Diet and Hashimoto’s
Diet plays a crucial role in managing many diseases. But is it important in the case of Hashimoto’s disease? What are the facts and myths related to diet therapy in this autoimmune thyroid condition?
What is Hashimoto’s disease?
Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune thyroid disorder in which the immune system attacks its own organ, leading to chronic inflammation. For an autoimmune disease to develop, three conditions must be met: genetic predisposition, exposure to a triggering factor, and intestinal permeability, which leads to a disturbance in immune system self-regulation.
Diet therapy for Hashimoto’s disease – Facts and myths
Gluten
MYTH: All people with Hashimoto’s should eliminate gluten from their diet.
FACT: People with Hashimoto’s should be tested for celiac disease or gluten intolerance. If gluten sensitivity is present, then eliminating gluten from the diet is recommended.
Intestinal permeability – one of the three factors that trigger the autoimmune reaction – can be caused by gluten, but this is not a rule. In people without gluten sensitivity, excluding gluten from the diet will not bring the expected results. Moreover, it may contribute to nutrient deficiencies due to a less varied diet.
Dairy
MYTH: All people with Hashimoto’s should eliminate dairy from their diet.
FACT: If lactose intolerance or sensitivity to cow’s milk proteins (such as casein or whey proteins) coexists with Hashimoto’s, dairy should be excluded from the diet. Otherwise, this is not recommended.
As with gluten, eliminating dairy from the diet is only recommended for those who have lactose intolerance or sensitivity to cow’s milk proteins. These components can cause intestinal permeability, which is one of the conditions for the development of an autoimmune disease. Unjustified exclusion of dairy from the diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies in the body.
Soy
MYTH: Soy negatively affects thyroid function.
FACT: Soy can negatively affect thyroid function in people with thyroid disorders.
Studies show that consuming soy does not negatively affect thyroid function in healthy people. Soy intake should be controlled by those at risk of iodine deficiency (e.g., vegans, people limiting salt in their diet), those taking levothyroxine (known by the drug names Letrox or Euthyrox), as well as individuals with borderline thyroid hormone and TSH levels. There should be a 4-hour gap between taking levothyroxine and consuming soy.
Goitrogens
MYTH: People with Hashimoto’s should completely eliminate cruciferous vegetables from their diet.
FACT: People with Hashimoto’s should limit their intake of cruciferous vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower contain goitrogens, substances that interfere with iodine metabolism in the body. However, they are also a source of compounds with anticancer properties, which have very beneficial effects on health. For this reason, people with Hashimoto’s are not advised to completely exclude them from their diet, but it is recommended to limit their intake to three times a week.
Iodine
MYTH: People with Hashimoto’s should supplement iodine.
FACT: Iodine supplementation is not recommended in Hashimoto’s disease.
Although iodine is an essential element for the proper functioning of the thyroid, its intake in the diet of people with Hashimoto’s should be controlled. The thyroid in Hashimoto’s disease is not able to utilize iodine properly, which may intensify the autoimmune response of the body and increase the inflammation of the thyroid.
Supplementation in Hashimoto’s Disease
Selenium
The highest concentration of selenium in the body is found in the thyroid, as it is part of the active center of selenoproteins, enzymes involved in thyroid hormone metabolism. Its deficiency may exacerbate the autoimmune reaction and increase inflammation in the thyroid.
An adult’s daily selenium requirement is 55 mcg.
Sources of selenium: fish (especially halibut and cod), shellfish, legumes, garlic, and mushrooms, with Brazil nuts being the richest source of selenium.
Myo-Inositol
There is increasing research confirming the greater effectiveness of supplementation with myo-inositol combined with selenium than selenium alone in treating people with Hashimoto’s disease.
One study involved 168 people, who were divided into two groups. The first group took 183 µg of selenium in pills, while the second group took pills containing 600 mg of myo-inositol and 83 μg of selenium. This study confirms that treatment with myo-inositol combined with selenium effectively reduces TSH levels and antibodies in Hashimoto’s and also improves the patients’ well-being.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supplementation is essential in our climate zone for most of the population. It plays a number of extremely important roles in the body, including supporting the immune system, which is crucial in treating Hashimoto’s.
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fat. Omega-3 supplementation (EPA and DHA) may reduce inflammation and play an important role in treating various autoimmune diseases.
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Bibliography
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