The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate your metabolism. The substances help to transform food into energy, maintain your heart rate at a healthy pace and control how fast your body burns calories. The gland. located in the neck, is susceptible to a disease commonly known as Hashimoto’s, which impairs the production of thyroid hormones. If you need to take a synthetic hormone to make up for the gland’s deficiency, you should be careful about calcium supplements.
About Hashimoto’s Disease
In medical terms, Hashimoto’s disease is known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroiditis. The condition occurs when your immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissue of the thyroid gland. The strike results in chronic inflammation and it impairs thyroid function, reducing hormone production.
Hashimoto’s Disease Treatment
Your doctor does not treat you for Hashimoto’s disease, strictly speaking, as the condition has no cure. She cares for the resulting thyroid dysfunction by prescribing a synthetic hormone. The thyroid medicine normalizes your metabolism, but you need to be mindful of interactions. Foods and supplements you buy over the counter that are normally harmless can inhibit drug absorption. Calcium is one such product that can render the synthetic hormone powerless. High-fiber and soy foods as well as iron supplements have the same effect.
Getting Around the Problem
If you use a calcium supplement, MayoClinic.com recommends that you take it four hours before or after your dose of thyroid hormone. Before adopting a new medication schedule, however, verify with your doctor that she wants you to supplement with calcium. Always follow your physician's directions regarding dosage.
Avoiding Risks
Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, can progress to coma and death. Those outcomes are rare and result from very low levels of thyroid hormone. Since they are potential complications of Hashimoto’s disease, take precautions to prevent them. Follow your doctor’s dietary recommendations and do not add over-the-counter products to your menu without discussing the possible effects they may have on the thyroid drug.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org: Hashimoto’s Disease
- National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Services: Hashimoto’s Disease
- MayoClinic.com; Hypothyroidism: Can Calcium Supplements Interfere with Treatment?; Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.; Oct. 17, 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Hypothyroidism; Deborah Wexler, M.D., et al.; April 29, 2009
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