Updated by: Brad Shook, DC February, 9th 2023

There are a lot of supplements being marketed to help the thyroid and Hashimoto's these days, and though I use many of them personally, and recommend them in my practice, there are several potential problems.

Common problems with supplements for Hashimoto's:

1. Supplement quality varies tremendously. You don't know what's in a supplement unless the company or a third party tests it.
2. Some supplements are immune stimulatory and may flare an autoimmune condition.

I only recommend a few brands of supplements that I trust, and most of them are physician only with high quality controls that are above industry standards.

Some of the best supplements for Hashimoto's are:

• Guggul - stimulates thyroid hormone production
• Ashwagandha - can improve conversion of T4 to T3
• Coleus forskohlii - can increase thyroid hormone secretion

There are several other supplements and herbs that I use in practice, but the key thing to keep in mind is that you should only take a supplement if you have a biochemical reason to do so.

You need to get the correct testing and guidance on how to use supplements for Hashimoto's rather than start taking things that you may or may not need, and that could actually make you worse.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation gluten may be found in medications and nutritional supplements.

Though rare, gluten may be found in some medications, specifically those with the ingredient "Wheat Starch."

Supplements on the other hand are not regulated the same way that pharmaceuticals are.

Nutritional supplements have been found to contain a wild array of ingredients, even common house plants!

I never recommend buying nutritional supplements that have not been tested for purity and contaminants.

Autoimmune thyroid patients have five times the incidence rate of celiac disease as compared to the general population.

This means approximately 1 in 62 autoimmune thyroid patients have celiac disease.

Unfortunately, most doctors aren't aware of the connections between gluten and its ability to create leaky gut (intestinal permeability) and immunological reactivity against intestinal pathogens and food peptides that may mimic human tissues and result in autoimmunity.

The gluten and hashimoto's connection is so important that every thyroid patient should be screened for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity or intolerance.

Gluten antibodies have been implicated in the scientific literature to cross-react with the intestinal lining, the brain, and other glands and organs.

Another factor not considered often enough is that people with celiac disease are very likely to have problems with vitamin, mineral, nutrient, and medication absorption further contributing to difficulty carrying out basic biochemical process like thyroid hormone production, conversion, and immune regulation.

Celiac also contributes to one of the most severe forms leaky gut due to the severe damage of the intestinal lining.

Damage to the intestinal lining can result in food sensitivities that seem to continually expand and get worse with time.

Celiac disease is diagnosed with:

1. Tissue Transglutaminase Antibodies (TTG)
2. Anti-endomysial antibodies
3. Intestinal biopsy
   
   

Gluten Intolerance:
Gluten intolerance occurs when the person doesn't have TTG antibodies, but does have other types of antibodies against gluten peptides, gluten opioid peptides, or gluten lectins.

Many people with gluten sensitivities improve with gluten free diets even though they don't technically have celiac disease.

If you have Hashimoto's disease or a thyroid problem make sure to get tested for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, it could be a major limiting factor in your quality of life and future health.

If you would like to know more about the best Hashimoto's disease diet take a look at this article.