Hashimoto’s thyroid and thyroiditis: what it is, how to cure it and why it is better to keep it under control

When you think about health, you often focus on heart, lungs or brain. Still, there is a small gland in our neck that plays an essential role: the thyroid. On the occasion of the World Thyroid Week We deepen the awareness of the importance for our body of this gland, on whose mal operation often depend symptoms such as tiredness and weight gain

«The thyroid is an endocrine gland that produces thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). These hormones They regulate basal metabolism, influence the growth, brain development and the functioning of many organs, as well as controlling body temperature and energy consumption “explains the Professor Andrea Giustina, Endocrinology primary of the IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital and Endocrinology Ordinary of the Vita – Health San Raffaele University, and adds «The thyroid is particularly important for Three functions: metabolic, cardiovascular and cerebral. As for the first, this gland produces hormones catabolicthat is, they destroy physiologically Energy deposits – that the body generally store in the form of fat – producing precisely energy for the functioning of the body. We then have the function cardiovascular so the thyroid stimulates the functioning of the Heart. Finally we have The Festa areathat is, the thyroid is very important for it brain development, both in the fetus and in the newbornbut also for the maintenance of cognitive functions in adults “.

Professor Giustina, what can be the main thyroid pathologies? Is it true that the most affected are women?
«The main thyroid pathologies include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, goiter (swelling of the thyroid), Thyroid nodules benign or malignantAnd thyroiditis. Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid, which can be acute, underbacuta or chronic, and which can alter the thyroid function causing temporary or permanent hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. It is true that thyroid pathologies affect the women Compared to men, and in particular this happens for Autoimmune thyroiditislike the Hashimoto thyroiditisa chronic autoimmune disease that can go unnoticed for years ».

Autoimmune and nodular thyroid pathologies

“The pathologies of the thyroid can be roughly divided into two types”, distinguishes Giustina. «On the one hand there are so -called pathologies autoimmune, When the body does not recognize the thyroid and the gland becomes target of an autoimmune reaction and attacked by antibodies. Or we have diseases on nodular base: Within the thyroid nodules can be developed that can alter the function or have a malignant nature, therefore be tumors. Autoimmune thyroid pathologies are – like all other autoimmune diseases – much more frequent in the female sex. And that’s what alloy The thyroid to the woman, because substantially autoimmunity is mainly feminine ».

Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism

Furthermore, “the autoimmune diseases of the thyroid can give both excessive release of hormones, that is hyperthyroidismof which the best known form is the Basedow-Graves disease, Or they can have an inflammatory right -handed inflammatory action of the thyroid. This leads to one progressive reduction in the production of thyroid hormones and forms of chronic thyroiditis like the Hashimoto thyroiditisthe most common of these.

Hashimoto thyroiditis, when does it manifest?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis mainly affects the female genre and can sometimes already arise in pediatric agealthough most cases develop from ten years and rarely before the public era. “It is a disease that usually has one subtle onset », specifies the Professor Valentino Cherubini, President of the Italian Society of Endocrinology and Pediatric Diabetology (SEDP). «It tends to manifest themselves slowly in the course of life: women do not rarely notice during pregnancy, in making the exams prescribed to verify the thyroid function. Generally, if the hashimoto thyroiditis appears in evolutionary age, the symptoms It is linked to a slowdown in growth; When instead this thyroid pathology affects the woman in the most advanced age, sometimes there is a slight increase in weight. It is possible, but it is not frequent, that a person who perhaps has never made investigations for the thyroid investigations – because, in fact, the signals of the thyroiditis of hashimoto are subtle – an excess of weight can be associated: in that case it is naturally resolved by putting the values ​​and production of thyroid hormones in place. But these are rather rare or at least frequent cases ».

Hashimoto thyroiditis: what are the symptoms

• Weight gain
• Constant tiredness
• Cold intolerance
• Dry skin
• Depression
• Concentration difficulty
• Digestive disorders and abdominal swelling

“Hashimoto’s thyroiditis leads to hypothyroidism, that is to the Reduction of the thyroid function and the reduction of the functioning of the metabolism “, confirms Giustina. «Consequently, in lack of thyroid hormones no more energy is produced, than instead it accumulates in the form of adipose tissue and therefore there is a weight gain “. In some cases, the disease can start silently and become evident only after years.

«Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease. To cure it and reduce this autoimmunity, we should use therapies such as long -term cortisone, causing side effects that are not justified by the severity of the pathology, which is not a serious pathology: therefore we simply do not care for thyroiditis, but we possibly take care of the hypothyroidism that is created. By the doctor », specifies Giustina” would be a real Error treat hashimoto’s thyroiditis Because basically the patient would be exposed to unjustified side effects. Rather one is prescribed replacement care to be followed alwaysthat is, the intake of the lack of thyroid hormone, the levotiroxina, with the recommendation to take it at least 20-30 minutes before breakfast in the morning: otherwise, if you are not completely fasting, it is not absorbed by the body».

But if a patient with hashimoto syndrome, while regularly assuming the replacement hormone, remains equally overweight, it is possible to undertake a slimming diet? “Certainly, Since the overweight can be multifactorial, “concludes Professor Giustina. «Overweight can improve but not completely disappear into an hypothyroid patient in optimal replacement therapy with the thyroid hormone. In this case, it is advisable to undertake a dietary path whose choice will depend on the specific case and any comorbidity, for example diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia ».

Hashimoto thyroiditis: nutrition, familiarity and coexistence with other autoimmune types

Inscription hashimoto with best nutrition food for Healthy Thyroid. Natural Eating Contaring Vitamins and Mineralsratmaner

If Hashimoto’s thyroiditis has been diagnosed, are there foods to avoid? “In this case they are not there,” says Cherubini “since it is a disease on Autoimmune baseAnd Nutrition does not represents a etiological factorthat is, a cause. I would instead highlight The fact that the hashimoto’s thyroiditis affects the female genrewith relationship 10 to one compared to the male one, and has among its characteristics the Familiarity: therefore it would be appropriate that even the other members of the family, in particular if women, made a check to check the level of thyroid hormones in the blood “

Another theme, then, is linked to the other possible ones Autoimmune Associable Diseases to the thyroiditis of hashimoto. “The most frequent can be the celiac disease and the type 1 diabetes, “adds Cherubini. “The point of contact between these diseases is and is always autoimmunity. We therefore check to check if these and other autoimmune pathologies are present ».

Thyroid dysfuctions, what to eat?

There are some foods that they must never be missing in the pantry of those who suffer from thyroid dysfunctions, as the Dr. Serena Missori In a previous interview a Vanity Fair:“First of all, Cereals and pseudocereals gluten -free such as rice, quinoa, buckwheat, mile; tubers and tuberous roots; quality proteins as organic eggs, lamb, pig; vegetables biological, 0 km or controlled supply chain such as asparagus, carrots, bieta, artichokes, radicchio; fruit biological, 0 km or controlled supply chain such as pineapple, avocado, oranges, apples; And healthy fats like extra virgin olive or avocado oil; coconut flour; Finally seeds oily like linen, hemp and sunflower e oily fruit Like almonds, walnuts, Brazil walnuts, hazelnuts ».