Gluten & Thyroid Disease

Celiac disease is a condition in which you have a gluten intolerance. According to thyroid-info.com, approximately 1.5 million people in the United States have celiac disease. Celiac disease also puts you at an increased risk of developing a thyroid disorder.

Statistics

According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), people with celiac disease are about four times more likely to have hypothyroidism and three times more likely to have hyperthyroidism.

Cause

According to Thyroid-info.com, celiac disease causes your body to produce interleukins, histamine, kinins, serotonin and prostaglandins. These can interfere with thyroid hormone production, thus leading to an autoimmune thyroid disorder.

Symptoms

According to the NFCA, some symptoms of celiac disease and thyroid disease are similar. They include: abnormal menstruation, excessive fatigue, depression, dry hair or skin, cold intolerance, tremors, sudden weight changes, muscle aches, vision problems, and irritability.

Thyroid Disease

Thyroid-info.com recommends that thyroid patients get tested for celiac disease if their symptoms worsen with the consumption of gluten foods, such as wheat.

Prevention/Solution

If you have controlled celiac disease but still experience symptoms of gluten intolerance, get tested for thyroid disease.