5 minute read
The benefits of vitamin C in Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune SPOTLIGHT:
HASHIMOTO’S THYROIDITIS
Jordi Mascio of Goldman Laboratories looks at the role Vitamin D plays in helping those with Hashimoto’s Disease…
THE immune system is just like an army; it protects the body by fighting off foreign invaders and pathogens. If these defence forces malfunction and start attacking the body, an autoimmune disease may result.
Normally, the immune system has the ability to distinguish between foreign cells and the body’s own cells. An autoimmune disease refers to a condition when the body’s immune system wrongly attacks its own healthy tissues by releasing auto-antibodies, making the body more vulnerable to infections and pathogens. Some autoimmune diseases are ‘organspecific,’ meaning that they only target a specific organ. At the same time, other disorders can be ‘non-organ-specific,’ that target the whole body.
General symptoms of autoimmune diseases
Many autoimmune diseases share similar symptoms at early stages. These symptoms often include rashes on the skin, tingling and numbness of hands and feet (pins and needles), weakness, pain, fatigue, fever, achy muscles, redness and swelling and difficulty concentrating. Of course these symptoms may not all occur, and they are common to many other illnesses too.
Symptoms can also be different for individual diseases. For example, if a person has type 1 diabetes, they may experience weakness, weight loss, and extreme thirst. Diarrhoea, bloating, and abdominal pain are the symptoms of IBD.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid gland, located at the front of the neck. The thyroid produces hormones which control how the body uses energy, so almost every organ suffers a knock-on effect. Typically Hashimoto’s leads to an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), but sometimes hyperthyroidism can result. There are fewer than 20,000 new cases in the UK each year, normally starting between 30-50 years and being significantly more common in women.
It can run in families and progresses very slowly.
Hashimoto’s disease is often diagnosed on the results of blood tests that measure thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormone levels.
Treatment for Hashimoto’s disease
If the patient is suffering from severe thyroid deficiency, replacement therapy with thyroid hormone is often used, generally the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine. Other symptoms of this autoimmune disorder are treated with pain killers, Immune-suppressing drugs have proved promising in several studies, and corticosteroids are used to treat acute flare ups of symptoms and to reduce inflammation, as are anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen or ibuprofen.
The role of certain nutrients
The characteristic consequence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a severe deficiency of thyroid hormone. Since the gland is no longer functioning optimally, all metabolic reactions that require thyroid hormone are adversely affected. The symptoms include dry skin, depression, weight gain, goitre, sensitivity to cold, anaemia, and difficulty concentrating.
People with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can reduce thyroid damage and improve symptoms by certain lifestyle modifications, medications, and dietary changes. Clinical studies have reported that the symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may be made worse where a sufferer has specific nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin C and D.
Vitamin D Deficiency
A number of studies have concluded that people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are more likely to suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. According to statistics, 90% of people with autoimmune diseases are deficient in vitamin D.
Vitamin D plays a vital role in modulating the immune system by enhancing innate immunity. Vitamin D is also associated with a diminished inflammatory response in the body by reducing hyperactive autoimmune antibodies.
T-cells of the immune system, also known as lymphocytes, are primarily responsible for mediating Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Vitamin D regulates and differentiates these immune cells. The expression of pro-inflammatory Th1 cells (major contributors to autoimmune diseases) and antigens can be reduced by adequate vitamin D supplementation. Insufficient vitamin D levels in the body can often result from a malfunctioning immune system. Hence, if the patients can regularly ingest vitamin D in adequate amounts and avoid nutritional deficiency, it can significantly help improve Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Exposure to sunshine and eating certain enriched foods can help enhance vitamin D levels in the body. Foods like tuna, salmon, beef liver, and cheese offer high vitamin D levels. Vitamin D2 and D3 can also be consumed as supplements. Vitamin D3 is crucial for effectively raising vitamin D levels in the body. The required dose of vitamin D for managing Hashimoto’s is 5000-10,000 IU per day. In the UK, the NHS recommends that everyone take a Vitamin D supplement daily between October and March.
Is Vitamin C good for patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
According to a study published in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation in 2018, vitamin C is regarded as a highly beneficial supplement for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Vitamin C plays an integral role in decreasing the levels of antithyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab). As a result, this diminishes the destructive power of autoimmune response against the body’s own tissues.
Glutathione for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Glutathione is a highly potent antioxidant that functions by inhibiting the free radical damage, which contributes to destabilised immune function if left unchecked. The development of an autoimmune disorder aggravates glutathione damage due to chronic inflammatory assault on cells of the body. Previous studies have demonstrated an association of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis with poor glutathione status.
Providing external support to the body’s ability to recycle glutathione in the form of supplements can indirectly protect the thyroid glands from autoimmune attacks and inflammation. This is because glutathione dampens inflammatory reactions caused by the autoimmune response.
The role of holistic treatments
Alternative treatment options can also help manage the symptoms of autoimmune disorders in association with pharmaceutical approaches.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture offers invaluable advantages in alleviating clinical symptoms such as fatigue, neck pressure, and mood swings. Moreover, this form of alternative approach has no negative side effects. Clinical studies also indicate that acupuncture can stimulate a patient’s body to synthesize numerous neurohumoral immune responses, which can play a critical role in improving the state of immune disorder. Exercise: Exercise and yoga can be helpful for patients with certain autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Exercise significantly reduces pain and inflammation and strengthens overall immunity. Massage: Patients with autoimmune disorders can also benefit from massage therapy for pain management and muscular relaxation.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can take a huge toll, not only on a patient’s physical health, but mental health too. Fortunately, the prognosis for someone suffering from this autoimmune disorder is very good with proper treatment. It is very important for individuals suffering from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis to maintain a well-balanced and nutritious diet. Such patients should focus on eating unprocessed and whole foods. Consulting a dietitian to plan an ideal diet will also help combat disease symptoms more efficiently. n
i
JORDI MASCIO has more than 14 years’ experience in the Bio Medical industry both in highly technical positions and in distribution and managing roles. He holds an MSc in Bio Medical engineering and an MSc in Molecular Physics. He provides courses and seminars on liposomes and innovative molecules to many practitioners around Europe. Find out more at www.goldmanlaboratories.com
