In recent years, dieticians and nutritionists specializing in hypothyroidism have cast dispersion on an enemy that Celiac patients have fought their entire lives: gluten. While most people think of cakes, breads, and cereals when they hear the word "gluten," this protein can be found in nearly every aisle at your local grocery store. Candy, chips, deli meats, flavored coffees and teas, meat substitutes, soups, and even soy sauce all commonly contain the compound. Never known to ignore an opportunity, the food industry has raced to satisfy the demand for gluten-free foods, establishing a multi-billion-dollar market in the process. While this has been an exciting development for those with Celiac disease, should people with hypothyroidism consider going gluten-free?
While there are many causes of hypothyroidism, the most likely source is a condition known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which causes gradual reduction in thyroid hormone production. Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease, which means that it involves your immune system mistakenly classifying normal cells as foreign invaders, as it would viruses or bacteria. As a result, the body mobilizes an immune response to attack the healthy tissue, in the case of Hashimoto's, the thyroid. Unfortunately, when your immune system begins to fight your own anatomy, it often does not settle on just one target. Being diagnosed with one autoimmune disease significantly increases your risk of developing another autoimmune disease, whether at the same time or later in life.
Since Hashimoto's and Celiac disease are both autoimmune in nature, the two conditions often come hand in hand. One 2007 study found that individuals with Celiac disease were 3 times more likely to have hypothyroidism than the control subjects. For this reason, if you struggle with an underactive thyroid, you may have Celiac disease and may not know it, which would make gluten-containing foods a major contributing factor to your overall symptoms. A visit to your doctor is necessary to rule out this possibility.
But even for those without Celiac disease, some health experts tout the benefits of a gluten-free diet for hypothyroidism. They point to a newly recognized phenomenon known as NCGS, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, in which otherwise healthy individuals seem to experience neuroinflammation and gut dysbiosis when consuming gluten-containing foods. However, a new study suggests that gluten may not be the culprit behind the gastrointestinal issues these individuals experience. Rather, sensitivity to FODMAPs, carbohydrates contained in wheat and some fruits and vegetables, may be the source of digestive symptoms associated with gluten intolerance. On the other hand, critics say these findings only account for the gastrointestinal issues caused by NCGS and do not explain the concurrent neurological issues.
For this reason, the best course of action might be to experiment with slowly cutting certain types of foods out of your diet to see if your low thyroid symptoms improve. Perhaps begin by cutting out FODMAPs, especially fructans. If your symptoms do not improve, consider trying a gluten-free diet.
