Going gluten-free is a dietary choice that most people make out of necessity, and not one they make because they don’t enjoy a tasty slice of bread or a pastry like the rest of us do. They do it because they’re gluten intolerant. Hypothyroidism is when a person has an underactive thyroid gland, and while people with this condition can eat as much bread as they like they’re not taking Synthroid medication because they want too either. A gluten-intolerant person who also has hypothyroidism may then ask does Synthroid have gluten? 

It does, but it contains such a very small amount of it that it won’t be a negative contributor to anyone’s gluten sensitivities. Synthroid contains less than 3.0 parts per million of gluten in its formulation, and for reference any food that contains less than 20.0 parts per million qualifies as being gluten free. That’s as clear an answer as you’ll find for does Synthroid have gluten. There is gluten in it, but it’s next to nothing in amount and it won’t mean gluten sensitivity symptoms become worse.  

This is definitely a fair question to be asking though, because there are certain crossovers between what’s seen when a person has unchecked hypothyroidism and when someone is getting large amount of gluten in their diet despite being allergic to it. Getting clarification on does Synthroid have gluten may be a priority if a person knows they have a gluten sensitivity and then has constipation after starting on it, for example. Chronic constipation is a symptom of hypothyroidism, while digestive problems can come with gluten intolerance.  

Be Wary of Berberine  

Continuing with our look at does Synthroid have gluten, we need to put some of the focus on Berberine too. It is an alkaloid compound that is popular in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, but the reason it’s on the radar for people taking Synthroid for hypothyroidism is that there is some reason to believe it can alter the function of the thyroid gland.  

This altering doesn’t necessarily mean the gland functions improperly, but if a person has hypothyroidism the altered state may mean Synthroid doesn’t work like it should. That has nothing do with does Synthroid have gluten, but asking and Berberine and Synthroid is another question that comes from the same interest. Namely, making sure they’re not compromising their health when using an Rx medication and that drug is working to maximum effect to treat whatever condition the person has.  

So, can you take Berberine with Synthroid? There is not definitive understanding on this, but like always you should discuss additional supplementation with your doctor, and they will be the best authority on whether or not it is okay to take Berberine when you’re on medication for an underactive thyroid gland.  

It may be there are other compounds that provide similar weight loss or blood sugar regulation benefits that don’t mess with the way the body metabolizes Synthroid.