and also gaining weight. If weight gain is undesirable for you consult your doctor or dietitian to adjust your diet (ref. 2). Avoiding gluten is not a cure for autoimmune hypothyroidism, states chiropractor Datis Kharrazian, D.Hsc., D.C., M.S., author of the book, "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal?" Avoiding gluten merely brings the immune system under control and keeps it from prompting an attack on the thyroid gland.
Various Health Conditions
Celiac disease is associated with a variety of autoimmune conditions, including Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune form of hypothyroidism, writes Elizabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of the television show "The View," in her book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide." Though gluten intolerance is most commonly associated with thyroid disorders, it has also been linked to type 1 diabetes, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, attention deficit disorder and Addison's disease -- a condition that affects the adrenal glands. Hasselbeck describes being diagnosed with a mild thyroid disorder in her mid-twenties and writes that a gluten-free diet may ensure protection against much or all of the hypothyroid and other assorted health problems associated with gluten consumption in sensitive individuals.
References
- "Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You ... That ..."; Mary J. Shomon; 2005
- "The Everything Thyroid Diet Book: Manage Your Metabolism and Control Your Weight"; Kelly Frick; 2011
- "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Tests Are Normal: A ..."; Datis Kharrazian; 2009
- "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide"; Elisabeth Hasselbeck; 2009
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