<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Summary of responses to absorption query:


The consensus is that yes, it's unrealistic to expect improved absorption in just 5 weeks.  Age is a factor one must consider (i.e., children and teens heal faster, while adults take longer, etc.), as well as the degree of damage to the villi at the start of the GF diet.

Specific responses:

--one respondent said it took about 1.5 yrs GF for her to stop being anemic (that's with significant iron supplementation).

--3-6 months was a frequently cited length of time for seeing some (not necessarily complete) improvement.

--one listmember said that his thyroid dose hasn't changed despite 12 yrs on a strict GF diet--some thyroid conditions work differently and dosage wouldn't always shift with intestinal healing.

--another said it took her 2.5 years to see improved absorption, but noted that she had a great deal of villous damage.

--a direct quotation from a listmember: 
"a gf diet alone can take up to 5 years to heal the gut.  BUT my nutrtionist, who teaches on the graduate level, says that by TAKING WITH EACH MEAL ONE PROBIOTICS COMPLEX...GET THE NON-REFRIGERATED..AND ONE L=GLUTAMINE you can short chiruit it to 3 months.  You will start to feel better within a few days.  

The probioitcs is a super acidophilus which heals the gut and the glutamine is an amino acid which acts as a catalyst.  

The leaky gut that you have also makes you lactose intolerant.  soooooo, do not consume cow's milk products while you are healing.  No milk, cheese, margarine, ice cream etc.  You can eat goat's milk products since they are naturally lactose free"

--a number of people mentioned this caution against dairy products--that consuming dairy might slow the healing process.

--one person said it took 9 months to see significantly improved absorption.

--a couple of people said that their absorption problems have persisted to a degree despite confirmed villous healing.

--one person said it took 4 years to get back down to a reasonable thyroid dose and that the process was quite gradual.

Comments on synthroid:

--one person recommended Armour natural thyroid instead of synthroid.

--another said that Synthroid is NOT GF--though I've seen other info stating that it is.  Anyone have up-to-date info on this question?

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