Is it true that I should stay away from gluten because I have Hashimoto?

Hello sandela,

Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is a disorder that affects your thyroid gland. The body's immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Over time, the thyroid damage can cause thyroid hormone levels to be too low, resulting in an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto's disease responds well to treatment. It is treated with a single daily tablet of levothyroxine, which is a synthetic form of T4, a thyroid hormone.

According to the website, Stop the Thyroid Madness. "...there can be a strong connection between having Hashimoto’s disease and Celiac disease. Celiac disease is a autoimmune digestive disorder that results in an overreaction to gluten, a protein found in most grains like wheat, rye, oats and barley, which can be found in breads, cereals, pasta and many processed foods. The overreaction, in turn, causes autoimmune damage to the intestines, which results in poor absorption of nutrients. (Oats, which can be gluten-free, are often contaminated within soil where gluten grains were once grown, or in the processing facility).

Gluten can also trigger the very autoimmune reactions that cause you to have Hashimoto's disease, since supposedly, the cells of your thyroid are similar to the cells of gluten, i.e. an attack on one is going to make your ripe for the attack on the other. As a result, some Hashimoto’s patients experiment with eliminating gluten from their diets, and with good results. Or, there are tests developed to help you figure out if you have Celiac disease, and the stool test is highly recommended."

I hope you find this information helpful.

Maryann