[Bobbi July 21, 2011 at 3:25 pm Post count: 1324]

#1061143

The reason that it doesn’t appear here is probably largely due to the fact that there are no studies which indicate the going gluten free makes any difference in thyroid diseases like Graves. We try to deal with what is proven and known, not what is speculative.

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator July 21, 2011 at 3:34 pm Post count: 4294]

#1061144

Hello – I actually went gluten/dairy/egg free for about 9 months after diagnosis, as I had a naturopath who believed that there was a connection between food sensitivities and autoimmune diseases. I found it to be a very high maintenance diet, and I don’t think it made a difference in the course of my Graves’.

However, I have heard success stories from other patients who have made dietary modifications. So for anyone who is considering this type of food plan, I would say (1) check with your doctor to make sure you aren’t missing out on any vital nutrients and (2) monitor whether you are seeing any improvements in how you FEEL as well as what your labs say. If you aren’t seeing any results, it’s certainly reasonable to question whether the high-maintenance lifestyle is worth it!

[erica July 21, 2011 at 4:07 pm Post count: 38]

#1017825

Hello! I didn’t see any info on this site about the benifits of a gluten free diet to the thyroid. I have graves and hashimotos, so I have been doing a lot of reading about the thyroid lately. I have read articles from the journal of american medical association and have been talking to different endos about this, however have not been able to find any info on this site relating to it. Could someone please direct me? From everything I have read maintaining a gluten free diet for 3 to 6 months lowers thyroid antibodies. Some of the older endos I have visited were more interested in helping symptoms but not fixing the cause of high antibodies. It seems more of the younger endos have a different approach, a broader view, wanting to get at the root of the problem. I am not saying that is the "only" problem, but from what I have been hearing it is a huge help. I am on my cell at the moment, but will add citations with links later today or tomorrow when I am on the computer. Didn’t want to wait to post this question because I know some only check it once a week.

Also, has anyone been on the gluten free diet? Was it helpful to you in lowering antibodies? Celiac disease is much more common with those that have thyroid diseases, so I am curious if anyone has been told they have both. I have read many endos don’t think to even test for that because the symtoms are just thought to be from their thyroid disease ( especially graves) if one already has that, as the symptoms are similar.

Thanks for your time and feedback,

Erica

[erica July 21, 2011 at 5:09 pm Post count: 38]

#1061145

@Bobbi,

If you are looking at scholarly medical journals, you will have no problem finding accurate information proving otherwise. It has been known for some time that those with Graves (and other autoimmune diseases, such as Hashimotos) have an increased rate of having Celiac/Coeliac Disease (both spellings are recognized, which is an intolerance to gluten, commonly referred as CD) There are plenty of scholarly articles out there to find this information, it is not at all new. If you are having a hard time finding accurate sound medical data via the net, you can use Google Scholar instead of Google and it can make it easier to view articles or better yet go to a medical library, it is much easier and a medical librarian can help you.

An article called, “Celiac Disease-Associated Autoimmune Endocrinopathies” done by the American Society for Microbiology in 2001, explains that there are “silent” cases of Celiac, meaning people don’t realize they have it. Not knowing one has it can predispose them to a thyroid disease, as explained here:

“It is believed that CD may predispose an individual to other autoimmune disorders such as type I diabetes, autoimmune thyroid, and other endocrine diseases and that gluten may be a possible trigger.”

Here is the link : http://cvi.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/8/4/678

Chances are you are familiar with the Mayo Clinc, Both Doctors, Susan H. Barton MD and Joseph A. Murray MD, from the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, published an article called “Celiac Disease and Autoimmunity in the Gut and Elsewhere” back in 2008.

“A recent review of thyroid disease studies revealed a high prevalence of celiac disease among
patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, and pediatric
autoimmune thyroid disease ranging from 2% to 7.8% (average, 4.1%)"

The journal of Clinical Endocrinology, has an article called, “Prospective screening for coeliac disease in patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism using anti-gliadin and tissue transglutaminase antibodies” was written in 2005. It is from the Endocrine Reviews published by the Endocrine Society:

“The prevalence of CD in patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism was 4•5% as compared with 0•9% in matched healthy controls. Routine screening for CD should be considered.”

Here is the link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 … 214.x/full

I hope you are able to use the links, if not please let me know.
Erica

p.s. my endo just ordered a panel to test for CD and was very aware of its occurrence among individuals with Graves and Hashimotos, I am rather surprised you had not heard of this.

[Victor July 21, 2011 at 8:12 pm Post count: 6]

#1061146

Hi Erica,
I actually discovered I was gluten intolerant shortly before I was diagnosed with Grave’s. I went on a gluten free diet and yes it does help but it was very difficult to keep the diet and eventually my Grave’s got worse and I went off the diet. I believe my celiac was cause by the Grave’s however, because I had never had problem’s with wheat products until I started developing symptoms of Grave’s. They are linked though, and for anybody with Grave’s, lord knows there’s nothing lost by trying. Another thing I had noticed was that I was potassium and Magnesium deficient, so I started taking those like a year before I was diagnosed with Grave’s, and that helped also. I also realized that carnitine seemed to help. Have you read any articles regarding potassium, magnesium and copper deficiencies and their link to Grave’s? I had RAI and recently and it seems that supplementing with Magnesium and copper seems to help me.

[paleblue July 22, 2011 at 8:30 am Post count: 18]

#1061147

I have been gluten free since January 20, 2011 on the recommendation of my endo. It’s a hard diet to maintain, although it gets easier with time. My antibody levels, both TRAB and TSI (and all other levels related to the thyroid–tsh, t4, t3) are now normal (though not 0)–but I’m still taking 1/4 a pill of methimazole every other day. I usually spike in the winter, so we will see what happens this year. I actually spiked my first month of gluten free, but it takes 3-6 months of a 100% gluten free diet for the improvements to start to take effect. My doctor has several patients (she says) who are gluten free. She said their numbers have improved–but it’s a gradual –bit by bit–process. The same was true for me. She also has a woman who went through RAI and had horrible eye problems, and those have been helped (I don’t know if the eye issues have been corrected–can’t remember if she said corrected or improved greatly.) with the gluten free diet. She tells me that several doctors in this small city have spouses with celiac, and so there is a lot of cutting edge info here. There is also one guy on the internet who wrote the book for people with Hashis with a title that’s something like–my thyroid levels are normal, why do I feel so bad–something like that. He claims that it should be malpractice for any doctor to allow anyone w/ an autoimmune issue to eat gluten.

What do I think? Well, I’m a skeptic–and like I said, when my antibody levels hold through winter, and for the long term, I’ll be more of a believer. I always have normal antibodies and levels in the summer, but in January, things change. Also, I get really mad some days that I can’t just have a sandwich (although I recently discovered that the $6.00 gluten free bread is good toasted) or a bagel, etc. I made lots of homemade whole wheat bread in the past.

Also, I found no stories (personal) online that said that someone had gone gluten free and gone into remission. I thought this was odd b/c there are some academic articles relating the two on pub med–and more than one say that antibody levels go down w/ a gf diet.

Hope this helps! I am of the mindset that it’s worth a try. It’s not that hard once you get used to it–but there are moments I really miss diet coke and wheat thins–and now I am not supposed to have diet coke and wheat–I miss free living. Still–if this can go into some sort of remission, I think it’s totally worth it most days. Sorry for the typos–I have a little one at my feet, and I need to go –so no rereading here! Good luck with whatever you decide!

[paleblue July 22, 2011 at 8:38 am Post count: 18]

#1061148

One more thing–I found out that actually going gluten free can be a stresser on the body and mind, and that can cause the thyroid levels to spike–so some recommend beginning slowly–although the effects are not supposed to happen until you’ve been gf 100% for 3-6 months. It’s all about patience I guess (ugh!).

[Bobbi July 22, 2011 at 10:23 am Post count: 1324]

#1061149

Scientific knowledge begins with speculation: could it be that…….? This is followed by testing which is designed to eliminate all possible variables to allow the "could it be that?" to have a dominant role. Having speculation and the begining of testing does not mean that something IS real, only that people are wondering whether it might be real.

In the quotes used, the terminology is speculative. "It is believed that…" is not the same thing in meaning as "It is known that….." That’s the first thing.

I would submit my own sentence — equally true…. or not — "It is believed that Graves disease may predispose an individual to other autoimmune disorders such as as type I diabetes, celiac disease and RA." It has actually been shown statistically that people who develop one type of autoimmune problem (no matter which one) are indeed slightly more predisposed to developing a second one.

Celiac disease is very specific, with specific diagnostic tests required. It definitely has been proven that when someone does have celiac disease, going gluten free is essential. Whether going gluten free will help an individual with thyroid disease is still unproven.

There have been tens of thousands of Graves disease patients who have gotten well again without giving up gluten. So far, giving up gluten has not been shown to make any Graves disease patient well again.

[erica July 22, 2011 at 11:43 am Post count: 38]

#1061150

@ paleblue,

Actually it is not unusual for you to spike in winter, you are most likely taking in less vitamin D at that time due to less sun exposure. This winter have your endo test your levels. Thank you for your information and response ” title=”Smile” />

Lately I have been studying the biochemistry of thyroid disease, due to being fed up with a long history of thyroid disease I am really ready to fully understand what is happening and why. It is very enlightening to say the least. Many endocrinologists focus on the entire endocrine system, have many diabetes patients, and don’t entirely focus on thyroid disease. I suggest to anyone with a thyroid disease to get an endo that focuses specifically on that and one who is staying current on medical studies that are published all over the world.

Sorry to hear the gluten free diet is a hard one for some people. I steer clear from any soda, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oils, or yucky chemicals (they are just bad for you period). I cook, so I don’t see anything one has to miss being gluten free, there is gluten free flour, so go make some bread, cakes, and cookies ” title=”Smile” />

There are so many kinds of soda pop, you don’t have to give it up, wheat thins however can’t help ya there, but you are better off without them because they have hydrogenated veg. oils, those are not healthy. One thing I have to admit I shall miss is ordering pizza from my local spot, but hey, gluten free dough here I come!

The American diet has way more gluten in it than eating styles from other countries. This could be a factor in why our country has more Celiac cases and autoimmune diseases. "Silent" Celiac makes it hard to know just how many people actually have it, however the U.S. Department of Health and Services estimates the numbers to be :
“More than 2 million people in the United States have the disease, or about 1 in 133 people. Among people who have a first-degree relative—a parent, sibling, or child—diagnosed with celiac disease, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.”
Link : http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddisease … ac/#common

The human body has been around for about 2 million years, however it is only in the last 20,000 or so years that we have eaten gluten (wheat and barley), so not everybody has adapted to this. Dairy has only been eaten for about 9,000 years. I love cheese and ice cream, however, cow’s milk is made for calves, not humans, because of this not everyone can tolerate it well. What we do or not take in our bodies is vastly overlooked.

After research I have found that endos should be working alongside gastroenterologists when it comes to the thyroid. It is very interesting how zinc, iron, selenium, vitamin D, and iodide (turned into iodine by the thyroid) work on thyroid function.

[erica July 22, 2011 at 12:20 pm Post count: 38]

#1061151

@ Victor,

I advise checking with your doctor before taking any supplements by yourself. You MUST do this if you are on any medication. It is also good to double check with the pharmacist, as they are trained in adverse reactions and drug interactions.

From all the medical articles I have read lately, I would say you most likely had CD before Graves. Lots of those with CD do NOT have symptoms; they have what is called silent Celiac and untreated Celiac affects the thyroid.

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center says, “Celiac Disease presents with as many as 300 different symptoms, many of them subtle and seemingly unrelated. Yet a significant percentage of people with Celiac Disease have no symptoms at all. People without symptoms are at the same risk for the complications associated with Celiac Disease.”
Link : http://www.celiacdisease.net/symptoms.

As for your deficiency, they are important to discuss the effects with your endo. I would guess by what you said they are aware of the importance because they tested you for the deficiency. I do know that a magnesium deficiency can cause a rapid heart rate and a potassium deficiency is very common when a magnesium deficiency is present. Low potassium in the diet contributes to muscle spasms and twitches and other problems you don’t want; potassium affects quite a lot in the body. Check out info online, however be careful that the site is not trying to sell anything-I try to sick with work published by reputable hospitals, known medical universities, and governmental sites.

[Harpy April 26, 2012 at 5:26 am Post count: 184]

#1061152

As this is a topic I have started looking into again more recently, just thought I’d bring this discussion back to the surface. I did see most of those studies the other day in my searches before I ran a search on the forum.

Even though my partner did not go fully Gluten free, the program she followed was based on a low allergenic diet principle, similar to a Paleo style diet, so it was reduced Gluten & Dairy and less processed foods, she also had a couple of dietary enzymes she was taking as we believed firmly from our research that there was a high likelihood that poor gut function was a significant contributer to her expression of GD.

As I understand it the conventional wisdom regarding GD diagnosis is that one day you wake up and suddenly your body/brain has a spasm and decides time to produce antibodies, you see the specialist and ask what caused it, answer, we don’t know, you do some research and ask is it diet or lifestyle, answer definately not, it’s genetic some people just get it.

How can you say in one breath we have no idea, then categoricaly rule out a potential factor?

The other side of the coin, Alternative/Complimentary medicines say your body has been under stress (Diet, Lifestyle etc.) for a long time, you need to change some factors in your life, you may be able to heal yourself, but it will take a long time as well.

Definately do take medications to control the thyroid response, or Surgery or RAI if required, but if you are not prepared to change other things to support your body, what is the expected outcome.

Like the obese heart patient, telling the doctor to hurry up with his warfrin script, I’m running late for the all you can eat “Burger Bash”, outcome is predictable.

I see all this smoke puffing around the dietary/gut/gluten issue repeatadly, yet all I hear repeated again and again is the “smartest guys in the room” tell us there is no proven connection, well the smartest guys in the room also brought you, Dioxin, DDT, Thalidamide, MSG etc. all these things were completely acceptable at one time to use “safely” and more recently the other category of “smartest guys” brought us the GFC, their response to that one was, “who could have known the entire global financial system would crash?”

So rather than the std old line, what I would like to see is the “smartest guys in the room” to do a proper long term study to show categorically that there is absolutely no connection between Gluten intake & Thyroid disease.
Not too much to ask is it?
Simple 100 Thyroid patients, still take meds, go gluten free healthy diet for 5 years and their progress monitored, end of 5 years all healed/none healed/50% healed whatever, or is funding for preventative measures that don’t have ongoing drug sales unavailable?

Sorry bout the rant, but it does rile me sometimes.

[Darcy43 April 26, 2012 at 9:49 am Post count: 125]

#1061153

I think going gluten free would not hurt. Everyone is different but I would rather try something that may help and not hurt than to just sit back and leave everything into my physician’s hand while a lot of the times, they are guessing and testing on us to see if this works, ok, it doesn’t, lower the dosage, ok, increase the dosage, and so on and so on. I would never do anything intentionally to place myself in harm’s way but I have to try. I will continue to take it one step at a time, but I am also going to continue to research and use my meds, as well as alternative methods.

We shall see. Congrats to those who are getting better and who are having success with or without changes in lifestyles, etc.

This disease is a bear.

[baileyslp April 26, 2012 at 9:46 pm Post count: 2]

#1061154

Hi Erica,
I wanted to direct you to Dr K’s website. Dr K mainly works with Hashimotos, but has had good success in treating his patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. One of the key components to his treatments are having his patients follow a 100% gluten free diet. I have GD, Hashimotos, and am very sensitive to gluten (although not celiac). I went GF prior to my diagnosis and have maintained the diet without too much struggle (although it can take a while to get used to and some time to adjust/learn what you can and cannot eat). I went into remission about 4-5 months after being diagnosed and continued to be in remission until I accidently consumed gluten. Although I can not say with 100% certainty that the gluten caused my flair up (although I am 99% sure, as is my doctor), it did cause me to become very sick and inflamed, and the return of my hyper symptoms occurred shortly after I consumed the gluten. I do not think a GF diet will benefit everyone, but I think it can really help some out there. Anyway, maybe Dr K’s website (he also has a book) can help you with your gluten questions. Best of luck and take care,
Bailey

[Harpy April 27, 2012 at 1:34 am Post count: 184]

#1061155

baileyslp wrote:

Hi Erica,
I do not think a GF diet will benefit everyone, but I think it can really help some out there.
Bailey

Well said,
I have been scouting around a number of different autoimmune diseases, and what I have found is that all the official organisations, hold the same line that there is no evidence to say that diet or lifestyle changes can affest the course of the disease and many default to say the general healthy diet reccomendations of the WHO or some other.
But when I look deeper, I find books, personal blogs, forum discussions that all seem to have a common factor, diet and lifestyle changes helped me through my autoimmune disorder, some cured, some much improved quality of life.
Not a fix for everyone, but certainly worthy of further investigation.

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator April 27, 2012 at 9:05 am Post count: 4294]

#1061156

Hi all – Sorry, I removed the link that was posted above. We ask that links posted here come from peer-reviewed medical journals and credible professional associations.

I don’t have any knowledge of the above referenced doctor, and he might be extremely well-versed in thyroid issues. However, there has been a recent trend of chiropractors practicing so-called “functional endocrinology”, without being board certified as endocrinologists. This gentleman was probably the worst of the bunch:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/29475329/detail.html

This individual actually had a business where he counselled other chiropractors as to how to make money by luring in thyroid patients!

Again, no personal comment on the specific doctor above. There are bad apples as well as great docs in any type of medical specialty.

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