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Micronutrients, Bone Density & Hashimoto's

Micronutrients, Bone Density, and Hashimoto’s

Medically reviewed and written by Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP

Dr. Izabella Wentz / July 27, 2015

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Osteoporosis is more common in women with Hashimoto’s and thyroid conditions, who take thyroid medications, as thyroid hormones speed up bone turnover.

In pharmacy school, I learned that osteoporosis was a progressive condition that could be slowed down, but never really reversed. I held this belief until I met Mira and Dr. Jayson Calton. They are both nutritionists and micronutrient specialists. They shared that nutrient depletions were at the root cause of osteoporosis, and more importantly, that osteoporosis could be reversed with proper nutrition! I recorded this video interview with Mira and Dr. Jayson on this topic.

Mira was only 30 years old when she was diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis. Her husband, Dr. Jayson, designed a food and micronutrient protocol for her that completely reversed her osteoporosis in two years (she has bone scans to prove it!). Since that time, the Calton’s have helped hundreds of people reverse osteoporosis as well as numerous other conditions related to micronutrient deficiencies.

I have found that nutrient depletions are always a factor in Hashimoto’s (deficiencies in selenium, ferritin, B vitamins, and vitamin D are the most common), and addressing these nutrient depletions can make a HUGE difference in symptoms. Ferritin and the B’s (especially B12 and thiamine) are game changers for fatigue, while vitamin D and selenium can make a big difference in mood and reducing thyroid antibodies. (Check out my past articles on selenium, ferritin, B12, thiamine, and vitamin D.)

Often, people with Hashimoto’s are sensitive to gluten and dairy. I’ve observed this in myself and in working with hundreds of people with Hashimoto’s. In my survey of over 2000 people with Hashimoto’s, 76 percent reported a sensitivity to gluten, and 88 percent said they felt better when they went gluten-free, while 79 percent felt better dairy-free.

When we eat foods we’re sensitive to, it can cause inflammation and prevents us from properly absorbing nutrients from food. (10) Once people eliminate gluten and dairy, they begin to absorb more nutrients and will begin to feel better. But sometimes, people will plateau and hit a roadblock of feeling worse, and this could be due to micronutrient deficiencies.

Unfortunately, while gluten-free diets and Paleo diets are much more nutrient dense compared to the standard American diet, they can also be missing the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of some important nutrients. Additionally, the nutrients that may be missing in these diets are going to be different than the “usual suspects” that are depleted in the Standard American Diet (or the SAD diet, as I like to call it…)

For me, I became deficient in thiamine after a year of a gluten/dairy-free diet, and learned of this only after having a $500 nutrient test (the Spectracell test may be helpful if you can afford it).

I couldn’t figure out why I became fatigued again, and why my adrenals were bottoming out after seemingly feeling better. Taking a thiamine supplement turned my fatigue around within a few days, and normalized my long-standing low blood pressure. Had I consulted with Mira and Jayson Calton, they would have told me that thiamine (B1) is one of the most commonly depleted nutrients in gluten-free and dairy-free diets!

This is why I’m super excited about the Calton’s new book, The Micronutrient Miracle, which shares their years of research and knowledge. This book is the ultimate guide for figuring out which nutrients you may be lacking based on your symptoms, health conditions and current diet (they have assessments and charts to guide you without the need for expensive testing), as well as food and micronutrient protocols to help replenish nutrients, tailored to you.

While some nutrition books have a one-size-fits-all approach, the Calton’s nutrition guidelines were modified for specific conditions, including osteoporosis. There was also a general protocol for autoimmunity and a specific micronutrient protocol for Hashimoto’s (I was a reviewer of the section on Hashimoto’s to make sure the dietary recommendations were consistent with my recommendations for Hashimoto’s).

This way, nutrient-dense food becomes more affordable and accessible!

Grab your copy of The Micronutrient Miracle.

Wishing you all the best on your thyroid journey!

To learn more about addressing nutrient depletions, download my free Digestion & Depletions chapter from my first book, below!

P.S. Be sure to sign up to my email list to get a free book chapter, recipes, Thyroid Diet start guide and notifications about upcoming events and my weekly newsletter. For more updates, be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram too!

References

  1. Tárraga López PJ, López CF, de Mora FN, et al. Osteoporosis in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism treated with thyroid hormone. Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab. 2011;8(3):44-48.
  2. Williams GR. Actions of thyroid hormones in bone. Endokrynol Pol. 2009;60(5):380-388.
  3. Hu S, Rayman MP. Multiple Nutritional Factors and the Risk of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Thyroid. 2017;27(5):597-610. doi:10.1089/thy.2016.0635
  4. Collins AB, Pawlak R. Prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency among patients with thyroid dysfunction. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2016;25(2):221-226. doi:10.6133/apjcn.2016.25.2.22
  5. Gärtner R, Gasnier BC, Dietrich JW, Krebs B, Angstwurm MW. Selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis decreases thyroid peroxidase antibodies concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;87(4):1687-1691. doi:10.1210/jcem.87.4.8421
  6. Vaucher P, Druais PL, Waldvogel S, Favrat B. Effect of iron supplementation on fatigue in nonanemic menstruating women with low ferritin: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ. 2012;184(11):1247-1254. doi:10.1503/cmaj.110950
  7. Heap LC, Peters TJ, Wessely S. Vitamin B status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. J R Soc Med. 1999;92(4):183-185. doi:10.1177/014107689909200405
  8. Chaudhary S, Dutta D, Kumar M, et al. Vitamin D supplementation reduces thyroid peroxidase antibody levels in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease: An open-labeled randomized controlled trial. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2016;20(3):391-398. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.179997
  9. Wichman J, Winther KH, Bonnema SJ, Hegedüs L. Selenium Supplementation Significantly Reduces Thyroid Autoantibody Levels in Patients with Chronic Autoimmune Thyroiditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Thyroid. 2016;26(12):1681-1692. doi:10.1089/thy.2016.0256
  10. Tuck CJ, Biesiekierski JR, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Pohl D. Food Intolerances. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1684. Published 2019 Jul 22. doi:10.3390/nu11071684
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Filed Under: Diseases, Supplements Tagged With: Books, Gluten, Nutrient Depletions, Root Cause Recipe Portal, Thyroid Bundle, Vitamin D

Dr. Izabella Wentz

Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP, is a clinical pharmacist, New York Times Bestselling Author, and a pioneering expert in lifestyle interventions for treating Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

She received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy at the age of 23, and has worked as a community pharmacist, a clinical consulting pharmacist, as well as a medication safety pharmacist. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and holds certifications in Medication Therapy Management and Advanced Diabetes Care.

Dr. Wentz has dedicated her career to addressing the root causes of autoimmune thyroid disease, after being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis in 2009. As a patient advocate, researcher, clinician and educator, she is committed to raising awareness on how to overcome autoimmune thyroid disease.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician for any health problems and before making any medical or lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes can result in improved thyroid function and/or an increased absorption of thyroid hormone medications, leading to a lower required dose and possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism at a dose that was previously stable. Please discuss lifestyle changes with your physician and ensure that your thyroid function is monitored every 6-8 weeks while making lifestyle changes. Symptoms of overmedication include, but are not limited to: rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, irritability or mood swings, muscle weakness or tremors, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, hair loss, weight loss, insomnia, chest pain, and excessive sweating. Do not start, change, increase, decrease or discontinue your medications without consulting with your physician.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy says

    August 2, 2015 at 8:29 AM

    Hi Izabella, I watch your interview with Mira and Dr. Jayson and was very intrigued by their supplements. I have worked towards healing my gut with AIP and eat a whole food organic, locally sourced diet with as little processing/chemicals as possible. What I am wondering is can someone with Hashi take their supplements with iodine. I have read your responses on a number of posts about Iodine, but I am wondering if this product would be safe. Thanks so much for your willingness to share info.
    Reply
  2. Maria Lyon says

    August 6, 2015 at 10:31 AM

    I love your book and posts…..thanks so much for helping me….and many others♡
    Reply
  3. Diane Lesley-Neuman says

    August 10, 2015 at 8:40 AM

    My integrationist medicine doctor gave me extra high doses of B2, B12 and niacin on top of my regular B supplement. Of course, this is in addition to Lugol’s solution, iron, and a spectrum of other mineral supplements.
    Reply
  4. Joyce Cuccia says

    July 11, 2017 at 4:53 PM

    One tiny question –
    How is Hoshimotos identified or diagnosed?
    I have listened and read most of your educational material.
    Somehow Iv missed that. I know antibodies show us a lot. But please clarify.
    Thank you so much, Joyce

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella Wentz says

      July 13, 2017 at 3:18 PM

      Joyce – thank you for following this page and my research. Here are the tests you need for diagnosis. Most endocrinologists don’t run them all so you will have to request them. Make sure to request a copy of your labs as well.

      TOP 6 THYROID TESTS
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/top-6-thyroid-tests

      Reply
  5. Meena bhatti says

    March 21, 2018 at 7:35 PM

    For me when ever I take vitamins I feel cramps in my legs . What should I do ?
    Meena

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      March 22, 2018 at 3:43 PM

      Meena – thank you for following this page. Please, understand that due to liability issues, I am unable to answer specific medical questions, but I highly recommend that you work with a functional medicine clinician. It’s an entire medical specialty dedicated to finding and treating underlying causes and prevention of serious chronic disease rather than disease symptoms. Here are some links which might help:

      FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE APPROACH TO THE THYROID
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/functional-medicine-approach-to-the-thyroid

      CLINICIAN DATABASE
      https://www.thyroidpharmacistconsulting.com/clinician-database.html

      MY RECENT CHALLENGES AND FINDING DR. RIGHT
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/my-challenges-and-finding-dr-right/

      Reply
  6. Lexie says

    March 27, 2018 at 9:23 AM

    Hi,
    Aside from supplements for these missing nutrients, what are the best foods to incorporate in your diet for these nutrients? I have an early stage of Hashimoto’s.

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      March 27, 2018 at 2:43 PM

      Lexie – thank you for following this page. Did you know that reactive foods trigger an inflammatory response in the GI tract, leading to malabsorption of nutrients (gluten sensitivity, in particular, has been implicated in causing a Selenium deficiency, a well-known risk factor for Hashimoto’s), and can also produce intestinal permeability whenever they are eaten?

      Most people will see a dramatic reduction in gut symptoms, brain symptoms, skin breakouts, and pain by eliminating the foods they are sensitive to. Some will also see a significant reduction in thyroid antibodies! An additional subset of people will actually be able to get their Hashimoto’s into complete remission just by getting off the foods they react to, normalizing their thyroid antibodies, and some even normalizing their thyroid function! Here are a couple of articles you may find helpful.

      FOOD SENSITIVITIES AND HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/food-sensitivities-and-hashimotos

      AUTOIMMUNE PALEO DIET
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/autoimmune-paleo-diet

      Reply
  7. Janet says

    January 3, 2019 at 5:38 AM

    I take b12 shots every 28days, I have no thyroid, but I seem to have trouble, with my white blood cell count, and I take a multi vitamin every day, and they say I don’t get enough water, I’m always in the bathroom, and sometimes I pee my pants., I have always wondered why I didn’t get enough water, and why I always end up in the hospital being dehydrated.?

    Reply
    • Dr. Izabella says

      January 8, 2019 at 4:27 PM

      Janet – thank you for reaching out. I am so sorry to hear you are struggling with this. <3 I highly recommend that you work with a functional medicine clinician to be a part of your own health care team. It’s an entire medical specialty dedicated to finding and treating underlying root causes and prevent serious chronic disease rather than treating individual disease symptoms.

      FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE APPROACH TO THE THYROID
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/functional-medicine-approach-to-the-thyroid

      CLINICIAN DATABASE
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/database-recommended-clinicians/

      FIND A FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CLINICIAN
      https://ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/

      Reply

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician for any health problems and before making any medical or lifestyle changes.


Lifestyle changes can result in improved thyroid function and/or an increased absorption of thyroid hormone medications, leading to a lower required dose and possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism at a dose that was previously stable. Please discuss lifestyle changes with your physician and ensure that your thyroid function is monitored every 6-8 weeks while making lifestyle changes. Symptoms of overmedication include, but are not limited to: rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, irritability or mood swings, muscle weakness or tremors, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, hair loss, weight loss, insomnia, chest pain, and excessive sweating. Do not start, change, increase, decrease or discontinue your medications without consulting with your physician.


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