What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Veröffentlicht am: October 08, 2024
Dr. med. Wolfgang Bachmann
Dr. med. Wolfgang Bachmann

General practitioner

This article presents the most important natural methods for treating Hashimoto's syndrome. First, we will look at the causes of Hashimoto's, followed by the most common signs and symptoms of the disease. We will then suggest a healing diet plan for Hashimoto's disease and hypothyroidism, provide you with useful supplements and information, and explain other natural treatments for the symptoms of the diseases.

Contents

What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Hashimoto's syndrome?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis, also known as Hashimoto's syndrome, is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system produces antibodies that attack the body's healthy tissue, negatively affecting the functions of the thyroid gland. An alarming fact is that around 90% of all cases of hypothyroidism are due to Hashimoto's syndrome! In most cases, hypothyroidism is not just a problem with the thyroid gland itself, but a condition that results from an overreaction of the entire immune system.

The most important hormones produced by the thyroid gland are called T4 and T3. The production of these hormones depends on the brain's "control center", the hypothalamus, where the exact amount of thyroid hormone needed in the bloodstream is calculated and, if there is a deficiency of the hormone, an underactive state is signaled to the pituitary gland to release more. Thyroid hormone is normally released by the pituitary gland in response to the change in thyroid hormone balance in the bloodstream, but in Hashimoto's syndrome or hypothyroidism, this system fails. Either too little T4 is converted into T3, or the hypothalamus does not signal the deficiency correctly to the pituitary gland, or the pituitary gland does not release enough thyroid hormone in response to the signal.

Symptoms of Hashimoto's disease

Some of the most common warning signs and symptoms of Hashimoto's disease are:

  • Tiredness
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Weight gain
  • Infertility
  • Hypersensitivity to cold
  • Digestive problems such as constipation and flatulence
  • Muscle pain and tension
  • swollen face, eyes and stomach
  • Stiffness and swollen joints
  • Hair loss, changes in hair texture or thinning of body hair
  • rough, cracked skin
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Frequent urination and excessive thirst
  • Loss of libido or sexual dysfunction
  • Changes in the menstrual cycle, including missing or irregular periods and problems with infertility
  • Frequent colds, infections or other illnesses due to a weakened immune system

Apart from the noticeable and visible symptoms of Hashimoto's syndrome or hypothyroidism, these disorders also increase the risk of long-term health complications.

Studies show that people whose thyroid and autoimmune diseases go untreated develop other health problems, including:

  • Infertility, ovarian failure, pregnancy / birth complications and birth defects
  • Thyroid goitre: caused by an enlarged thyroid gland and the resulting impairment of normal breathing and swallowing
  • Addison's disease or Graves' disease (other thyroid diseases)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High cholesterol levels and increased risk of heart disease 
  • Mental disorders, including depression
  • Brain and kidney problems
  • neurological damage
  • severe infections

Causes of Hashimoto's syndrome

Research has shown that the development of autoimmune diseases depends on many factors. Genetic predisposition, diet, environmental influences, stress, hormone levels and immunological factors are just a few pieces of the puzzle.

What most doctors don't tell you is that the main causes of Hashimoto's disease (and therefore hypothyroidism) are as follows:

  • Symptoms of an autoimmune disease: These can attack tissues throughout the body, including the thyroid gland
  • Leaky gut syndrome (permeable bowel) and other digestive function problems
  • Common allergens, such as gluten and dairy products
  • other commonly consumed foods that cause irritation and intolerance, including cereals and many food additives
  • emotional stress
  • Nutrient deficiencies

Some risk factors increase the likelihood of Hashimoto's syndrome.

These include:

  • Gender: In comparison, many more women than men suffer from Hashimoto's for reasons that scientists do not yet agree on. One possible reason why women may be more susceptible is because they are more affected by stress/anxiety, which has a very strong effect on the female hormone balance. According to an article in the New York Times, ten times more women suffer from thyroid disorders than men.
  • Age: The majority of patients with Hashimoto's syndrome are between 20-60 years old. People over the age of 50 are at the greatest risk and researchers believe the risk increases with age. Many women over the age of 60 suffer from hypothyroidism to some degree (up to 20% or more according to estimates), but it is rarely diagnosed in these women as the symptoms are very similar to those of menopause.
  • Autoimmune diseases in the family: If a family member has already had Hashimoto's syndrome or hypothyroidism or has a history of autoimmune diseases, the likelihood of Hashimoto's disease is very high. 
  • Traumatic experiences or a lot of stress: Stress causes hormonal imbalances such as adrenal insufficiency and changes in the hormone conversion from T4 to T3 and weakens the body's immune defenses.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Pregnancy affects thyroid hormones in several ways, and it is possible for some women to develop antibodies against their own thyroid gland during or after pregnancy (postpartum autoimmune disease).
  • Cigarettes 
  • A (former) eating disorder or sports addiction: Both malnutrition and excessive exercise reduce thyroid function and cause a hormonal imbalance.

Hashimoto's syndrome in connection with leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune diseases

If you suffer from thyroid disease, a significant part of its development was probably linked to your gut. Autoimmune diseases are often caused by a "leaky gut syndrome". Hippocrates' famous statement "Every disease begins in the gut" is confirmed by many scientific studies. If you want to treat the thyroid, you must first treat leaky gut syndrome! As you will learn below, the treatment primarily involves a change in diet, certain dietary supplements, stress reduction and detoxification of the body. With a leaky gut, the holes in the intestinal walls become larger and small particles such as gluten pass through these openings and enter the bloodstream. This is why many people with thyroid problems notice an immediate improvement as soon as they change their diet: The thyroid functions better and the symptoms of the condition are reduced.

The treatments are described in more detail in the following sections - for now, the first thing that needs to be changed in the diet is to avoid anything that can cause inflammation in the gut or antibodies in the body.

How is Hashimoto's syndrome diagnosed and treated?

The diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease is based on all recognizable signs and symptoms and the results of a blood test. Most commonly, doctors use a TSH test to identify Hashimoto's syndrome or hypothyroidism because it detects the levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). There is some current controversy about what levels are considered normal and abnormal. Also, blood tests during the early stages of thyroid disease do not indicate that anything is wrong because the levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) may appear normal.

Conventional approaches to treating autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's syndrome, usually consist of "watch and wait" and medications such as the synthetic thyroid hormone called levothyroxine (brand names Levoxyl, Synthroid, etc.). In advanced disease, sometimes even surgery is required.
Unfortunately, these treatments do not solve the underlying problems that cause these autoimmune reactions in the first place. Medications often do not provide a cure for all symptoms and if you choose to use such thyroid medications as synthetic hormones or steroids, you run the high risk of needing them for the rest of your life. Some patients can significantly improve their symptoms with thyroid medication because the synthetic hormones duplicate the body's own hormones and have the same effect. But this still doesn't solve the problem of the immune system attacking itself.

Natural remedies and therapies for Hashimoto's syndrome

The following changes to your diet and lifestyle are recommended for effective treatment of Hashimoto's disease:

  • Avoid foods that weaken the immune system: gluten, incompatible foods, etc.
  • Consumption of foods that are gentle on the gut
  • Dietary supplement with beneficial nutrients, herbs and probiotics
  • Supporting the body in its detoxification process
  • Avoidance and better management of stress in the long term

1. remove immunocompromising foods from your diet if you have Hashimoto's

Give your body some rest and relaxation and take it easy on the gut for a while to stabilize the immune system and thyroid functions again. These are the most important steps in treating Hashimoto's disease by changing your diet:

  • Eliminating gluten for Hashimoto's

If you suffer from hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's disease, it's best to start with a gluten-free diet right away. You will probably find this change very difficult and overwhelming at first, but it is really important. In the first 90 days of your transition, you should not only avoid gluten, but also all cereal products. After this time, you should at least avoid gluten in the long term.

  • Consider a completely grain-free diet for Hashimoto's

Gluten is one of the biggest causes of allergies and autoimmune diseases, but not the only one. There are many other foods that act like gluten on your body and could lead to gut inflammation. Pasteurized/homogenized dairy products and regular, unsprouted grains are two of these types of foods. In centuries past, dairy products were commonly eaten raw and the grains of the time were easier to digest and provided more absorbable nutrients because they were soaked, sprouted and fermented. Today, this practice has mostly been lost and refined or bleached flours are consumed in higher quantities than ever before.

  • Avoid fast food and too much sugar if you have Hashimoto's

Excessive sugar consumption can undoubtedly cause inflammation of the gut and fluctuations in blood sugar levels, weight gain, nervousness and other negative symptoms. Fast food and convenience foods prepared with refined oils (including vegetable oils from safflower, sunflower, canola and corn) are also inflammatory and very low in nutrients.

2. if you have Hashimoto's, change your diet to foods that are gentle on the gut

The best treatment for Hashimoto's syndrome or hypothyroidism is to change your diet to include more vegetables, fruit and nutrient-rich foods, such as bone broth and organic meat.
These are the foods that are easiest for your body to digest and are least likely to cause allergic or autoimmune reactions.
Basically, nutritional therapy for Hashimoto's syndrome is very similar to the GAPS diet. This is an old form of nutrition consisting of lots of vegetables, fruit and organic meat and has proven to be very effective for many patients with autoimmune diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases. Foods high in animal fats, such as bone broth, have a very healing effect on the stomach, as do probiotic, fermented dairy products (yoghurt and kefir).

The following foods are essential for the nutritional therapy of hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's):

  • Fresh vegetables and fruit: They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fiber aids digestion, improves heart health, balances blood sugar levels and regulates body weight. Antioxidants and other nutrients fight inflammation and prevent deficiencies.
  • Wild-caught fish provides anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids EPA/DHA. These fatty acids are essential for hormone balance and thyroid function.
  • Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids in the form of caprylic acid, lauric acid and capric acid. They support a healthy metabolism, increase energy, nourish the intestines and combat fatigue.
  • Algae: Natural sources of iodine. Iodine prevents deficiencies that could impair thyroid function.
  • Probiotic foods: These include kefir, organic goat's milk, yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, natto, sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables. Probiotics promote the repopulation of the gut with beneficial bacteria and thus support the healing of the gut and the immune system.
  • Sprouted seeds and beans/legumes: Flax, hemp and chia seeds contain ALA, a hormone-balancing omega-3 fatty acid, while beans and legumes are high in fiber and certain minerals.
  • Bone broth heals the intestinal mucosa as it is rich in collagen, amino acids L-proline and L-glycine and nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and silicon.

3. nutritional supplementation for Hashimoto's

The third step to healing your thyroid disease is to take certain nutrients and supplements. They reduce autoimmune reactions, help the body to cope better with stress and regulate the activities of the immune system. These include: Selenium, iodine, probiotics, vitamin D, ashwagandha and other adaptogens.

Selenium benefits the thyroid gland because it regulates the hormones T3 and T4 in the body and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Iodine is required by the thyroid gland for hormone production. Selenium can also reduce the risk of thyroid inflammation during and after pregnancy (postpartum thyroiditis). A diet low in iodine and selenium increases the risk of thyroid disease, as the thyroid gland needs both selenium and iodine to produce sufficient thyroid hormones. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that a 40% reduction in thyroid antibodies was achieved in patients whose selenium deficiency was corrected by supplementation. In comparison, there was a 10% increase in antibodies in the placebo group.

Probiotics help to boost overall health and the immune system by balancing the microflora in the digestive tract. By repairing the gut lining, inflammation is reduced and this also helps the thyroid gland. 

Vitamin D: Some studies have shown that more than 90% of patients with thyroid disease have a vitamin D deficiency! Vitamin D helps to regulate the immune system and acts like a hormone in many ways. The best way to get enough vitamin D is to expose your skin to the sun for 15-20 minutes every day (the cholesterol in our skin converts the "previtamin D" and turns it into usable vitamin D3). If this is not possible, you can help with a daily vitamin D supplement (600-5,000 IU). 

Adaptogen: Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce thyroid and adrenal conditions by helping the body balance hormones and cope with stress. Medical research has shown that it also balances the thyroid hormone T4, which is particularly important in the treatment of hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's syndrome. Other adaptogens that work in a similar way are Rhodiola Rosea, Ginseng, Maca and Reishi mushrooms. 

B vitamins, especially the powerful vitamin B12, are of great importance for energy balance and many cellular and metabolic functions. Vitamin B12 has become known as the "energy vitamin" and supports normal cellular functions that combat fatigue.

In a clinical study on vitamin B1 published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine , the majority of patients with Hashimoto's disease experienced complete remission of fatigue within a few hours or days after treatment with 600 mg of thiamine per day!

4. improve your body's ability to detoxify with Hashimoto's

Regular cleansing and detoxification therapies for the body also help your thyroid gland, as they reduce inflammation. What exactly is detoxification therapy? It reduces the permanent toxic load of hormones, chemicals and heavy metals from our environment.

If you are taking the contraceptive pill or other regular medication, think about alternative, natural contraceptive options and talk to your doctor about reducing the dosage of your regular medication. 

If you have amalgam fillings in your teeth, you could have them removed and replaced by a dentist experienced in this field. 

Pay attention to the ingredients when buying your body care products and cleansers. Avoid products with synthetic ingredients and opt for natural products, e.g. with essential oils (such as lemon, peppermint, lavender and frankincense).

Store your food in glass and ceramic containers instead of plastic or aluminum.

Give up smoking, drugs and alcohol.

5. with Hashimoto's: reduce and manage stress

According to the research study on stress and autoimmunity published by the Immunology And Allergy Clinic of North America, stress reduction measures can have a positive therapeutic effect on patients with autoimmune diseases. The study showed that a high proportion (up to 80%!) of patients with autoimmune symptoms reported unusual emotional stress prior to disease onset. Prolonged stress can affect the production of neuroendocrine hormones and dysregulate the immune system by increasing cytokine production. Most physicians today consider the stress management aspect of any multidimensional treatment approach for Hashimoto's and other thyroid disorders.

Everyone needs their own approach to stress reduction: detox baths with Epsom salt, regular adaptive fitness exercises (barre, yoga, Pilates and weight training), reading books for spiritual growth, outdoor activities and cultivating good relationships - all approaches have proven to be effective natural ways to reduce stress. 

 

Sources (in English):

Amino, N. (1988, August). Autoimmunity and hypothyroidism. Baillière's Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2(3):591-617

Stojanovich, L. & Marisavjevich, D. (2008, January). Stress as a trigger of autoimmune disease. Autoimmunity Reviews, 7(3):209-13, doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2007.11.007

Hiromatsu, Y., Satoh, H. & Amino, N. (2013, January-March). Hashimoto's thyroiditis: history and future outlook. Hormones (Athens), 12(1):12-8