Lower TPO Antibodies With These 6 Treatments

Lower TPO Antibodies With These 6 Treatments

Would it surprise you to know that it may be possible to lower your TPO antibodies to a healthy and normal level?

If you are like most patients, then this may be the first time you are hearing about this so let me explain:

Doctors who manage thyroid conditions are less concerned about thyroid antibodies and more concerned about thyroid function. 

For this reason, they often ignore thyroid antibody levels and focus solely on measurements such as the TSH

However, this method of approaching treatment for Hashimoto’s is completely backward. 

The presence of high TPO antibodies is an indication that you can and should do something!

In fact, the presence of these antibodies is an early warning sign that your body is giving you to tell you that something is wrong. 

The sooner you heed this advice the better. 

Those who start trying to treat thyroid antibodies early will always have better success than those who wait. 

Which is the entire purpose of this article! 

Today you will learn: 

  • Why it’s so important to lower your TPO antibodies if you have Hashimoto’s
  • Normal reference ranges for TPO antibodies (and where you want your levels to be)
  • Natural treatments that can help lower your antibody levels
  • How thyroid medication plays a role in managing thyroid antibodies
  • Why you won’t see this information from your doctor
  • And much more

Let’s jump in…

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Why it’s Important to Lower TPO Antibodies

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In case you didn’t already catch this:

Many patients with Hashimoto’s are being mismanaged.

For the most part, doctors tend to ignore thyroid antibody levels because they believe it doesn’t change how they would treat you. 

In other words, why care about something that doesn’t impact management?

I don’t agree with this logic, obviously, but this is exactly what they are thinking. 

Instead of looking at your thyroid antibodies, they will measure your TSH. 

If your TSH is greater than 5.0 (sometimes 10.0, depending on your doctor) then they will slap you on some levothyroxine and call it a day. 

Meanwhile, as you are taking your thyroid medication, your immune system remains active and continues to damage your thyroid gland slowly day by day. 

Ultimately, this process will result in the complete destruction of your thyroid gland if it is left unchecked. 

If this approach doesn’t sound appealing, you aren’t alone. 

It turns out there is a much better way to manage Hashimoto’s. 

The better way is to keep track of both your thyroid function and thyroid antibodies. 

It turns out you can walk and chew gum at the same time!

There’s no need to hyper-focus on just thyroid function while excluding the important role that your immune system plays in the Hashimoto’s disease state. 

Your doctor won’t recommend this method, though, because they don’t believe medical treatments (1) exist for balancing the immune system (at least ones that work well and can be used long-term). 

But that’s not the case. 

Many things can help balance immune dysfunction including things like replacing nutrient deficiencies, taking the right supplements, adjusting your diet to exclude inflammatory foods and other food intolerances, taking the right medications, and so on. 

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Making these changes CAN help you lower your TPO antibodies and prevent thyroid gland destruction. 

Doesn’t this sound much better than the ‘sit-and-wait approach‘ that most doctors take when managing Hashimoto’s?

This sort of treatment plan is a much better way of managing Hashimoto’s because it allows you to track and manage your thyroid antibodies over time. 

You can make changes to your diet and lifestyle, wait a few weeks to a month, and recheck the thyroid antibodies in your blood. 

Did your antibodies go down? Did they go up? 

With this information, you can determine what is working and what isn’t. 

Lowering your thyroid antibodies should be a top priority if you have Hashimoto’s because of what they mean for your thyroid gland

While it isn’t universally true for every patient with Hashimoto’s, in general, the higher your antibody levels the more likely you are to see damage and harm to your thyroid gland. 

The longer your antibodies stay elevated and at higher levels, the faster you will progress to end-stage Hashimoto’s and a lifelong requirement of prescription thyroid medication

Having said that:

It’s equally important that you don’t hang all of your success on the absolute level of your thyroid antibodies. 

The absolute level of your thyroid antibodies does not always track with your disease progression. 

Some people may notice a significant improvement in their symptoms as they follow these therapies while their antibody levels may paradoxically increase. 

It’s not known exactly why this occurs but it can happen so you should be aware of it! 

For most people, though, a decrease in your TPO antibodies should be the goal. 

What is the Normal Range for TPO Antibodies?

In general, you will want your TPO antibodies to be as LOW as possible.

That means nonexistent or < 30 U/mL. 

The reason for this is simple:

We know that the presence of antibodies indicates potential damage to the thyroid gland. 

Getting your antibodies to as close to zero as possible ensures that these antibodies aren’t floating around in your bloodstream capable of inducing damage. 

The standard reference range (2) for thyroid peroxidase antibodies (abbreviated as TPO antibodies) is given as a value less than some number. 

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This may sound ambiguous, but it’s just how it is. 

In most cases, the “normal” range is given as less than 60 U/mL or even less than 30 U/mL. 

If you pull out your own lab tests and compare, you may find that your reference range is a little bit different and that’s okay. 

As long as you focus on getting your antibody levels to as close to zero as possible then you are on the right track. 

More important than the absolute level of antibodies in your blood is the trend of those antibodies over time

In other words, what level you started at is less important than the fact that your antibodies are slowly trending down over time. 

Combining your antibody level with how you are feeling is also important. 

It is possible, though not common, that you may see a mismatch between how you are feeling and your antibody level. 

For most people, though, as TPO levels decline you should see an improvement in your low thyroid symptoms

You can see an example of the thyroid peroxidase antibody reference range below taken from a sample patient: 

a thyroid lab test of a thyroid patient with a thyroid peroxidase antibody level of 42

In this example, the reference range is < 60 U/mL and the result of the patient is 42 U/mL. 

While this patient is technically in the “normal” range, they may not be optimal and may even want to try and push that level closer to zero. 

Each case is different, though, so don’t hold this as a standard!

Treatments That Can Help Lower TPO Antibodies

It’s tempting to think of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis as a thyroid disease, right?

After all, Hashimoto’s results in damage to your thyroid gland which results in low thyroid function and the need for thyroid hormone medication. 

But this line of thinking misses the underlying cause of Hashimoto’s:

Immune system disruption. 

Hashimoto’s is as much, or more, a disease of your immune system (3) than a thyroid problem. 

In fact, the therapies that we are going to discuss in detail below focus mostly on this aspect. 

And that makes perfect sense:

If you can regulate or balance your immune system then you can help re-educate your body that your thyroid gland is your friend (and not your foe!). 

As you do this, your antibody level should decline, your body should stop attacking your thyroid gland, and your thyroid function should return to normal. 

Sound good? 

Let’s talk about how to do just that:

#1. Diet (The Foods you Put In Your Mouth)

a healthy diet can help reduce tpo anitbodies

The first, and perhaps most important step, is to take a long look at the foods that you are putting into your body. 

And by that, I am referring to your diet.

Not the type of diet that you get on for a few weeks or days, but a lifestyle shift that helps you continuously and consistently put healthy food inside of your body. 

Maybe you are already eating ‘healthy’ foods and you think this section doesn’t apply to you. 

This type of logic may not necessarily be true, especially considering that there are many types of ‘healthy’ diets, and not all of them are healthy or ideal for those with Hashimoto’s. 

In fact, there is a wide dispute over what constitutes a healthy diet (4)! 

To further complicate the picture, each person is unique in terms of what type of foods they tolerate and what type of foods cause inflammation or harm. 

And these foods can shift throughout a person’s life as well! 

The good news is that we don’t have to look far to figure out what works for Hashimoto’s. 

We have a bunch of information from patients with Hashimoto’s to be our guide. 

In fact, we have hundreds of case studies, and even medical research, to suggest which diets are best. 

Based on this information, here are the top 3 best diets for those with Hashimoto’s looking to reduce their TPO antibodies: 

Going Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Soy-Free Diet

Perhaps one of the best shotgun approaches to changing your diet is by going gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free

If you aren’t sure where to start then you may want to start here. 

While not everyone with Hashimoto’s will need to stay off of these food groups long-term, it’s still one of the easiest and most effective diets for treating Hashimoto’s. 

I don’t believe that everyone with Hashimoto’s HAS to be gluten-free forever, but I do find that foods containing gluten can exacerbate and perpetuate inflammation in the gut, and temporarily removing them for a short period, usually helps most people. 

Soy, due to its processing, may lead to inflammation and dairy has been shown to be inflammatory for various reasons as well. 

Using the Autoimmune Paleo Diet or AIP Diet
list of foods to avoid in the autoimmune protocol diet

The AIP diet stands for autoimmune protocol or the autoimmune paleo diet. 

You can think of this type of diet as a pared-down version of the paleo diet. 

It takes the standard paleo diet, which is already fairly restrictive, and restricts your food choices even further. 

And it turns out that the AIP diet is actually quite effective at lowering TPO antibodies for most people who use it. 

You can see a case study of a patient with Hashimoto’s who used the AIP diet, in conjunction with other therapies, to lose 50 pounds and improve her thyroid status significantly. 

This is just one example but there are many others. 

There are also emerging studies (5) that show promise in using the AIP diet to treat all sorts of autoimmune conditions. 

One of the downsides to using this diet is that some people end up restricting their diet so much that they develop an intolerance to healthy foods and have trouble re-introducing them back into their diet. 

Because of this, I tend to reserve the AIP diet for those who have failed less restrictive diets or for those who have a history of multiple autoimmune diseases on top of their diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. 

One of the benefits of going on the AIP diet is the amazing online community, free recipes, and help that you can receive through online groups. 

Using the Elimination Diet

The elimination diet can be very powerful at reducing TPO antibodies as well. 

In a nutshell, the elimination diet works by removing certain food groups that may be perpetuating inflammation in your body. 

As you remove these foods, and if they are causing you issues, you should notice an improvement in your digestion and your symptoms fairly quickly. 

You can do this diet one of two ways:

#1. Test yourself using delayed IgG food sensitivity testing and remove only food groups that you react to based on this test. 

Food intolerance testing, while potentially helpful, is certainly not 100% reliable or accurate (6). 

Often, people will find that they are ‘reactive’ to MANY different types of foods and food groups even those that are considered quite healthy. 

Because of this, testing for food intolerance may lead you astray and cause you to remove food groups that would otherwise be beneficial. 

There are some people, including those that I’ve treated in the past, who have done very well by following the information provided by these tests, however. 

#2. Remove the most common food allergies and monitor your symptoms upon reintroduction of those food groups.

If you don’t want to test for food sensitives you can always take the shotgun approach by simply removing specific food groups that are widely known to cause issues (7). 

Foods in this group include:

  • Eggs
  • Wheat
  • Dairy
  • Soy
  • Peanuts
  • Shellfish
  • Tree nuts
  • Beef products
  • Corn

Statistically speaking, these food groups are usually the cause of digestive problems for most people. 

Removing all of these food groups for a period of time (usually 6 to 12 weeks) and then reintroducing them slowly one at a time will help you determine which ones are causing you issues. 

From there, it’s just a matter of trial and error until you figure out what works best for your thyroid and antibody levels. 

#2. Increasing your Testosterone Levels

Androgens such as DHEA and testosterone are another powerful tool that can be used to help lower TPO antibodies and most people don’t even know they exist as a potential treatment!

In case you haven’t noticed, the majority of patients who have Hashimoto’s are women (8).

This is actually true of almost ALL autoimmune diseases (with few exceptions). 

Part of the reason this is felt to occur has to do with how testosterone, DHEA, and other androgens interact with your immune system (9). 

It is currently felt that higher (or should I say ‘normal’) levels of testosterone act as a sort of protection against autoimmune diseases. 

Because men have higher baseline levels of testosterone they are more protected than women (assuming this theory is correct). 

If this theory is correct then it follows that people with low testosterone may be at increased risk for developing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 

And this certainly holds true in my experience, as I often test each and every patient with Hashimoto’s for both testosterone and DHEA. 

My experience suggests that most women with Hashimoto’s also tend to have lower-than-normal testosterone levels for their age. 

If you are someone who has both Hashimoto’s and low testosterone, then you may benefit from the use of testosterone cream or gel. 

Testosterone is a bio-identical hormone that can be used as a medication to help bring up total testosterone levels in the body. 

Women tend to benefit tremendously from testosterone, just like men, even at low doses. 

The goal when using testosterone cream or gel in women is to bring your testosterone back up to a normal level, not to give you more than you need. 

Using testosterone in this way makes it a very safe and effective treatment for both men and women. 

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT for short) may help your immune system in the following ways: 

How do you know if you are a potential candidate for using testosterone therapy to treat Hashimoto’s?

It’s simple, you just need to order a few tests including serum free testosterone, total testosterone, and DHEA-S. 

an example of a patient with low normal testosterone levels who also has hypothyroidism

Once you have your tests in hand, all you need to do is look at your result and compare it to the reference range. 

I find that women with testosterone (free or total) in the bottom 1/3 of the reference range often benefit from taking testosterone. 

As you take testosterone, make sure you monitor both your symptoms and your total and free testosterone levels. 

You can get testosterone through gels, creams, pellets, or injections

If you are unable to get your doctor to prescribe testosterone then you may want to look into using DHEA. 

DHEA is a weaker androgen when compared to testosterone but it is available over the counter as a supplement. 

Your body uses DHEA as a template for creating testosterone and estrogens. 

Use caution when taking DHEA, though, as you can’t control what your body decides to do with it once you take it. 

Your body may take that DHEA and produce estrogen in place of testosterone which may cause more harm than good! 

#3. Optimizing your Vitamin D Level

vitamin d can help lower tpo antibodies

Vitamins and certain supplements can also be used to help balance immune function and may, therefore, reduce your thyroid antibody levels. 

It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on all nutrients in your body for overall health but there are several that play a more focused role in regulating your thyroid and immune system.

The only downside to using supplements to try and lower thyroid antibodies is that we don’t have a lot of evidence to suggest that they work for every person. 

Having said that, anecdotally, I’ve seen a lot of success in patients who use supplements when managing Hashimoto’s. 

When you use a supplement, just be aware that what worked for someone else may not work for you. 

Keeping that in mind will help manage your expectations. 

When it comes to vitamins and Hashimoto’s, few are more important than Vitamin D

Vitamin D is involved in regulating immune function (13) and is commonly deficient in patients who have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 

Replacing Vitamin D may be one easy way to ensure that your immune system is functioning well. 

Vitamin D, as long as you use the right form, is also very cheap! 

Before you use Vitamin D, though, make sure you test your levels. 

You can do that by ordering a 25-hydroxy Vitamin D level (14). 

If your 25-hydroxy Vitamin D is less than 40 ng/mL or higher than 60 ng/mL then you want to try and adjust it back into that range. 

While Vitamin D deficiency is quite common among the general population, there is a growing number of people who are actually taking too much (especially within the thyroid population). 

So be sure you are within that range. 

When taking a Vitamin D supplement make sure your Vitamin D is in the D3 form. 

Vitamin D2, commonly prescribed by doctors, requires processing by the body and is not the ideal form to use. 

For better absorption, look for a micellized D3 supplement in a liquid

#4. Improving Gut Health

I mentioned earlier that many patients with Hashimoto’s also suffer from gut-related issues. 

I want to take a second to expand on that here. 

Your gut is the center of thyroid hormone conversion, neurotransmitter production, and immune system education.

Any problem in your gut may, therefore, affect and alter any of these systems. 

Dysfunctional gut health may lead to more inflammation in the body and may actually be the site where Hashimoto’s originates. 

For this reason, if you want to lower your TPO antibodies then you must pay attention to your gut! 

That means treating all gut-related issues, balancing gut bacteria, and killing off potentially harmful gut bacteria. 

Patients with Hashimoto’s can experience a range of gut-related issues including any or all of the following:

The presence of any of these gut conditions can negatively impact your immune system and may make your Hashimoto’s worse. 

The solution?

You have to identify any gut problems you may suffer from and treat those problems! 

This is easier said than done, I know, but it’s often one of the most important things you can do if you have Hashimoto’s. 

For many, making simple changes such as taking a probiotic and a prebiotic and eating healthy foods can be enough to see serious changes in your gut (for the better). 

If you don’t see success with this approach then you may need further testing by your doctor to evaluate for infections or other problems such as Celiac disease. 

#5. Consider using LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone)

a study showing the novel effects of low dose naltrexone on inflammation

In this case, I saved the best for last.

I’ve personally found low-dose naltrexone (or LDN for short) to be particularly helpful in lowering TPO antibodies, reducing inflammation in Hashimoto’s, and treating other problems thyroid patients face such as weight gain and chronic pain. 

But what is LDN? 

LDN is an opiate blocker (meaning it sits on the receptor and blocks opiates from binding to your cells) and is available as a prescription medication. 

It is conventionally used to treat alcohol addiction, but it can be used off-label to help modulate the immune system to treat autoimmune diseases. 

The mechanism of action is not well understood but it probably works by temporarily increasing endorphin production. 

Taking low doses of LDN causes a blockade of opiate receptors which then fades rapidly and results in a corresponding increase in endorphins which then impact the immune system. 

LDN has gained traction in the integrative and functional medicine community as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 

While it doesn’t have as many studies as other standard medications, it has been shown to be beneficial in the following ways:

How do you use LDN to lower TPO antibodies?

Because LDN is used off-label, the standard dosing recommendations don’t really apply. 

Instead of using the standard dose of 50mg, LDN takes advantage of a much lower dose usually in the range of 1.5mg to 4.5mg per day

Dosing usually starts on the low end and slowly titrates up over a period of time. 

After a set period of time of daily use, you can check your thyroid antibodies to see if you experience any benefit. 

Unfortunately, LDN will not work for everyone. 

My experience, as well as that of many others who use it frequently, suggests that around 50% of people who use it experience some benefit. 

The other 50% notice no real perceptible change or improvement. 

How do you know if it’s working?

The best way to know is to simply keep track of your symptoms and keep track of your TPO antibodies. 

If it’s working then you will notice a reduction in your low thyroid symptoms and a reduction in your TPO antibodies. 

If you’ve taken LDN for 3 months or longer and you haven’t noticed a change in either then you are probably in the 50% group that won’t benefit from using it. 

#6. Black Seed Oil (Nigella Sativa)

hashimoto's ab rx front bottle image 1500 x 1500 ingredient list

Another great option to get your antibodies under control is the use of a plant called nigella sativa.

This topic can get kind of confusing but let me break it down for you:

Nigella sativa is the plant that produces black seeds which are commonly pressed to create black seed oil.

And, we have at least one double-blind placebo-controlled trial showing that nigella Sativa powder (23) (from the plant) can help reduce thyroid antibodies, boost thyroid function more generally, and shrink the size of the thyroid gland.

study showing the efficacy of nigella sativa powder in treating hashimoto's

Even though this study was relatively small by most standards, the results are very impressive and are hard to ignore.

It’s very unusual to see these kinds of results and this kind of study for any natural therapy which is why I do frequently recommend the use of this plant for patients with Hashimoto’s.

While the study mentioned above used nigella sativa powder, I still believe you can replicate the results by using black seed oil.

Black seed oil is often better because it concentrates the active ingredients into an oil that can more easily be taken by patients.

You can even take it a step further by standardizing the concentrations of active ingredients like thymoquinone, P-cymene, carvacrol, and the free fatty acids found in black seeds for even better results.

example of black seed oil that should be used for patients with hashimoto's

To get these benefits, I recommend using 1,000 mg of black seed oil each day for at least 90 days.

If you feel inclined, you can check your thyroid lab tests and antibody levels prior to using it and then recheck them after 3 months.

This isn’t required, by any means, but it’s a good idea to keep track of your lab tests so you can follow your progress.

Use a black seed oil like this one for the best results possible.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, having the knowledge that your TPO antibodies are elevated can be a good thing!

Why?

Because knowing they are elevated means that you can do something about it!

There are many patients with Hashimoto’s running around with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism because they never had their levels tested. 

This group of people will ultimately never know about their antibodies which means they may never get on the right treatments. 

But you are different! 

You can and should do something about it. 

Getting started right away is the best thing you can do because the earlier you start the better success you will have. 

The 5 treatments that we’ve discussed so far are a great place to start. 

As you implement these treatments please make sure that you are keeping an eye on your thyroid antibodies!

You won’t know what’s working unless you keep testing. 

Lastly, while antibody levels are important they are not everything nor should they be your sole focus.

In some patients in patients with Hashimoto’s, TPO antibodies may remain high no matter what treatments or therapies are used. 

Now it’s your turn:

Do you have elevated TPO antibodies?

Did you know that you could do something about these antibodies to try and reduce them?

Have you tried any of the treatments listed above?

If so, did they work for you? Why or why not?

Leave your questions or comments below to keep the conversation going! 

Scientific References

#1. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/autoimmune-disorders

#2. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/7260/thyroid-peroxidase-and-thyroglobulin-antibodies?cc=MASTER

#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459262/

#4. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

#5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31275780/

#6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20413700/

#7. https://www.fammed.wisc.edu/files/webfm-uploads/documents/outreach/im/handout_elimination_diet_patient.pdf

#8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091302214000466

#9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25708485/

#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8035512

#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1917404

#12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22552705

#13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047889/

#14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3719391/

#15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20351569/

#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5405068/

#17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27256300/

#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7167994/

#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4056127/

#20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2833301/

#21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3962576/

#22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24526250

#23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5112739/

natural remedies to lower TPO antibodies pinterest image

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About Dr. Westin Childs

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

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198 thoughts on “Lower TPO Antibodies With These 6 Treatments”

  1. Dear Dr. Childs, thank you for this extremely interesting paper. It came to me just in time. This is to ask if the level of TPO antibodies is linked with the inflamations caused by H.Pylori and Candida Albikans. I have them both – recognized in blood tests. No Candida has been localized in other possible locations. In this “Catch 22” situation, I was wondering which of the above inflamations I have to get rid off first? Is it absolutely neccessary to apply the standart treatment schemes with antibiotics and antifungals, together with caprylic acid and a strong probiotic (100 billion bacteria)? Is it possible to apply the mentioned approach first and than to follow the 5 steps, explained in this paper. Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • Hey Daniela,

      There is no specific order to treat these things but yes candida and h. pylori may predispose you to gut inflammation which could lead to elevated antibody levels. Most likely you will need to treat multiple areas if you want to resolve the candida/h. pylori issues.

      I usually do multiple therapies at once but tailor it to what is the most pressing issue based on labs or symptoms.

      Reply
      • Dr. Childs, thank you for the answer. In addition shall I understand that I could apply AIP or elimination diet together with the medication protocols of candida/h.pilory?

        Reply
    • Why not just remove my thyroid? Instead of suffering with all the Hashimoto’s symptoms.
      4 nodules one suspicious.
      Inflammation
      TPO 72 while on NP Thyroid 60mg

      Reply
      • Hi Keri,

        Thyroid removal is never ideal unless absolutely necessary. Thyroid medication, while effective, is never as good as real thyroid hormone production from the thyroid gland. Most people who get their thyroid removed for dubious reasons regret it.

        Reply
  2. Hi, so the idea of the LDN is to sblock the creation or impact of antibodies, but it’s really just physically stopping the antibody damage not necessarily the body’s desire to create antibodies? Is that why patients must continue taking it?

    Could LDN potentially be used as a temorary stop gap for symptom management while other factors were improved (diet, hormone balancing, gut healing, etc.) and then LDN stopped only to find the body is no longer sending out troops because there is no battle to fight?

    The Jarred article mentions lack of long-term data and limited sampling, but do you know if they have seen LDN used in Hashis patients prove a slowing of new autoimmune diseases from developing as opposed to the rate of increased AI diseases in Hashis patients?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hey Kathryn,

      I don’t think anyone knows for sure, but it’s probably a combination of both – reducing the creation of antibodies and blocking their action.

      I’ve seen some people use it for short periods of time and get off of it, but usually patients just feel better so they stay on it.

      I’m not aware of long term research on hashimoto’s patients in particular and we aren’t likely to see it unfortunately, so that means we pretty much have to base treatment and recommendations off of anecdotal experiences and expert opinion.

      Reply
    • From my knowledge antibodies themselves do not destroy anything… They are produced by your immune system and are markers for it to know WHAT to destroy…
      So the point that having high antibodies does nt mean a high destruction… It depends also on the th ratios. Dr Childs what is your opinion on this matter?

      Reply
      • Hi Claudiu,

        That’s correct. Typically a higher antibody level does correlate with more damage but this isn’t always the case.

        Reply
  3. Hello Dr. Childs,

    I’ve always had very high antibodies (over 250) bit I’ve never really had symptoms. I’ve only given up fluten, dairy and soy. Should I be more concerned about this even though I don’t experience symptoms?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Hey Sara,

      I wouldn’t stress about it but I would definitely make some changes in your life to see if you can influence the numbers. On the spectrum you are way at the other end, but that doesn’t mean you can start swinging to the symptomatic side if you have a life changing event (stress, illness, etc.)

      Reply
  4. I noticed that stress is the biggest trigger for me. When j am stressing at work, go to bed late or have an argument with someone, I immidately start to feel worse. Managing stress and sleep is very important too

    Reply
    • Hey Ewa,

      Stress is definitely a big deal, you won’t be able to manage hashimoto’s or autoimmune disease in general unless you have multiple ways to cope with stress.

      Reply
  5. It’s so interesting how different that subject is approached in the US via Austria (or Europe). I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s 3 years ago when I already felt sick and was in severe joint pain, gained about 30kg and had no period for over a year, when doctors told me I might have a “hidden tumor” somewhere until a new doctor had the idea to check my thyroid…

    Long story short, I have been on Thyrex (the common thyroid treatment pill over here) from then on. We started with 25 microgramme daily and increased it to 100. Recently my TSH and antibodies god worse, so I had to increase it to 125.

    What doctors over here agree with though is, that this isn’t curable and that I would always a have to take Thyrex, even though I would love to wean of it as soon as possible. I’ve been told times and times again that there is no way this is ever going to happen. I think with all the stress, adrenal fatigue is also a problem but I don’t know for sure since no one wanted to test me. With thyroid antibodies over 300, I think that puts a toll on me as well.

    Needless to say, I am too exhausted to even socialize and therefore can’t exercise other than walking which makes me feel immensely depressed since that additional weight is also taking its toll on me…

    Is there anything I can do? Can I work with a doctor/practitioner overseas if the local ones refuse to help me other than prescribing meds?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Hey Martina,

      I have a handful of patients who see private doctors who are able to prescribe them the right medication. I also have some patients from the UK who visit the US and are able to get proper treatment. There are a few ways to do it, but they aren’t necessarily easy.

      Reply
        • Then I would recommend you look for a local provider or someone you can consult with online via telemedicine, most likely this will need to be out of pocket.

          Reply
      • i live in Greece and there aren’t doctors here to evan consider something else than the usuall medications .i started to feel tired and deprest after my doughter was born .but it cind of got lost ,i didnt have the time to deal with it but then after 7 years my mother died .suddenly i felt wors .no energy ,nothing .after 2 years i desited to go a young hollistic doctor with a masine you hold two stics and it ‘reads’ your body .and she talled me i had to cut off gluten and make a diet for some time and to check my theroid.and i went to a normal doctor ,he said hassimoto and after my request for something uther then pills he gave me sellinium for six months .well i am taking it for 2 months now and i feel better .but i have a strong instinct i always have and it is telling me it is not enauff .so i guit all sugar ,all gluten (i can see) and ad more helthy foods .but i lost wait witch is something i don’t want sence i am thin and now even more .and i keep losing .what is your opinion ? sould i try thyroxin if the doctor gives me or sould i take something naturall ?do i have a hope of not taking the pill or its ok to take it?will it be for ever or i can take it for a couple of years and it will make me ok and then stop?i am confused…

        Reply
        • Hey Niki,

          I’m having a hard time following your post, but I wouldn’t recommend going off of your medication without consulting with your physician. If you want to try lifestyle interventions in addition to medication check out my post on the 10 day thyroid reset diet – it has a bunch of info for you there.

          Reply
    • Dear Martina, your story impressed me a lot. The good point is that you are following such an interesing blogs as the one of the wonderful Dr. Childs. Believe me you are on a right direction. The first step in the long healing process of autoimmune disease is to start educating yourself. There are lots of places in the Internet where you could find relevant information as well as full support. In addition to the medical sites and blogs, there are lots of facebook support groups held by people with similar problems.
      Believe me, few months ago I was feeling similarly way like you. The only difference is that I had a chance to find a support group from where to start educating myself about my Hashi. You could search for FB thyroid/Hashi support group in your country. I am sure that through the FB support community you could find the appropriate doctor in your area, just like it happend to me.
      Last but not least, if you want to feel better – get rid of gluten and refined sugars forever. The next step will be to avoid all foods that are with alergic potential – dairy products, soy, eggs. In addition you have to chose the appropriate holistic healing protocol – Paleo, Autoimmunpaleo, elimination diet, etc. If you do this than for sure you will start feeling much better.
      Belive me, you are not alone!

      Reply
  6. Thanks for the detailed article! I’m always looking for new information on Hashimotos. I have been treating mine for 3 years and over the last year have quit eating all sugar with the exception of berries once a week. I have also been treating Lyme disease and adrenal exhaustion for the last year. I’m surprised you wouldn’t add sugar to the gluten, dairy, soy recommendation. Can you speak to that? I feel it’s made a huge difference for me. My antibodies were around 300 3 years ago and are steadily dropping. Currently they are at 34 and 1. Thanks again. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Thank you for this interesting article.One year on from radiative iodine ablation and on 2.5 net(self medicated as levo was not doing anything) I find m have antibodies of 4000. Feeling very very unwell. I would like to try LDN at some point but wonder how it effects the liver>I have non alcohol fatty liver disease. I have tried hard to heal gut issues,including several courses of goats milk kefir which I would recommend to anyone. Trying to be gluten free but find AP so difficult.dignedoff from

    I find in this country as soon as your TSh is deemed ok thats it signed off from doctor and just left. I do feel as if i am dying some days despite my best efforts to get well.

    articles like this do help to inform

    Reply
    • Hey Lorraine,

      I’m a big fan of kefir and I use it myself on a daily basis. NDT can raise antibody levels if not taken with a digestive enzyme especially in someone with low stomach acid from hypothyroidism. With your issues I would look into SIBO.

      Reply
      • Hi, thanks for all informations.
        I have a question about kefir. Everyone says to avoid dairy if you have raised thyroid antibodies, but kefir is dairy and I am getting confused. If I avoid dairy than how can I have kefir. I was also told that kefir is good for gut but at the same time it does feed bad bacterias. What’s your opinion on this. If my thyroid antibodies are raised should me eat kefir or not?
        Many thanks

        Reply
  8. I have been on LDN for at least 6 months now, I am gluten, dairy and soy free (and have tried aip – found it to be really difficult to stick to long term, hut going back on it again soon), I am taking Naturethroid, I supplement with Selenium and glutathione as well as multi and omegas…. And still, after all of this, my antibody levels have never come down below 900!!! I dont even know what my actual count is because the test only goes to 900. (>900) I actually dont experience a lot of the symtpoms that many people do… i feel like my energy is good, I am able to maintain a healthy weight, etc… But I know that antibody levels that high cannot be good. I also just found out that Im pregnant… So I am searching for answers and ideas on how to get them lowered. Any suggestions? Do antibody levels that high mean that my thyroid is being destoryed for sure? I sometimes get hoarse (if I eat something that likely had a hidden irritant in it) but that doesnt happen too frequently. Any advice is appreciated.

    Reply
    • Hey Stacy,

      Antibody levels don’t always correlate with clinical disease, they may even go up after initiating therapy but that doesn’t necessarily mean your disease process is getting worse.

      Reply
    • Hi Stacy,
      I am in similar situation my antibodies never seem to go below certain level trying selenium ,zinc supplements. How did you manage your thyroid in pregnancy and does tpo , tgbn antibodies have and effects on fetus?
      How did you sail through pregnancy ? I am also trying to stay of gluten and sugar finding it so hard I end up not following that on certain days.

      Reply
    • I believe it’s the NDT that’s keeping your antibodies elevated. That’s what my naturopath told me. When on T4 only my anti-tpo was around 134. Now it’s in the 400’s and won’t come down ever since I started Naturethroid or NDT. The only reason why I stay on NDT is it keeps my weight down but other than that I don’t like it at all.

      Reply
    • Hi Stacy, just read your post and wondering, did you manage to bring you tpo levels down? Did your pregnancy have any influence on tpo and tsh numbers? I have the same situation, tsh levels in range, tpo above 1000.

      Reply
  9. Hi
    A lot of great info as I am new here on your page. A maybe quick question 🙂 If one has few antibodies ( just below max) and a TSH around 5 (just above max) is there anything other than food and vitamins you can take or do so you do not have to go on medicin?
    I started T4 medication – is there a way back – out of it again you think?
    Sorry for my English – i am from Dennark
    Best wishes jannie

    Reply
    • Hey Jannie,

      You can try lifestyle interventions, stress management, low intensity exercise and some detox I suppose. I would recommend treatment though if you are symptomatic.

      Reply
  10. Dear Dr. Childs,
    I am with Hashimoto since 2007 and my antibodies have been always out of the normal range. Two and a half months ago I have started AIP as well as a new medical treatment – combination between T4 and T3. My anti-TPO antibodies have been reduced from 115 to 73, but the anti-Tg antibodies are staying the same – about 420. What would you recommend in this case? Am I doing something wrong? Thank you in advance for the advice!

    Reply
  11. Hi Dr

    I love your article so helpful .Ijust did my hormones blood test i need you opinion please im 45 years old mom for 2 boys.Having hypo thyroid for 5 years

    TPO 133 Was 300 it is dropping down by taking selenium and zinc and good diet
    Cortisol AM: 524 RANGE 135-537
    Cortisol PM 190
    ESTRADIOL 259 FOLLICULAR 77-921 PMOL/L MID-CYCLE 139-2382 LUTEAL 77-1145
    progesterone 28.2 nmol/l
    DHEA-S 1.8 <6.7

    I was on Cortisol manger for 3 month before doing the blood test. I stoped cortisol manger for 2 month and back with this results.They were lower than befoe taking cotisol mander

    your recommendation please Dr
    Do i need to go back to cortisol manger or need cream that you talk about in your article?
    Thanks for your help
    Sue from Canada

    Reply
    • Hey Sue,

      I can’t give personal advice because you aren’t my patient and I would point out that understanding which supplements to use should be dictated by a combination of symptoms + lab results.

      Reply
  12. Thank you, Doctor, for giving us access to your professional expertise. I have TPO-Ab 200 and Tg 42, male age 60. Treated diagnosed Graves with 5mg Methimazole for a year (2009), ~.5mg for several years, nothing for last 2 years, as T4 and TSH had stabilized. T4 is now falling to 1.0, so I’m apparently entering Hashis. I plan to start Selenium from your link above to lower antibodies, though in the past just a trace of an opened selenium capsule would allow me only 4-5 hours sleep per night. Question 1: does the thyroid ever recover from antibody damage, if antibodies are successfully lowered? (Is it too late for me to start Selenium now?) Question 2: Given my condition, what is the big deal with sugar? Is honey or other forms okay for me? I probably have 35g sugars from oatmeal-nut cookies per day, but otherwise a really clean Feingold diet. I hear/read much hysteria about sugars even for people without thyroid issues; what’s the big deal? Without sugar throughout the day I have trouble thinking and I have real trouble with hypoglycemia if I go too long without food. I’m running out of things that I CAN eat, so how do I make it without sugar?

    Reply
  13. Hi Dr Child’s
    I desperately need your advice!my husband and myself are trying for a baby over the last year with no success.I am on clomid and metaphormine as they say I have polycystic ovaries.I have been taking these for four months now!my day 3and 21 bloods keep are all coming back normal exact my tpo’s are 360!all the doctors are telling me to overlook this but i feel that this may be the problem.what can I take or get prescribed to reduce these tpo’s!I am getting very frustrated and would really appreciate your help.
    Thanks
    Amanda

    Reply
    • Hey Amanda,

      I would also recommend that you be properly evaluated with a complete thyroid panel, low T3 (even in the face of a normal TSH) may indicate sub optimal thyroid function and optimal thyroid function is necessary for conception.

      Reply
  14. Hi Dr.westin

    Exactly one year ago my world was turned upside down. I Almost want to say from night to day I became ill and it only continues to get worse day to day. I first noticed 2 alopecia areata spots then I noticed weight gain and muscle loss then very oddly started having cellulite all over my body along with bad muscle fatigue and weakness and daily anxiety depression fatigue. After seeing every kind of doctor I can think of and testing several different things I’ve gathered my own conclusions that show I have low testosterone low platelet and white blood cell slightly high antibody in my thyroid height rt3 and low t4 and low vit d . I’ve been having the hardest time finding a doctors to help properly diagnose and treat me.im from Houston TX is there any way you can recommend your services local or someone to help me! Any response would be life saving

    Reply
    • Hey Jessica,

      Thanks for reaching out, unfortunately I don’t know anyone that practices like me in that area. The best advice I can give you is to look outside of the insurance model and the conventional PCP’s and/or endocrinologists – they will all treat you the same way.

      Reply
    • Hi Jessica,
      I am experiencing the same thing over the last year. Did you ever figure out what is causing it? I have started taking ArmourThroid, DHEA and testosterone cream plus all the supplements Dr. Childs recommends along with the lifestyle changes and have started feeling a little better these last two months. Interstitial edema or “cellulite” look which I think is caused by low aldosterone levels is still bad in the afternoons but better.

      Reply
    • Hi Jessica,
      Did you get answers and help? One of my friends had similar sudden issues and it turned out to be a mold toxicity. Took a few years before anyone even tested that, but with all the toxins around us, it might be worth looking into? I hope you are already better, but just in case, I couldn’t not comment.

      Reply
  15. I’ve been struggling with infertility so I decided to order my own labs since I have always suspected my thyroid despite 2 different “reproductive endocrinologist” telling me that this can’t be the issue since my TSH is in normal range. I got a full panel done on my own and it showed TSH: 3.97. freeT3: 3.0. free T4: 1.1. TPO antibodies over 400; thyroglobulin antibodies 3; and ReverseT3: 13. I have already started gluten free diet despite being ridiculed and made fun of by friends and family, they say it’s ignorant since I do not have celiac. What else can I do to decrease my antibodies so that I can eventually go on to have a safe pregnancy? I’ve seen studies showing thyroid antibodies increase risk for neurodevelopmental issues in fetus, increase risk of miscarriage, etc even with a “normal” thyroid. I want to lower the antibodies as quickly as possible. What can I do besides gluten free and possibly selenium supplementation? What would be the best type of thyroid supplement to help me with this goal? NDT? Synthroid? Compounded t3/t4? I have a family doctor that is willing to work with me but he does not know the best course of action and neither to the obgyn or RE’s I’ve seen….i have no diagnosed health conditions other than unexplained infertility ( have had HSG, exploratory surgery, etc all normal, hormones normal, no pcos) and take nothing but a prenatal.

    Reply
    • Hey Avery,

      In order to get results beyond what you see written here you will really need to work with someone on a 1-on-1 basis who understands what I’m talking about. There is no substitute for guided help when it comes to medicine and health because each person is so unique.

      Reply
  16. My TPO antibodies wete at1200 when I was first diagnosed with Jashimoto’s a few years ago. I cut them in half when I eliminated gluten, & they decreased even more when I gave up dairy & soy. I’ve been following the AIP protocol, been supplementing with zinc & selenium, & my antibodies are a little over 100. While they have been decreasing, it’s been going very slowly over the past year. Do you think I should just continue what I’m doing or should I try LDN? I’m not sure if it’s worth it since my antibody levels are much better, although still not optimal.

    Reply
    • Hey Laura,

      When it comes to treating Hashimoto’s I care much less about the absolute value of antibody levels and more about the symptoms of the patient, so instead of laser focusing on your antibodies (which don’t necessarily correlate with disease progression or severity) it’s far better to let your symptoms guide you.

      Reply
  17. Hello. I was dx in September 2016. My antibodies are in the 600’s. also,i had low dhea, progestrone and testostrone levels.at my 3 month check my testostrone level went up from 13 to 15 and tpo went down almost 500’s. I was wondering can you supplement both testostrone and dhea? I just started testostrone troche 30 days ago, along with an increase in my NP thyroid. About a week ago, I noticed a change in my energy. I am not aure of it is a combo affect of splitting my NP and or the low dose testostrone troche,but is nice to have energy ALL day long.

    Reply
    • Hey Jen,

      Yes, supplementing with DHEA and testosterone is fine assuming you tolerate both and are not converting much of it to estrogen metabolites.

      Reply
  18. Hello, I am diagnosed with Graves Disease with high T4 and T3 levels as well as high antibody levels. Do the therapies you describe also apply to Graves Disease. I saw my endocrinologist today and he is unaware about any diet or supplementation to reduce my antibody levels. I am very interested in what I read on your page. I just want to confirm that it applies also to hyperthyroidism.
    Thanks!

    Reply
  19. I just had my yearly checkup for Hashimotos and my TPO was 202. When I was diagnosed in 2012 it was 288 went down to 198 in 2013 then up to 214 in 2014, down to 179 in 2016 and now is back up to 202. I take 600mcg of selenium (as selenium yeast) a day, a Centrum, magnesium, fish oil, synthroid and 2000IU of vitamin D3. My practioner suggested selenomethioine; should I try that? What are other tips to reduce the inflammation?

    Reply
  20. Hello Dr. Childs,
    Thank you for your article.
    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at the age of 11 and no endocrinologist has ever attempted to treat my symptoms. Thankfully my mother worked at a health food store at the time and through her own research quickly put me on zinc & selenium which helped tremendously. I have been on and off of that combination ever since then.
    I was fascinated with the chart in your article (foods to avoid). That was very eye opening to me. I eat eggs and yogurt almost daily. I have noticed a reaction when eating nuts so I have completely eliminated them from my diet (i.e. I would develop cystic acne over night after eating even a hand full of nuts- again, a type of inflammation).
    I am now 30 and pregnant and am just wondering what I can do about my diet to ensure I am still receiving all the nutrients I need while working on lowering my TPO count (I always have over 800).
    Thank you for sharing your knowledge with many of us with this condition who may feel lost or a bit helpless. It is much appreciated.

    Reply
  21. Thank you Dr! This is such an informative site, thank you for doing this! My antibodies started coming down last year through elimination of gluten/dairy/soy (from 2,800 to 1,200 in 3 months), but they’ve recently jumped back up to over 3,000. I’ve noticed that I’ve been reacting to foods I didn’t used to – I feel like I’m getting backed into that AIP Paleo corner. The more I eliminate, the more sensitive I become.

    Before going full AIP Paleo, I’m going to look into your suggestions for better management (Switch from synthetic T3/T4 to WP Thyroid, Immune/allergy testing, insulin resistance test, DHEA/Adrenal testing and LDN.) Would you recommend this approach prior to going full AIP?

    Thank you again!

    Reply
    • Hey Anjuli,

      Yeah, that approach sounds reasonable and leaves more options open for later, provided you are feeling okay in the mean time.

      Reply
  22. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and what you know has been effective with your patients. All encompassing and very helpful. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis 6 months ago and it’s a process, but finding a doctor who has experience with improving and moving the condition into remission is the most challenging I’ve found. Are you available for phone consultations, and if I’m a good candidate, and would you be open to possibly treating me long distance (phone, Skype, labs)? Very motivated to improve my health and a compliant patient. On 1 gram of nature thyroid and have been gluten, dairy and soy free for 2 months, but antibodies are still high. TPOAb 62, and TGA 3.5. Kind Regards, Meredith

    Reply
  23. Back agin 😉 SO, I am currently in an active Graves phase (after remission 4 years ago and thyroid replacement meds for three years). This time around my symptoms are much less physical (not so much cardiac, temperature, tremors) so far and very mental/mood/nuero. I am having very strange “tingling/tickling” in my “brain”, mind restlessness, uncontrollable crying, anxiety, and eye issues. It’s all in my head this time around. My concern is this waiting period my doctor has me in until we can schedule a iodine uptake scan to discuss permanent solutions. We are currently not treating anything, it has been three weeks!

    My antibodies are skyrocketed (Hashi and Graves).
    Thyroid Stim Immunoglobulin 760% 0 – 139
    Thyroglobulin Antibody 7.7 0.0 – 0.9
    Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab. 354 (was 2908.4 years ago)
    ThyrotropinSH receptor antibody 11
    TSH <0.001 (undetectable)
    T3 4.81
    T4. 1.64

    My concern is the mental/mood/brain symptoms happening.
    My question is: Will antithyroid meds (methimazole) decrease the antibodies? Will anything decrease antibodies? Thryoidectomy? How can I decrease antibodies the quickest?

    Reply
  24. How is it possible to get LDN if my dr refuses. To prescribe it.
    My TPOS at the moment are more than 6000 and tgab was 150
    I am trying to lower with diet I am gluten free and don’t eat soy and only dairy I have is in tea and coffee.
    I take 200 mcg Levo and 40mcg lihothyronine
    I am in the uk.
    Thankyou for your amazingly informative article , I have learnt so much from this one article.
    It was so very interesting.
    I wish I could find a dr who was as fantasticly knowledgable as you are on this horrible and frustrating disease 🙂

    Reply
    • Hi Victoria,

      I don’t know of another way to get LDN unless it’s provided through a prescription. You could try calling a compounding pharmacy and asking if they have any providers that prescribe LDN and then trying to find those people.

      Reply
  25. Hi Dr. Childs: I started off with my first full panel in Jan of 2016. That was taken 5 years post-Dx’d Fibromyalgia. I have been eating totally gluten free for 10 years now with an inconclusive test result for Celiac Disease halfway through this period, and after elimination testing predigested dairy (cheeses, plain yogourt) or butter/ghee does not seem to be a problem for me. I eat Low Carb (approx 50g net)/Moderate Protein/Higher Fat for the past 3 years (almost all fresh unprocessed food) and am 5’8 and 140 lbs with a low-normal healthy Waist to Hip Ratio and Waist to Height Ratio.
    I went from 1108 U/ml to 407 U/ml in 8 months with no changes other than adding in supplementation to my regular vitamins/minerals – Selenium 200 mcg, and L-Tyrosine 500 mg per day. Continuing with that, my next panel 6 months later has dropped my TPO antibodies to 328 U/ml.
    I also take Zinc, and Copper to balance it.

    I will continue with this regimen to drop it lower, but am concerned a bit because all my other Thyroid levels have dropped slightly too (although still within ‘normal’ reference ranges.

    Should I be worried about this? It is hard to tell if any issues arising are tied to Hashi’s or to Fibromyalgia. I do not take any conventional medications for either of these conditions right now.

    Thank You.

    Reply
  26. We all know that BRAZIL nuts is the food that contains the highest amount of SELENIUM which is VERY CRUCIAL to good thyroid function. This list is very confusing as it conflicts with the FODMAPS list and other do not eat lists.

    Reply
  27. Hi, I have high levels of TPO antibodies but my doctor said I don’t need treatment and my thyroid is working fine. Can I use ashwaghanda to lower the antibodies? Will this make my condition worst?

    Reply
  28. Hey there,

    I recently visited a doc who ran a TSH, T4 and Thyroid Perioxidase antibody tests. My TSH was. 04, T4 at 1 and antibody test was 20. He mentioned Hashimoto’s thyroiditis but wants to watch things as my T4 is still within the normal range. I’m OK with that for now but my confusion comes with why my TSH level is so low. When I asked him about this his explanation was that my TSH was low because the antibodies’ eating’ my thyroid were effectively regulating my thyroid function… That T4 was being dumped into my system from the destruction of my thyroid tissue, which caused the normal T4 level, and that because my T4 was normal my pituitary didn’t need to produce TSH.

    I absolutely understand his rational but I’d think that my TSH would then fall within the normal range and not below it. Any thoughts?

    Also, I have to admit I’m uneasy with letting an autoimmune response ‘regulate my thyroid function…

    I already eat a Paleo diet, I have PCOS and a history of autoimmune dysfunction why I’m open to anything, except being complacent when it comes to my health.

    Any insight would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

    Jaime

    Reply
    • Hi Jaime,

      Generally if your TSH is suppressed it’s due to over production of thyroid hormone from the gland from inflammation.

      Reply
      • Hello,

        Thank you for your reply and yes, that’s what I thought with the decreased TSH (.04), that is indicative of Hyperthyroidism. But my Free T4 is on the low end of normal at.96 (I rounded up in my initial message) and as I understand it, free T4 is then elevated… Also, if it’s Hyperthyroidism, why are there antibodies present?

        I’m a RN, have worked in the ED and SICU of a level one trauma center for almost 20 years, understand the physiological process well and my knowledge is telling me that this doesn’t make sense. A low TSH and lower t4 I’d indicative of secondary hypothyroidism as opposed to Hashimoto’s. Am I wrong? And do you still see elevated antibodies in secondary hypothyroidism?

        Thank you very much in advance. I truly appreciate your input as I’m not getting many answers from my doc.

        Take care,

        Jaime

        Reply
      • Dear Dr. Childs,

        How can the thyroid overproduction if due to inflammation have this result: Free T3 is optimal, free T4 on the lower side, and TSH 0.004 — when on NDT 1.75 grain for quite some months. Blood test was done fasting (latest NDT the previous morning), and off of any supplement containing biotin (which lowers TSH). Slim and fit female over 60. Had Graves in 1984, on T4 only for decades, on NDT since 4/2018.
        Thank you for your input.

        Reply
  29. My TPO antibodies are >1300. I went gluten and soy free a year ago. I recently had TPO blood test again and they are still >1300. A few times during the year I consumed soy in products by accident but as I was so strict the rest of the time wondering why the antibodies didn’t lower.

    Reply
    • Hi Gill,

      For best results you need to combine the therapies listed above. One is generally not enough to influence antibodies significantly.

      Reply
  30. HEllo
    I recently had some thyroid tests done and all but the antibody test were normal. the doctor’s only response is to wait three months and re-test. I have been very fatigued, have brain fog and have trouble losing weight. Should I be more assertive in getting proper treatment or be worried or is it nothing. Thank you so much

    Reply
    • Hi SG,

      It really depends on your symptoms. Unfortunately many people suffer from hypothyroidism related to Hashimoto’s but thyroid labs remained relatively preserved for quite some time before conventional physicians are willing to treat. If that happens to you then you may want to seek out a provider who is more willing to treat your symptoms and antibody levels.

      Reply
  31. Dr. Childs, I am at the end of my rope with this disease! I have been on paleo, AIP, Keto and no matter what I do…I cant lose anymore weight. My antithyroglobin
    antibodies are ALWAYS greater than 1000! They never lower….my tpo lowers with diet.I take 3 grains of westhroid per day…split dose. My tsh is 0.1 but I do not feel hyperthyroid! I am exhausted! Always! I have paid to see functional medicine doctors and everything come to a hault. I worry about my health with my thyroid nodules and my moms sister having thyroid cancer plus hurthel cell cancer…that if I dont find help for myself…I will be in the same boat as my aunt. Truthfully..how is ones tsh 0.1 and still feel lethargic?? How is this even possible? I am beyond frustrated and no one seems to want to help me..I just get sent out the door. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  32. Hello,

    I’ve been seeing a D.O for my primary and she is amazing. She’s has done a lot of this with me. She pulled me off synthroid after endocrinologists put me on this for five years and it did nothing for me. She switched me to naturethroid and that has increased my T4 to T3 conversion. My antibodies were at 1000 and now ate at 431. She removed me from gluten and dairy and has found that I was deficient in iron and ferritin (7), B12, iodine, zinc. She has me on metagenci supplements to address the deficiencies. My testosterone, estrogen and androgen levels are within normal range. Is there anything else I can do to get these antibodies down. 431 is still just too high for me.

    Thank you so much!

    Reply
  33. Hello,
    My name is Amanda.im 29, and I was diagnosed with hashimotos hypothyroidism 3 months after I gave birth to son, that was 5 years ago. All the specialist told me was to take the meds and try to loose weight. I’ve always been overweight, so I didn’t pay much attention to my symptoms. I just thought I felt bad because of the weight, but no matter what I tried I could never really loose the weight. He started me off taking 125mcg levothyroxine. I’ve been steady at that dose all these years. But recently we have been thinking about having another baby, and in doing research about hashimotos and pregnancy I decided to get my antibodies tested.(they never were apparently) I had already gone off alcohol, and caffeine, and had been taking prenatal vitamins for 3 months when I got the results,,, 565!!! Way too high, especially since everything I’ve read says antibodies can hurt the baby, and possibly terminate the pregnancy. All the while my family doctor is saying ,”yea , go ahead and start trying, ur tsh is fine”!!! I’m so frustrated, my son is already 5, and we’ve wanted more kids for a while now. I’m currently trying gluten free, and soy free diet, but I don’t know how long this will take to lower the antibodies. Should we completely stop thinking about babies right now? If I get pregnant with high antibodies should I be worried? What tests or supplimenta should I ask for the next time I go to the doctor?
    Thankyou for your help and this information,

    Amanda Rodriguez

    Reply
  34. I just completed 12 weeks of elimination/aip diet, and my antibodies went down about 10%, from 147 to 128. Should I be happy or disappointed? The AIP diet was extremely difficult to stick to, and I don’t know if it’s worth trying to continue. I didn’t see much improvement in my other symptoms.

    Reply
    • Hi Michele,

      When treating patients I’m less interested in absolute antibody value so much as I am a reduction in negative symptoms.

      Reply
  35. If the diet, lifestyle changes, and supplements are enough to bring slightly elevated antibodies back into the optimal range, and the other thyroid numbers are normal, does that mean those things are enough to keep Hashimoto’s from progressing? Do you ever see in your practice people who are successful with catching it early, prior to thyroid damage, and then are able to manage it without thyroid meds?

    Thank you!!!!!

    Reply
  36. Hi, My Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody <60.1 U/mL on 11/11/15 was 3871.5 H, on 1/13/16 was 4539.3 H, and on 2/8/17 was 4797.6 H. I had it tested again today and am waiting on results. My Anti-Thyroglobulin <61 U/mL on 11/11/15 was 180 H and on 1/13/16 was 227 H. They started me on Cellcept and Gammunex-C in March 2016 following Hashimoto Encephilitis diagnosis. I cound never stabilize on synthetic T3 and T4 and have been better after switching to Naturethroid 6 years ago. I've treated SIBO, am on LDN (8/2016), follow GF, LowFodmap, no soy, low dairy, and low histamine (mcas) since at least 1/1/2016. Gammunex-C causes thrush every round (every 28 days) and i take a nystatin rinse. After the antibiotic failed for SIBO treatment, I did low FODMap and incorporated ferments in. Between ferments and LDN, SIBO subsided. They are now talking about putting me on Rituxan. I'm exhausted. I can no longer understand technical or advanced writing and cannot do math, both of which I need for my licensed career. What else should I be doing? I'm 41 and want my life back. I appreciate your feedback.

    Reply
  37. Love your articles! I took myself off of gluten and dairy and my TPO went from the 300s
    to 83.
    Just recently started LDN but have used it in the past.

    Reply
  38. Thank you for all of the information you have shared. My doctor has tried to put me on LDN several times and I have resisted because I don’t like prescription drug side effects. Can you go over some of the long term side effects of LDN. also, I read that a side effect to selinium was developing skin growths( may not be true), is there a safe but effective dose you would recommend.
    Bless you for all you are doing.

    Reply
  39. Hello,
    Thanks for the interesting article. With regard to LDN, I read something that is rarely written about–If a person should need emergency surgery, the LDN would not have time to clear the body (as opposed to a scheduled surgery since it deals with the opioid receptors) and the person on LDN would not respond to the anesthesia (which seems like it could be quite horrific). Are you willing to respond to this concern? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Sue,

      The answer to your question is quite complex but the short version is that it shouldn’t interfere to any real degree. It sounds like the kind of thing that is propagated on patient message boards and not really grounded in science.

      Induction with anesthesia is generally done with a combination of medications including potent narcotics, benzodiazepines and muscle relaxers. Anesthesia is then maintained with different medications or gases such as isofluorane, desflurane or sevoflurane – all of which work through different mechanisms. Anesthesia can also be maintained through propofol if necessary which works by influencing GABA receptors and blocking sodium channels. The point is that narcotics have a place in anesthesia but they certainly aren’t front and center.

      In addition, high doses of narcotics would simply out compete binding sites by naltrexone and make the the medication far less effective. Also, naltrexone, as far as opioid blockage is concerned, is metabolized rapidly which is why it must be maintained through infusion in overdose situations.

      I would suspect the reason that no one talks about it is because it’s not an issue.

      Reply
  40. Dr. Childs,
    I have been following a paleo diet for the last 5 months as well as supplementing zinc and selenium. I was recently disappointed to find out that my TPO increased! I have to be super careful because I have had weight loss surgery and I am now slightly underweight. I did have gut issues but now is mostly resolved. I feel like I have had improvements in my overall health so I don’t understand why TPO is rising. It was 176 in June and now in September it is 202. I do not have a Dr. who knows anything about this stuff really so I am basically on my own. Would you suggest I increase my zinc and selenium at this point?

    Reply
  41. My bloodwork in April, 2017, showed my thyroid peroxidase antibodies at 195. On April 26, 2017 I began to eat gluten free. My recent bloodwork on Sept 21, 2017 showed a number of 18. I asked my primary care doctor. on August 31, 2017, how I could reduce my antibody number. She replied that I couldn’t reduce that number. I asked her if the number would ever go down and she replied no.

    I am angry that doctors give answers that are incorrect and their egos do not allow them to admit that there are alternatives to conventional medicine.

    My 92% reduction of the thyroid antibodies has to be attributed to my gluten free diet. I was not taking any new medication and I was not exercising because of my psoriasis on my legs.

    Don’t put your doctor on a pedestal. They are not always giving you information outside the western conventional medicine box.

    Reply
    • Hi Linda,

      Thanks for sharing your story and I’m glad you were able to impact your health by changing your diet. Just remember that many other factors can influence antibody levels ranging from stress, lack of sleep to diet and even exercise.

      Reply
  42. Hello,

    I am a nurse and have a question. I am 53, very healthy, vegan, and a exercise every day for the past 30 years. The only issue I have is I developed post pardum thyroiditis 20 years ago. I have been on Synthroid .1 since that time until this past April 2017. In April, my yearly TSH level was .11mlU/L. My synthroid dose was decreased to 88 mcg at that time. After that decrease in dosage, I felt awful! No energy, couldn’t get out of bed…I dragged through the day! I also gained 10-12 pounds on my normally slim body.( ANd I did not change what I ate!) My AP referred me to endocrine. In September, 5 months after i changed my synthroid dose to 88mcg, my TSH level is 1.0 mlU/L ( nl .3-5.50) , my free T4 is 1.38 ng/dl ( normal .76-1.7), and my Thyroid Peroxidase AB is 635! ( nl under 30). I only list the normal lab values as I know that each lab can have slightly different normal levels :)….Anyway, I want to know what you would advise in this situation.

    THANK YOU!!
    Joanie

    Reply
    • Hi Joanie,

      This may not necessarily be primarily related to your thyroid, it might be related to menopause or changes in progesterone/estradiol levels. It would be worth evaluating both.

      Reply
      • Thank you for your input…. and yes…I am definitely going through menopause! Multiple hot flashes a day 🙁
        What do you recommend for people going through this phase in their life?

        Thank you!

        Reply
  43. Hi

    Just got my results yesterday with :

    – anti-thyroglobulin antibodies at 84 UI/mL
    – T4 at 16,1 pmol/L
    – TSH at 0,04 mUI/L

    I’ve been advised to be seen by an endocrinologist but in Mauritius can’t find anyone, am quite desperate as I’ve been on 25mg Levothyrox daily and 50mg DHEA, treating my infertility situation.

    What else can I do to regulate all this? I’ve been recently advised to use Westhroid and Lugol alongside levothyrox for 2 years before removing completely levothyrox. I’ve gone through some research and found that using Wobenzym can reduce anti-bodies, any thoughts on that?

    Do you think using westhroid and wobenzym in parallel can help to regulate my antibodies?

    Am already on a limited sugar and carbs diet, but most of the foods thats on your restricted list is impossible to avoid being where I am, using digestive enzymes can help? I am already detoxing and taking probiotiocs, sprirulina, chlorella, selenium, krill oil psylium to improve my system.

    Thanks for helping out

    Reply
      • Well I would love to be able to follow the 5 tips listed but if I avoid all the foods in your list, I have nothing left to eat, in Mauritius we have few alternatives and I cannot do otherwise than eat what’s available locally.

        You mention medications/hormones and supplements, do you mean to go ahead what I had already listed in my previous post?

        Thanks for advising

        Reply
  44. Hello Dr. Childs! Is it unreasonable for a doctor to refuse to check antibodies?!

    I am pretty outraged about it. I requested my antibodies to be checked (after not having any thyroid labs for more than a year) and she outright refused – with this rationalization that knowing that number in no way helps us.

    I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto’s 2 years ago (age 17) when I suddenly gained 30 pounds. Upon testing, TSH and T4 were both extremely low, and TPO at 263. Other thyroid labs like T3 were found normal.

    They decided to check again in six months and both had risen, putting them in normal range. I lost ten of the 30 lbs. A year later, I switched my PCP, and both have continued to rise, with TSH at 4.16 and T4 minimally increased (1.18). I don’t know what’s going on.

    I wish I could be your patient! The crazy thing is that my doctor herself has Hashimoto’s, but she refuses to order labs for anything but TSH and T4, claiming all else is irrelevant.

    Reply
  45. Oh, to add to the previous comment, is your training as a D.O. (as opposed to MD) part of what makes you so much more aware of the larger implications of the thyroid issue? I’m so frustrated by the doctors’ rigid-mindedness and lack of flexible knowledge that I’m beginning to think each disease should have its own doctor. 🙂 There are specialists, sure, but perhaps we should be whittling it down even further.

    Reply
  46. When I was diagnosed hashimotos I did a gluten free diet for 6 months and brought my antibodies down from >500 to 80.
    However the doctor then told me they will vary of their own accord so there was no need.

    Can you explain the benefits of reducing them so I can evaluate how to proceed?

    Reply
  47. hi,
    I recently was told my antibodies are at a level of 1440. The doctor I had always treated me for hypo thyroid, not hoshi. I was put on selenium, probiotic of over 25 billion, synthroid at .88 mcg from .100 mcg.
    and Vit. B12. I have been doing this for a few weeks and don’t feel any better. My throat on the right side doesn’t hurt anymore, but now I cannot sleep. I am going on a now two day excursion of less than 3 hours per night. My hot flashes have gone down a bit. Still having panic attacks, but not as bad. My question is,
    how long will this take to get under control. I am weepy and struggle with every day tasks. My job, I feel I am not giving my all because I am so exhausted.
    All I want to do is rest. I can’t even handle my finances and luckily they are on autopay. I have a lot of things I want to do and I can’t because I feel so bad. I thought it was menopause, which I am sure is contributing, but when they called and told me my antibody levels, I freaked out. I am just looking around for advice. My doctor is good, I am sure. She did an US on my thyroid right in her office. I have slight scaring/lines on my right side….which explains the pain/swollenness. Just looking for other professional advice. I am afraid I will die and I have too much to do yet. everything is a major effort. I am exhausted. I want to sleep but can’t. I have to be to work at 9 am and it is now 3am. I haven’t slept at all yet and am afraid I will be late for my meeting. I am also worried that my coworkers think I am “dizzy” because I can’t remember things like I used to. Thanks for listening.

    Reply
  48. Love your blog . Over the past 7 years I have gotten my antibodies down to 139 from 159 – I will try your advice – is my level really high? Do you think it is possible to get it to normal – 35 or 40? Many thanks

    Reply
  49. My TSH is now 5.3 and i’m convinced from these lab results below and my never ending list of hypo symptoms that I have Hashimoto’s…my GP has made me fight hard for Levoxythyroxine which I am about to start, but what about diet? what can I do to lower my Thyroglobulin antibody’s? i’m reading different advice in different places, which is it that proves a Hashimoto diagnosis? TPO or Thyroglobulin? and how can I lower them with diet?

    ENDOCRINOLOGY
    Thyroid Function
    THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 4.07 mIU/L 0.27 – 4.20
    FREE THYROXINE 13 pmol/L 12.00 – 22.00
    TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) 83.8 nmol/L 59.00 – 154.00
    FREE T3 4.48 pmol/L 3.10 – 6.80
    THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY
    *
    232.000 IU/mL 0.00 – 115.00
    THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 10.6 IU/mL 0.00 – 34.00

    thanks!
    Helen

    Reply
  50. Dear Dr. Childs: I just listened to your video about lowering Thyroid antibodies and I noticed that you were mainly dealing with hypothyroid problems and mine is hyperthyroid problems. I just had a test done and my thyroid antibodies number was 54. Tsh is 0.006 and T4 is 4.33. The doctor put me on 10mg of Methimazole. I don’t feel my doctors have explained much so I wanted to know if the diets you mentioned would help my problem. My antibodies level are high like you mentioned but my other numbers are running fast instead of slow. Any information you give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! Sandy Bates

    Reply
  51. I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s but several doctors have refused to treat me for hypothyroidism because they say my levels are “normal.” I’ve been losing my hair for 1/5 years now, it is brittle and dry, and my skin is terribly dry.

    Can you prescribe meds and where are you located?

    Reply
  52. I started having pressure hives about a year ago and I have been to over a dozen different specialists. None of them thought to check my thyroid because my TSH was always normal. It turns out my antibodies were over 1000 (not sure exactly how many because thats the max the lab would show.) I was on prednisone and antihistamines for over 6 months just to stop the itching. A couple of days after I started taking T4 medication the itchiness went away and my TSH has dropped from 3.4 to 1, but my skin still turns bright red at the slightest touch. I also just started taking selenium about a month ago. I’m a bit confused because some doctors tell me T4 medication will drop my antibodies while others say it T4 meds will only drop my TSH and selenium is the only way to drop my antibodies. I will try every step you mention on this article. Do you suggest anything else I could try?
    Thank you

    Reply
  53. Hi, I used the AIP and compounded T3/T4 to get my numbers to a good place last year. Since December I went off the AIP – I guess because I was feeling so good at the time. But over the holidays I over-indulged and have had fairly stressful time and everything fell apart. Now my TPOs have shot from 321 to 2300! Have you ever seen this? If course I am back on the AIP. What is the biggest dose of Zinc and Selenium I should take?
    Thanks so much.

    Reply
  54. Dear Sir
    I am old 44 year and I recently discovered that my Anti TPO> 5000,and other hormones are:
    TSH=1.74
    Free T3=3.61
    Free T4=11.61
    My doctor is not advising me nothing, just lets wait and then we will prescribe medication. Please tell me what to do?
    best regards

    Reply
  55. Dear Doc – Thank you for your article. I am resistant to the “leaky gut” theories as they seem like the trend right now, and I do not have any food allergy symptoms. I do have a diet with plenty of dairy (for protein-not a big meat fan) and who doesn’t like bread (gluten). My PCP and I have been working for over a year to get my Hashimoto’s under control. Getting off synthetic meds was the best thing I’ve done since being diagnosed. Currently my T3=127, T4=7.0, Free T3=3.5, FT4=0.7, TSH=3.020, which is better than it’s been for a long while. Here is the shocker: Anti-TPO-Ab=683! Which is up from the 483 from 10/2017 and the 218 from 06/2017. We are at a loss. I am 53 and was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at age 38. I am 5’9″ and 158 so my weight isn’t a huge issue other than I was always very thin before all this started; I am more concerned with my health. Do you have any suggestions? What additional tests would be helpful? Testosterone? I would hate to change my diet significantly. Are there supplements such as Zinc and Selenium (which I haven’t tried yet), that you believe would be helpful? Thank you, Christine

    Reply
  56. Dr. Childs,

    Three years ago, my TSH was 24 and my peroxidase levels were 3863 U/ml (extremely high). Per my doctor, I started a gluten, dairy, soy free diet. I was very strict about it for a year, but then as time went on became lax on the dietary restrictions. For 2 1/2 years my TSH has been around 2.5. and my weight is about 114, but my peroxidase levels have only come down to 2191 U/ml. I had just visited an opthomologist and he told me I have Thyroid Eye Disease. He said not much can be done to bring down these levels and we must just wait. It’s been 3 years and my level has gone from 3863 to 2191 and he wants it less than 30. How can I accomplish this? I told him about the gluten, dairy, soy free diet and he felt they were unrelated. I felt better eating that way, but what possibly can I do to bring down this inflammation almost 2100 points?

    Reply
  57. Hi, Just wanted to say that I have been doing the AIP protocol diet since January 4, 2018. Today is February 26, 2018. I just had my blood work done Thursday got my results back today…..in less than 2 months my TPO antibodies went from 68.8 down to 54. Granted they are still high but almost 15 points in less than 2 months…I think thats awesome! 🙂

    Reply
  58. I’ve been on LDN for the past 5 months. My TPO has gone up since I’ve been on it. I’ve heard that LDN might not make a difference for some people. I’d prefer to be off it, if it is not benefiting me. Do you think that after 5 months I should be seeing results of a lower TPO?

    Reply
  59. Hi, I just had my TPO levels retested after a month of clean eating (No dairy, sugar, gluten) for the past month, as well as taking supplements that supports the thyroid. It went from 660 to 240. But my doctor seemed unimpressed? I think that’s a huge improvement! Do you have any insight about this? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Wendy,

      That’s great! Congrats 🙂 As long as you are feeling better and your labs are improving then you are heading in the right direction. Doctors don’t tend to be impressed unless they can take credit for the result!

      Reply
  60. My testosterone total was 432 I’m 36. It’s often lower too. Below range. My TPO was 52 and thyroglobulin antibodies were 5.8 in a range of 0.0-0.9. My my 4 part salivary cortisole test was normal but lower. Would TRT help and DHEA?

    Reply
  61. HI, doctor, I was wondering if anti-TPO would end up destroying the whole thyroid gland and Hashimoto is a progressive chronic disease? And also do you need to skip Synthroid the day of lab tests to get more accurate results or its fine to take the medicine and do the blood work after. Thank you my endo does not seem of big help when it comes to answering my questions.

    Reply
  62. Hi Doc, I’m female, I worry taking testosterone is just going to make my weight problem worse. Im also Type 1 Diabetic since I was a kid (49 now). Sounds awesome but……

    Reply
  63. Dr. Childs –

    Thank you for this great information! I am starting my gluten, soy, and dairy free today. We miscarried in November 2017 and the only abnormal lab from all of the testing was TPO of 227uIU/mL at the end of December 2017. That number has increased to >1300uIU/mL at the beginning of April 2018. (I’m on levothyroxine and TSH looks good between 1 & 2).

    I started taking Selenium at the end of January after reading that it could lower TPO antibodies but when I told a doc at an appt in Feb that I was taking that along with prenatals as we were hoping to conceive again, she said not to take it as it might cause birth defects.

    I was wondering if you could speak to the safety taking the supplements you mentioned in this article while trying to conceive/during pregnancy. (Testosterone, DHEA, Zinc, Selenium, and LDN). Thanks so much!

    Janie

    Reply
  64. I’m 56. When I was first diagnosed 10 years ago my TSH was 248, TPO was 600, and my Antithyroglobulin was 22,247…that’s not a typo. Results were verified by repeat testing. Free T3 was 0.3L, Vitamin D 21.2L. I started on 60mg of Armour Thyroid and I’m now at 180mg 10 years later. TSH is now low but TPO is 114 and Thyroglobulin is 883.6. and Free T4 is 0.46. I’ve gone HFLC a couple of times and it helped, but I feel like I’m slowly getting worse. My brain fog is progressing for the worse and I’m beginning to feel hopeless. I’m scheduled to see someone that looks further than just throwing Armour at me and hoping she can help. I’d welcome any feedback.

    Reply
  65. Hi Dr. Childs,

    Thank you for this highly informative post. I had a partial thyroidectomy 1.5 years ago for a toxic adenoma. My levels had been fine, until recently where the most recent blood test results showed elevated thyroid antibodies but the TSH, T4, and T3 levels are fine at the moment. My family doctor is not concerned, however, I do have food intolerances and IBS, and I rather act early than have to deal with Hashimotos later. Which diet would you recommend to follow?

    Reply
  66. Dear Doc, I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s recently but I have no symptoms, my TPO is high but my TSH is rather normal… as I have no symptoms at all ..:) I’m not sure how to go about it…any suggestions? Thank you for your article.

    Reply
  67. Hello,

    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s 18 months ago with TPO antibodies >1000IU/ml, TGAb antibodies 48IU/ml and TSH initially at 3.6mIU/L. I have not been taking any pharmaceutical medications for my thyroid (the endocrinologist I saw took a wait-and-see approach based on my TSH levels). After 18 months of lifestyle and dietary changes and a range of supplements and vitamins from my naturopath (supported by my excellent doctor) my TSH levels reduced to 2.4-2.5 quite quickly but my TPO antibodies have stabilised at about 740- 760, and TGAb stabilised at about 10-14 from last two test results. I was initially tested for MTHFR mutation (which I have), homocysteine levels (reduced from 14.3 to 8.6umol/L), iron (was very low but now fine), a suite of gut parasites (but not H. Pylori – 2 parasites were found and successfully treated), heavy metals (high load of mercury, arsenic and lead) and Zonulin (OK at the time) but was more recently confirmed to have gut permeability issues after the mannitol/lactulose test. My naturopath has started me on 6 months of a comprehensive gut repair supplement and my doctor has suggested I basically go paleo again for that period. My naturopath doesn’t want to start my heavy metal detox until my gut is repaired and my homocysteine levels are down to about 5. I have been on a gluten free and sugar free diet since initial diagnosis and a 4 month period of paleo early on (perhaps resulting in the good zonulin test result) and in the last 4 months have cut alcohol, caffeine, dairy, chicken, fish and nuts on the suspicion of having ciguatera poisoning – I was eating a lot of locally caught tropical reef fish and developed debilitating acute and chronic symptoms which rapidly abated following the dietary exclusions – though I accept most of those symptoms are also consistent with Hashimoto’s. I have 3 months of the ciguatera exclusion diet to go. Sorry for the lengthy backstory, but I keep hearing that the AIP diet is the go-to for reducing TPO antibodies, but I honestly feel like my diet is heavily restricted already (I don’t eat out anymore – it’s too hard but very anti-social). Do you think I am doing enough and should just hold off starting an AIP diet until I see my test results at the end of my naturopath’s 6 months of gut repair program and then following the heavy metal detox? I will follow an AIP diet if a have to, but it looks depressing and stressful to me and hopefully is a last resort. By the way, my only Hashimoto symptoms currently are occasional mild joint aches and muscle spasms, mild fatigue rarely at the end of the workday, occasional mild head sensations (not aches), occasional tinnitus. I also have occasional insomnia and irritability but that is very cyclical and could be explained by perimenopause (I am 45 and read your bit on testosterone with interest – something to discuss with my doctor). Your thoughts?

    Reply
  68. Dr.Childs
    I have hashimotos and am having a very difficult time finding a doctor in Dallas that will help, it’s mainly just throwing me a pill. Do you have a doctor you could recommend?
    Please can you help?

    Reply
  69. Hello,
    I was having great success with lowering my TPO antibodies when diagnosed 2 years ago they were at 200, I managed to lower them to 50 and up until recently, they have started to gradually increase and now are 150.
    I am taking LDN, follow the AIP, take zinc and selenium, so I am stumped as to why they are rising. Surprisingly though I feel much better now than when they were at 50 so I am not sure what is going on. I am just concerned that they will continue to rise and since I have been doing everything under the sun and not sure what else can be done. I am taking Naturethroid and recently had to have the medication compounded and noticed since changing to the compounded formula they have started to rise. I am wondering if there could be a connection?
    Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

    Reply
    • Hi Stella,

      If other changes have been ruled out (recent stress, other illnesses, etc.) then that may be the potential cause or a contributing factor.

      Reply
  70. I read that you should not take iodine if you have Hashimoto’s… but your T3 Booster(which I purchased)!has 75 mg…. can I take these or no? Have not yet and have not shown to my Dr.
    Thank you!!

    Sara Blazo

    Reply
    • Hi Sara,

      Many people believe this but they don’t realize that iodine is essential for proper thyroid function and it must be taken in some way. You MUST consume iodine in food or take supplements whether you have Hashimoto’s or not because if you don’t then you will worsen your thyroid function. Some people believe that taking isolated iodine can worsen Hashimoto’s, but this almost never occurs if you take it with Selenium/Zinc both of which are in the supplement you are referencing. It’s a common misconception, but it is mostly just an unfounded fear. Many patients that take iodine (even those with Hashimoto’s) actually feel better. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  71. Hi Dr Childs

    Please advise – my antibodies are decreasing using better diet and life style and my T4 T3 and TSH are now all in the normal range but I still have 361 TPOs please advise how long these peroxidade antibodies live in the system before they die.

    Many thanks Ree

    Reply
    • Hi Ree,

      They are produced by your immune system so they will stay in your body as long as you are producing them.

      Reply
  72. Very informative. I’ve been following you for a few months now. On the website and youtube since I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism and recently,confirmed hashimoto’s. Please continue sharing your knowledge on these conditions, very helpful 🙂

    Reply
  73. Dr. Childs,

    I have been suffering for month’s, my TSH started at 139. My PCP placed me on synthroid 50mcg since February of this year. My TSH levels have come down drastically, but I am currntly taking 75 mcg and my ANTIBODY levels just came back at 462, is the number. I feel horrible I have lost almost 40 lbs in the last 6 months. I feel the Synthroid is only making my symptoms worse. EXTREMELY Tired, but panicky, shaky, racing thoughts, forgetfulness, confusion, brain fog, VERY HIGH ANXIETY and sleepless nights. I am now seeing an Endocrinologist, but I was VERY limited, with the few of these specialists that accept my insurance. My Dr. thinks it may be a COMBO of Hashimoto’s & Graves Disease possibly, but no definitive answer, only says its Hashimoto’s. I am down to 123 lbs, I was 160lbs before I started feeling “OFF” and losing weight very drastically, and cannot afford to lose anymore weight nor feel horrible everyday. Do you have ANY advice??? I am starting to feel hopeless on getting answers or why I cannot even maintain my weight, when in fact, I am eating. I am encouraged by the information within this article regarding the best diets to follow.

    Reply
  74. I’m really in need of some help. Since having my daughter more than a year ago I’ve had so many issues with my thyroid. At first my thyroid was in overdrive (so much so that I lost a very large amount of weight in two weeks and had to take medicine to slow my heart rate) shortly after my thyroid stopped working. I’ve since gained a lot of weight and my body hurts everywhere but mostly in my back. I can barely walk and I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment complex without an elevator.
    I’m 24 with a 1 year old and I can’t work, take care of my daughter much less myself because of the exshaustion and pain.
    It seems like my doctors have given up on helping me and I’m so incredibly frustrated. My last test results were as follows.
    Thyroid Peroxidase Ab 5062.9 U/mL
    Thyroglobulin 21 ng/mL
    Anti-thyroglobulin 123 U/mL
    TSH 0.220 mclU/mL

    The only thing my doctor is having me do is take levothyroxine 75mg every day.
    And blood tests every now and again.

    I’m tying to go gluten free after reading this but since I can’t eat meat (it hurts my stomach and I end up throwing up) the other diets seem very restrictive and not something I can maintain.

    Reply
  75. With the meds they gave me for my Hashimoto’s it appears to be contained. Then last week they ran another test on my thyroid antibody and was shocked. Any thing under 30 is normal mine was 186. People the doc told me I was ok because of my range. Don’t feel fine or good for that matter. Looking for advice cause after all these years my trust in docs is fading…186 wow…no wonder I do not feel well.

    Reply
    • Hi Jamie,

      Most physicians do not focus on treating antibodies but instead they focus on managing the thyroid with medication. You might be able to impact your antibodies by taking the steps listed in this post, though!

      Reply
  76. Dr Childs,

    In March 2018 my TPO was 526, TSH 2.5. I had a toxic reaction to Levothyroxine and almost died. Since March I have totally changed my diet and have been treating the digestive and adrenal naturally with all the diet and supplements you recommend minus the DHEA. My endocrinologist basically recommended everything you did. In June 2018 the TPO was 418 and TSH 3.1 but I had started to feel better minus my hair is still over shedding and created a part where I never had one before. Today I received Aug TPO and its back up to 518 and TSH is 2.5. Clearly, I am not getting better. Do I need to do another elimination diet? Start taking DHEA?
    Thank you! K

    Reply
  77. Hello, I have a question my thyroid levels came back all normal except the thyroglobulin which was elevated. Does this mean I automatically have an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s? I also have IBS so I am wondering if it could be this as well. I was told I had an autoimmune disease due to the elevated thyroglobulin and was wondering what I could do to decrease it. My TPO was negative for antibodies but thyroglobulin tested positive for antibodies. What does it mean and how can I treat it to reduce inflammation with meds, or supplements and diet restrictions? Thank You.

    Reply
    • Hi Amanda,

      No, the presence of antibodies does not necessarily mean you have Hashimoto’s but there is a very high chance that that is the case. The information in this post should help you to treat the raised antibodies in a natural way.

      Reply
  78. Hello, I have a six year old diagnosed with Hashimotos and two other autoimmune problems TPO are 222 and Thyroglobulin Antibody are 1122.5HIGH. taking Synthroid 25
    I’m told not to change the diet because still growing. I would like to know if any of this diets would be ok to use on a six year old? Thank you

    Reply
    • Hi Dee,

      A healthy diet shouldn’t be a problem for a young child as long as you are getting a sufficient amount of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and calories in their body so they can grow normally. There are plenty of other kids who grow up on things like McDonald’s and other unhealthy foods and these diets are far superior when compared to that type of standard American diet.

      Reply
  79. Hi Dr Childs,

    The biochemistry of my niece recently came out ANTI TPO Chemiluminescence as >1300. She is 18 yrs old. We are from India. How should we take this forward. awaiting your suggestions.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  80. Dr. Child’s,
    I am a pharmacist in a rural area of Texas and I have a large practice of HRT both women and men for the last twelve years. I began this part of my practice for similar reasons as you stated keep you doing your blog and this aspect of your practice. I just discovered your blog about two weeks ago and have been reading ferociously trying to educate myself as to why my patients have not lost weight after we have balanced their sex hormones. I look at T4, T3, and when I suspected reverse T3 and I recommend treatment when necessary.
    I work with three to four physicians in managing these patients, but after reading your blog feel that I have failed to treat them completely. My current question is “at what dosage of naltrexone should I begin treating a menopausal patient ?”
    Should I double the dose if the patient has bad fibromyalgia?
    If you would prefer to discuss these questions privately, use my email or we could arrange phone conversation if you prefer.
    I would appreciate the guidance so I can continue your ministry/mission here in rural area.
    Dennis, DPh.

    Reply
    • Hi Dennis,

      As a general rule, I usually start at the lowest dose and then increase based off of the need. A lot of the changes in dosage that I make are based on the patient and clinical intuition so I can’t really give you any hard and fast rules on this one.

      Reply
  81. I have a question about what vegetarians can eat because I am at an absolute loss. In 2017 I was diagnosed with Hashimotos and put on 25 micrograms of Synthroid. That doctor told me I could eat anything. I switched doctors because she gave the impression she didn’t want to really do anything unless surgery was necessary. At the first visit with the new doctor he took me off of Synthroid because he said only people who are pregnant should be on a dose that low. He also said I have a goiter and two nodules. I am 41 and have been a vegetarian since I was 7. I will soon be looking for a new doctor because I don’t think an appointment should be a grand total of 3 minutes and he bluntly told me that my questions about what causes my conditions are not relevant and if there is something relevant he will tell me. His 3 minute appointment had led me to do a considerable amount of research. I am confused because he gave me a sheet that says to avoid food with iodine but some websites have said thyroids need iodine. Your website says to avoid the same foods that are on his sheet. I am 41 years old and have been a vegetarian since I was 7. For decades I have lived off of beans, cheese, pastas and eggplant dishes. Just last week I had a gorgonzola salad in a bread bowl topped with tomatoes, red peppers and tons of cheese. The next day I had a pasta dish that contained tofu, cheese, potatoes and broccoli. For dinner than same day I had a three bean chili with cheese. I am now at a loss for what to eat. What can vegetarians eat if they avoid all of the foods on your list? Eating plain salad is boring and not healthy. Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want to deprive my body of needed nutrients that come from cheese and beans so I am wondering how vegetarians can get the proper amount of calcium and protein.

    Reply
  82. Hello, I came across this article while trying to make sense of my 14 yr old boy’s blood test. His Tpo is 2412( not a typo) he has a nice size nodule on his parathyroid and his tag is back up to 7.2
    I am at a loss as to how to help! We are seeing an endocrinologist, and we have a repeat sonogram today to see if it’s grown or not. With him being so young, would the supplements be ok for him to take to lower levels?

    Reply
    • Hi Alicia,

      I would be sure to touch base with your pediatrician before using any of the therapies listed in this article.

      Reply
  83. Hello,

    I have a friend w/hypothyroidism. His iodine and selenium blood /urine test values are extremely high. He does not take these in additional supplements, so the high values are confusing. Any ideas?
    Thanking you in advance.
    Joene

    Reply
  84. Hello Doctor,
    My TPO level as of late was >1200. My current doctor says not to worry because my TSH is 1.8. I am very worried. My heart is now being affected. I hope to try and start working on correcting my diet soon a long with taking supplements. Is there a study that I can present to my doctor to encourage other lab testing and treatments?
    Thank you,
    Nicole

    Reply
    • Hi Nicole,

      Yes, there are many studies. At the end of each of my articles is a list of studies that I reference throughout the article to back up my claims.

      Reply
  85. Hello Dr. Childs, Do you recommend AIP Diet for a Type 1 Diabetic (40 years)? I also have Hashimoto’s for three years now. I just had my TPO and TSH rechecked and my TPO is 2007 TSH 4.79. My doctor increase my Synthroid. She said my thyroid is under attack. I have not been feeling good for months and I knew it was thyroid related. I am thinking about trying the T3 Conversion Booster. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Pam,

      I make the recommendation to use AIP based on the individual but there is no reason that someone with type I diabetes shouldn’t use that particular diet. It may not be a good idea for other reasons, however. In regards to supplements, in your case I would look at the following:

      2 Capsules of Thyroid Adrenal Reset Complex daily
      2 scoops of Functional Fuel DETOX daily
      Pure D3 Liquid 2 drops daily
      1-2 Capsules of Omega Soothe SR daily

      These are ideal for reducing inflammation while simultaneously promoting thyroid function.

      Reply
  86. Dr. Child’s,
    I recently was diagnosed with Hashimotos. I have TPO of over 3700. I have never seen anyone as high as mine. My thyroid hormones are all normal and other than fatigue, brain fog, and anxiety my symptoms aren’t too bad. My ND started me on selenium, LDN, bit d, b complex, diflucan, probiotics, and fish oil. The LDN seems to be suppressing my diet a lot. I’ve lost almost 20 lbs in just under a month. I’ve been told to follow up with more blood work to establish a consistent baseline, yet I want to wait until I’ve given the supplements and LDN enough time to actually reflect in the blood work. Please advise.

    Thank you,
    Dave

    Reply
  87. Hello Dr Child’s,

    It’s very nice of you to answer so many questions. I got diagnosed a year ago with Hashimoto’s. My TPO was at 116. I made all the changes you mentioned in this article plus more and have been feeling better and better. My TPO reading keeps going up. It is now at 400. I was wondering what causes the TPO to keep going up when I’m doing better? The only thing I can think of is sodium? Would that effect my reading? I crave green olives like crazy and eat 20 to 40 green olives a day. My other thyroid ranges seem to be balanced out thanks to nature-Throid. Thanks

    Reply
  88. I am experiencing chronic hives, beginning last month after a viral illness. And also possibly due to an increase in stress, and an increase in disinfectant use (which generally irritates me). I had chronic hives years ago, and my doctor found that I had elevated thyroid antibodies. Other thyroid markers were in the normal range. This eventually cleared up, and I was free of hives for years, until last month. Is there anything I can do to help alleviate the hives? Would iodine help or hurt? Selenium? Zinc? We are currently in a “stay at home” situation due to the current pandemic, and I would like to try to alleviate the hives through dietary changes if possible. Thank you.

    Reply
  89. I have recently found your podcast and am loving all the info! Thank you! I have off the chart antibodies and have been able to begin to lower them (off the chart = TPO 3318 down from over 10K) I am slowly sorting through where I am and where I want to be. I have one thyroid nodule, am not overweight (fasting insulin = 1). Most inflammation numbers are fine. I am looking forward to learning more as I dig into your website. Thanks again!!

    Reply
  90. Hi Dr. Childs,

    I’ve been taking LDN now for about two years. I recently took notice of my labs and noticed that about the time I began taking LDN, my Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio has increased to >4. Perhaps this is coincidental and something else is going on, but have you ever heard of either neutrophil increasing or lymphocytes decreasing with the use of LDN? If so, would I be more susceptible to poor outcomes, (cancer, heart disease, Covid-19, etc) or would this not be considered a marker if the cause in fact was from the immunomodulating effects of the LDN? The Neutrophils and Lymphocytes are in the normal range, and I have no other indicators of inflammation. Low CRP, homocysteine, etc.

    Thanks for any insight.

    Patty

    Reply
  91. I am immensely grateful for all this information- thank you. I have a strong family history of thyroid/autoimmune conditions (sister Hashis, mum thyroiditis, cousins uncles and aunts with Hashis/Graves) – I’ve just shared your blog posts with a couple of them.

    Growing up (i’m now 27) i’ve had various vague symptoms which could be attributable to a thyroid condition, but am still euthyroid. I’ve had some problems with temperature regulation, persistently low weight, fatigue, insomnia, depression/anxiety/ADHD, nails which break easily or won’t grow and most recently and distressingly hair thinning/loss. I have always had elevated antibodies with normal range everything else – recent bloods showed TPO (lately 292 IU/mL), Tg (31.6 IU/mL), FT3 (4.3 pmol/L), FT4 (14.6 pmol/L), TSH (2.31 mIU/L).

    No one seems particularly worried about these numbers, and I wouldn’t be either if I wasn’t suffering from all these symptoms. Trying to understand where to go from here.

    Reply
  92. Hi. According to blood work i had a month ago My Thyroperoxidase antibodies are 17.98, homocysteine 6.35, Free T3 2.94, Free T4 1.00, TSH .6904, selenium 316 (it said it was verified by a repeat analysis), vit D is 50 (I have been taking 10,000 daily as it was very low two years ago). I also have high levels of zinc in my body along with other toxins according to a hair metals test . I suffer from fatigue, asthma, pain, urticaria, Major exacerbation of all symptoms when I ovulate and about 7-10 days before my period. I also have severe executive function disorder and taking medication for adhd.
    I recently started a low dose of testosterone cream and within 2 weeks I noticed my energy levels have improved. My gyno and an endocrinologist I met with advised me to discontinue the testosterone cream despite the benefits. Another practitioner had prescribed it to me alone with low dose naltrexone 3mg.
    I also have tachycardia and currently working out everyday in effort to lower my resting heart rate. I am very thin, and so not have an issue with weight gain.
    I cannot get an actual diagnosis other than adrenal fatigue… I am becoming increasingly more depressed and now have a lot of anxiety as I don’t know what is causing these issues nor do my doctors. If anyone has any suggestions or has experienced anything similar, please feel free to reply. Thank you!

    Reply
  93. Thank you for your article. On different occasions, over the last few years, I have tried testosterone cream, LDN and most every other way to lower Thyroid antibodies. I took LDN for over a year which in fact made anxiety levels increase. My cardiologist and holistic GYN (that also has a side practice of hormonal balance) both just took me off testosterone after being on it for 3 years as my levels became too high, and I came down with DVT in my lower leg and am now on Xarelto. Although the doctor that prescribed testosterone cream disagrees and told me high testosterone levels in women are protective. After doing some reading myself, I don’t think so. Still Thyroglobulin antibodies are greater than 1000, and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies are 176. I was on compounded porcine thyroid until it became so expensive pharmacies will not carry it. I am now on WP thyroid. I also have celiac disease and therefore eat no gluten. I also eat no sugar as I break out in welts….rare but it happens, so I completely avoid added sugar of any kind. Since I have avoided salt, my SVT, PVC’s, & PAC’s have disappeared, unless my magnesium levels drop in which I am told chronic Lyme can deplete magnesium levels. I get TSH, FT4, FT3, T3, T4, and antibodies checked frequently. Also Reverse T3 is normal at 13 (range 8-25ng/dl). All doctors I have gone to say that I just have to live with high thyroid antibodies. I am under a lot of stress right now moving to an Assisted Living due to my husband’s dementia, and thus my anxiety and sometimes depression get overwhelming. My one doctor says high antibodies could be a factor in the way I feel, but I have had high antibodies for over 15 years that I know of. Besides hashimoto’s and celiac disease, I have many other autoimmune diseases including arthritic autoimmune Lyme disease (misdiagnosed 45 years, after being told my Lyme symptoms were all in my head, until about 10 years ago, I figured out myself I had Lyme disease & found a LLMD, (Lyme Literate MD) that knew what testing to have.) The CDC & IDSA say chronic Lyme does not exist BTW, yet I was called by the Health Department wanting to know where I acquired Lyme Disease. I have Babesia from ticks misdiagnosed for over 45 years also, plus collagenous colitis (diagnosed w/biopsy) and lichen sclerosis that improved greatly after completely quitting sugar. I also read somewhere that sometimes, rare also, that in some people the body can reject porcine thyroid hormone as foreign and thus create antibodies. Many, many years ago I was on synthetic T3/T4 which did not work very well, not counting Sinthyroid (my spelling) I was on that made me worse and had to change doctors in order to try a T3 thyroid med. as I was told T3 was not taught in med school and that I needed to see a psychiatrist as my symptoms were a mental problem. Luckily the psychiatrist realized I needed to find another doctor as lack of T3 could be a problem. No kidding. So as you can see, I have not had great experiences with the medical profession and am very particular who I go to. I am 81 years old and it’s a God send I am still alive especially being that breast cancer is predominant in my family. My treatment and protocols for that over the years are another story in itself, in which many also do not agree. Being my mother and her sister both had breast cancer in their 60s, I thank God I have avoided it thus far whereas I have a cousin that has had a similar problem with cancer. If you have any advice as to how I can lower my thyroid antibodies after so many years and have an opinion on the body rejecting porcine thyroid hormone, I would be interested in hearing it. Enough said in this novel and thank you for your time.

    Reply
  94. Hi!

    I am 39 years old and have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. My TPO antibodies have dropped from 1300 to 240 in 8 months of AIP diet.

    I chose to do this diet without professional help, after a lot of reading and considering I had abnormal IgG and genetic predisposition to celiac disease (I knew something was off with the way my body reacted to food, even “healty food” like potatoes, tomatoes, legume, chili pepper, rice, quinoa, chia seeds …).

    I have a lot fewer symptoms as well (initially: dizziness, geographic tongue and tongue ulcers, digestive issues, goitre with voice change and trouble swallowing when I lay down, hair loss, …).

    Thank you for the ideas that might help me lower my antibodies. I find it is a shame that professionnals are not helping me keeping my TSH in the normal range instead of telling me I will need medication in 6 months to 1 year (it is still normal after 8 months, fingers crossed).

    Thank you for this article.

    Reply
  95. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 7 years ago. I had never heard of Hashimotos until recently. I almost cried reading all the symptoms of Hashimotos because it is me, everything I experience. I requested the antibodies test from my doctor, but my TPO came back a 3 and all other testing is in normal range. My doctor told we everything was negative and my thyroid is fine. I don’t feel fine, so confused and don’t know what to do at this point. Does a number or antibodies even if it’s a 3, below<30 range still mean your thyroid is attacking itself? If there is a presence at all, even if it's considered in range and low, what does this mean, is it normal?

    Reply
  96. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s about 10 yrs. ago and was only taking Liothyronine as treatment until recently I found a functional medicine dr. in my area that also has this illness herself. She immediately had me do the Paleo AIP diet, suggested supplements to improve my gut health and Vit. D. levels, and increase my intake of Omega 3 fish oil. Since April 2022 I have experienced amazing improvement in my digestion, energy levels, vertigo disappeared, 20 lb. weight loss, brain fog gone, skin clearer, and more positive mood. I am now in the process of gradually reintroducing foods. I would encourage anyone with this condition to give this diet a try. I like that I can control this myself, no prescription necessary!

    Reply
  97. Hello from Scotland Dr Childs.

    I knew about being able to reduce my thyroid antibodies but didn’t realise about having to change your diet. My antibodies have been coming down gradually. One is now 206.3 range 0/115 and the other 197.6 range 0/34 my only symptom was and still is constipation. I’m currently on t4/t3 medication and recently had to increase my t4 due to my low t3 and t4.

    Reply
  98. Hi from the UK,
    Thank you for your article. I’ve just had a Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody test come back at 1176 iu/ml. The THS level was 3. I’m 32 and feel pretty healthy so it’s a shock. Me and husband were about to start IVF after a long wait and the clinic wanted to do a thyroid test because I hadn’t done one. Now they won’t proceed with IVF treatment and I’m heart broken. Can’t get a doctor’s appointment until next month. What’s the best thing I can do in the meantime to try and bring this number down? Any advice would be appreciated.

    Reply
  99. Hi there. Thank you for all the information. I have a slightly enlarged thyroid with a small nodule in the left side. It is noticeable when I swallow but a biopsy shows no cancer or other immediate concern. My tsh, t3, and t4 are normal, but my TPO is >1300. I was told I was “born with this” and it’s “hereditary” and that my thyroid would “eventually burn itself out” and there was nothing I could do. I had a series of blood tests and the Antinuclear Antibodies, IFA did come back positive. I have been waiting four months for an appointment with a rheumatologist.

    I am a 52 year old fairly active female who has had neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist (and other joint pain) now for a couple of years and I prefer not to just do nothing. I have been told that gluten in the United States is bad but gluten from countries like Italy is fine. I have been trying to decrease my intake of gluten here in the US using Italian flour to make pasta and bread, along with the addition of anti inflammatory supplements to help with the inflammation. Is there anything else I could be doing on my own to help with my situation? My medical team seems to think there isn’t anything I can do to improve things. Thank you

    Reply
  100. Hello Dr Childs,
    I was diagnosed in 2008 with Hashimoto’s. My integrative Doctor test routinely all her patients. I have yet to have any symptoms and I just don’t understand why i don’t. I have been on Levothyroxine since 2008. for years i did the lowest does and now i am on 44 mcg everyday. My antibodies fluctuate from 85 to 120 over the years. What do you think is the reason I have no symptoms?

    Reply
  101. Even endocrinologists do not want to do full thyroid testing and insist that nothing can be done about TPO. I beg to differ…my TPO was 2400+ – right? Since I eliminated gluten, most dairy and soy, my levels have decreased to 124 at my last check!! My goal has been under a 100 – just a number I was aiming for. I also have been able to reduce my meds from 90mg to 45mg – NP Thyroid, Armour and NatureThroid.
    I exercise although it’s hard to monitor because I am paced due to a congenital heart block but I can feel it in my breathing and wear a pulse monitor to keep an eye on the pulse. My weight is normal and fairly low according to the charts.
    It’s been 8 yrs since I went GF – can I really start introducing it back into my diet. This summer I tried eating sour dough but ended up with severe indigestion. I don’t know if the gluten was the cause or if it was too much too soon.

    Reply
    • Hi Joyce,

      Glad to hear you’ve had so much success! It’s possible that you might tolerate some forms of gluten, but not if you have Celiac disease. There are certainly some people who can tolerate ancient non-hybridized grain like Kamut and einkorn, after improving their overall gut health.

      Reply

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