Absense of gastric intrinsic factor due to Hasimotos - can foods help? page

[YogaBare]

My mum suffers from Pernicious Anemia (which is an inability to absorb vit b12). It caused by an absense of a glycoprotein in the stomach called gastric intrinsic factor. (the destruction / inability to create gastric intrinsic factor is a side effect of Hashimotos, which she has).

I've been trying to research if there are any foods which can help the body generate gastric intrinsic factor, but havent found anything yet. Does anyone know of anything? I've already gotten her to change her diet a bit - she's given up bread, and I'm making her increase her fruit intake (basically a thyroid supporting diet).

Anything people know would be really appreciated!

[emmie]

Since this problem is one of malabsorption due to the absence of a glycoprotein in the stomach, I don't see how any 'foods' could help, since they are subject to whatever the conditions of a person's digestive system .

My understanding is that the anemia is treated with B12 shots that bypass the digestive tract and provide the B12 directly.

[YogaBare]

Since this problem is one of malabsorption due to the absence of a glycoprotein in the stomach, I don't see how any 'foods' could help, since they are subject to whatever the conditions of a person's digestive system .

My understanding is that the anemia is treated with B12 shots that bypass the digestive tract and provide the B12 directly.

Yip, that's right, and she's getting the injections. But I was thinking that perhaps there are some foods that support the creation of this glycoprotein... The same way that parsley is reputed to help the body make collagen?

[YogaBare]

Ahh- misspelled 'absence'... hate that!!

[Neckhammer]

Just remember that Hashimoto's is actually an autoimmune disorder. Removing grains is an absolute necessity IMO. After that you may look into paleo autoimmune protocols. Things that really ramp up the actual thyroid (not peripheral conversion like your talking about with fruit)......like iodine can actually be quite like pouring gas on the fire in the case of Hashimoto's. Nobody really can give much in the way of specific advice without the test results, but B12 injections may be doable (whoops see you already covered this).

A post about the autoimmune approach:

http://robbwolf.com/2012/05/18/paleo...mmune-illness/

http://robbwolf.com/2012/08/27/rever...yroid-disease/

There are practitioners like Chris Kessler that have been trained by Dr. Kharrazian if your willing to look for them http://thyroidbook.com/

[lemontwisst]

I also deal with pernicious anemia, though due to having undergone gastric bypass surgery nearly 10 years ago. My go-to solution is to take sublingual B12 supplements - they melt away under the tongue and the B12 goes directly into the bloodstream. That said, I find my need to take B12 has decreased sharply since switching to a primal diet...

[yodiewan]

This sounds like a great question for Chris Kresser's podcast. He is a proponent of letting food be medicine, but does recommend supplements in some cases.

He has several articles on Hashimoto's and on pernicious anemia and B12, but I don't think he has addressed them in conjunction with one another.

Try sending him a question. Maybe it will make it into the next podcast: Submit a Podcast Question

[namelesswonder]

I was also going to recommend autoimmune paleo.

[YogaBare]

Cheers for the replies everyone

Just remember that Hashimoto's is actually an autoimmune disorder. Removing grains is an absolute necessity IMO. After that you may look into paleo autoimmune protocols. Things that really ramp up the actual thyroid (not peripheral conversion like your talking about with fruit)......like iodine can actually be quite like pouring gas on the fire in the case of Hashimoto's. Nobody really can give much in the way of specific advice without the test results, but B12 injections may be doable (whoops see you already covered this).

A post about the autoimmune approach:

Paleo Diet For Autoimmune illness

Robb Wolf - Testimonial - Reversing Autoimmune Thyroid

There are practitioners like Chris Kessler that have been trained by Dr. Kharrazian if your willing to look for them New Book on Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's by Datis Kharrazian, DHSc, DC, MS

Thanks for the links NH. Am I missing something though - I don't see how they modified their diets? Other than giving up gluten.

This sounds like a great question for Chris Kresser's podcast. He is a proponent of letting food be medicine, but does recommend supplements in some cases.

He has several articles on Hashimoto's and on pernicious anemia and B12, but I don't think he has addressed them in conjunction with one another.

Try sending him a question. Maybe it will make it into the next podcast: Submit a Podcast Question

Cheers yodiewan - that's a great idea, will do!

[emmie]

I'm assuming this is ONE aspect of Hashimoto's that only afflicts some people. I ask because I have Hashimoto's, and when my T3 dropped recently, my endo checked my B12 level, along with T3 to see if that was the cause of the fatigue I was experiencing. My B12 is off-the-charts high, so clearly my Hashi's hasn't yet caused the gastric intrinsic factor--and I hope it never will.

On my next visit, I plan to ask my endo about this because when I began experiencing conversion problems (another aspect of Hashi's), it was very sudden, and my endo told me that it's impossible to predict how Hashi's will progress in any individual. I want to know whether the gastric intrinsic factor is in my future, too.