hypothyroidism and iron deficiency?

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GirlWithCookies
GirlWithCookies Posts: 138 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 3 years ago and it has been fine with medication. I recently found out that I have an iron deficiency and was told to take iron supplements, and so far that's been fine. What I'm wondering about is the link between hypothyroidism and iron deficiency.

First of all, what is the difference between iron deficiency and anemia? I see both of these terms, and sometimes it seems like they're synonyms, but other times it will say "iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia." If I had to guess, I would think that there's an iron level threshold where simple deficiency becomes anemia, but I'm not sure. I also read that hypothyroidism can cause an iron deficiency, but I don't really understand how. I'm seeing my doctor again in May, and I don't mind waiting that long to ask about this stuff (the receptionists/nurses don't like to answer medical questions over the phone). But in the meantime, does anyone have any reliable resources that explain the link between hypothyroidism and iron deficiency, plus the actual difference between iron deficiency and anemia?

I have some other medical conditions, but they are all manageable. However, if I was able to find out that they were all connected, everything would just make a lot more sense. And if better management of all these conditions allowed for easier weight loss, that would be an added bonus.

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  • DietVanillaCoke
    DietVanillaCoke Posts: 259 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Iron deficiency turns into anemia. If your GP has said you have an iron deficiency it just means you're not getting enough Iron in your diet... which will lead to anemia which you don't want. 1 year of anemia for me lead to iron transfusions and then blood. It got so bad, i was put on medications so i couldn't have a period and my GP has recommended I stop donating blood =( even once I'm back to normal. Keep following what your GP has said to do and keep going to your appointments and you should be fine.

    I think the best thing for you to do is to talk to your GP about how you have it. It's most likely caused by not getting enough Iron. If you have all your food recorded on this site it would be a great idea to show him your diet over the last 3 or so months. So long as you eat more iron and you take your compliments until your GP says otherwise you should be fine.

    https://www.endocrineweb.com/professional/research-updates/thyroid-disorders/study-looks-link-between-anemia-hypothyroidism

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10518398

    http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/linking_thyroid_problems_anemia_fatigue_and_loss_of_cognitive_ability/

    I have low thyroid lvls but i refuse to go on the replacement hormone for now. Perhaps there really is a link but my gp has told me, for myself it looks to be caused by my blood donations and lack of red meat.
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
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    Noel_57 wrote: »
    I think there is a link. I was hypothyroid for many years along with iron deficiency anemia. I had bad side effects from levothyroxin so I just lived with my hypothyroid, and could not tolerate the iron pills because of stomach upset. Then I found some coated iron pills that did not cause stomach upset. After a few months I was due for my yearly blood work, my iron level was normal and my thyroid levels had also returned to normal. Maybe coincidence, but I have never heard of thyroid function returning to normal all on its own.

    In the U.S. (and I assume in most developed countries with iodized salt) the vast majority of hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's, an auto-immune disease. With Hashi's thyroid function can fluctuate between low/normal/high for years before the thyroid conks out completely. So it's quite possible to have a high TSH (which indicates hypothyroidism) at one appointment and a normal or even low TSH (which indicates hyperthyroidism) a few months later.
  • CurlyCockney
    CurlyCockney Posts: 1,394 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Not all anaemia is caused by iron deficiency. I had folate-deficiency anaemia, and my iron levels were fine (although, obviously, my folate levels weren't). Maybe that's what they mean by "iron deficiency is the leading cause of anaemia", that the generic term 'anaemia' is most often caused by iron deficiency.

    Edited to add linky http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Anaemia-vitamin-B12-and-folate-deficiency/Pages/Introduction.aspx
  • brendak76
    brendak76 Posts: 241 Member
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    Iron deficiency is very common with celiac disease. It is common to have hashimotos and celiac together because they are both autoimmune diseases. Celiac would be worth getting checked for.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
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    Here is a list of causes of anaemia

    http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-iron-deficiency-/Pages/Causes.aspx

    As you will notice, not all are diet related.

    Basically how iron deficiency leads to anaemia though is that low iron can lead to reduced production of red blood cells. Red blood cells are made of iron joined to the haem component of haemagloblin. With insufficient iron you can't make adequate Haemoglobin, which is what they measure when they determine if you are anaemic.

    As per the link above though there are MANY causes of aneamia requiring different treatments.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
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    Here is an analysis of a study regarding links between hypothyroidism and anaemia

    https://www.endocrineweb.com/professional/research-updates/thyroid-disorders/study-looks-link-between-anemia-hypothyroidism

    keep in mind this was sourced from an online endocrine page. I have not bothered to look for the actual research paper.

    .............

    Another thing to keep in mind that hypothyroidism also has MANY causes. It might be a good idea to check with your doc about what has caused yours.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    Noel_57 wrote: »
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    In the U.S. (and I assume in most developed countries with iodized salt) the vast majority of hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's, an auto-immune disease.
    Not true. Hashimotos is actually rare, caused by antibodies which slowly damage the thyroid gland, causing subnormal levels of thyroid hormone. Most cases of hypothyroid arise from a deficiency of TSH, which comes from the pituitary gland in the brain, and stimulates the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone.

    https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/endocrine/hashimotos-disease/Pages/fact-sheet.aspx
    Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Many people with Hashimoto’s disease have no symptoms at first. As the disease slowly progresses, the thyroid usually enlarges and may cause the front of the neck to look swollen. The enlarged thyroid, called a goiter, may create a feeling of fullness in the throat, though it is usually not painful.
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Noel_57 wrote: »
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    In the U.S. (and I assume in most developed countries with iodized salt) the vast majority of hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's, an auto-immune disease.
    Not true. Hashimotos is actually rare, caused by antibodies which slowly damage the thyroid gland, causing subnormal levels of thyroid hormone. Most cases of hypothyroid arise from a deficiency of TSH, which comes from the pituitary gland in the brain, and stimulates the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone.

    Sorry, but you've got it all wrong. See @GottaBurnEmAll post above for the correct information regarding Hashimoto's. And just to clarify a bit more for you -- TSH is indeed produced by the pituitary gland. It stands for thyroid stimulating hormone and is what tells the thyroid to work harder or to take it a little easier. Doctors use it as a measurement of how well (or not) the thyroid is working. As my doctor puts it (regarding hypothyroidism) -- "TSH tells us how loud the pituitary gland is having to yell at the thyroid in an attempt to get it to work at producing T3 and T4. Sooner or later no matter how hard the pituitary gland yells the thyroid stops responding appropriately." T4 is thyroxine and T3 is triiodothyronine. Those are what are deficient when a person has hypothyroidism. TSH is the most basic way of measuring what someone's thyroid is doing. If it indicates a problem (either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism) then a full thyroid panel should be done to check all thyroid hormone levels.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,298 Member
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    Hashimotos thyroiditis is the most common form of thyroid problem. It can, usually when early in presentation, present with normal thyroid numbers and is only detected by testing for the antibodies. TSH testing alone tells one nothing really, when other t4, t3, free t3, antibody tests are added you may still only be scratching the surface, wish more doctors knew this......... Thyroid conditions are potentially far more complicated than one is given to think.

    On one site there is a list of 300 symptoms associated with anything thyroid. I suggest you read that list and see just how many of your other problems could have a thyroid impact. I would do some serious reading there are many doctors who have sites, as well as the hypothyroid mom, and stop the thyroid madness. There are mountains of academic papers available relating to the problems associated with the thyroid. My health service would have condemned me to being house and virtually bed bound, working on my own and with a nutritionist I have recovered my life.

    B12 deficiency can have thyroid connections.
  • GirlWithCookies
    GirlWithCookies Posts: 138 Member
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    Wow, thanks for all the information, everyone! Sounds like anemia can become dangerous — I'll be diligent about taking my iron supplements and hopefully my levels in my next round of blood work will be more normal. My doctor definitely said "iron deficiency," not "anemic." I looked up Hashimoto's. Yikes! But I don't have most of those symptoms, so I don't think I have that. I'm pretty confident if I just keep taking all my medications and keep the proper diet I'll be okay. If only doctors could custom design pills so their patients only had to take one pill a day for all their issues. But I dream...
  • MamaBooo
    MamaBooo Posts: 1 Member
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    So glad I found this thread! I just got diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, despite my symptoms being more hypo- than hyper-.... I've decided to ditch my GP for a naturopath and educate myself as much as possible. This thread definitely has some great info! Does anyone have any pain or swelling of their thyroid? Mine has been inflamed for 2 months and it hurts to yawn, sometimes swallow, constantly feels like I'm being choked... we couldn't pin point where the pain was coming from till a few weeks ago (it was radiating all through my neck/head/back). Just wondering what everyone else is/was experiencing...
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    please don't ditch a dr for a naturopath...
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    please don't ditch a dr for a naturopath...

    I agree. Switch GPs if yours is annoying you.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,962 Member
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    GirlWithCookies wrote: »
    Wow, thanks for all the information, everyone! Sounds like anemia can become dangerous — I'll be diligent about taking my iron supplements and hopefully my levels in my next round of blood work will be more normal. My doctor definitely said "iron deficiency," not "anemic." I looked up Hashimoto's. Yikes! But I don't have most of those symptoms, so I don't think I have that. I'm pretty confident if I just keep taking all my medications and keep the proper diet I'll be okay. If only doctors could custom design pills so their patients only had to take one pill a day for all their issues. But I dream...

    Do keep getting tested regularly and ask for it specifically. Despite being anemic for 30 years, I have to request this test with my routine bloodwork.

    I had to do some experimenting with forms of iron and amounts of supplements in order to keep both my iron counts and energy levels up. I'm currently taking iron bisglycinate, which I have no problems digesting and no constipation. One pill provides 139% of the RDA - I have to take two pills plus get iron from my diet in order to stay in Low Normal.

    I was only taking one pill, dropped back into anemic, and learned that anemia can lead to heart palpitations :(
    These have diminished now that I am taking two pills again, but my doctor didn't like the results of my two week heart monitor and I am going for an echocardiogram next week.

    None of this may relate to you at all, but it's current so on my mind. Also, there were many years when I didn't take treating my anemia seriously, something I now regret.

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