Hyprlipid: Are you free T3 page

[Lewis]

This I find very interesting.

I've been sort of curious to see thyroid status thrown up as the "last best hope" of those who really don't want to admit that excessive consumption of carbohydrate (particularly refined carbohydrate) is a problem. Frankly, there's so much evidence of so many different kinds suggesting that it is that one wonders how anyone could continue to deny the obvious. Actually, I rarely eat very low carb mysef, and don't particualrly care what the answer might be -- only for the truth. It's just find myself coming over all skeptical whenever I hear ... well, you know the people. One gentleman has gone to such lengths spinning out elaborate "ptolemaic epicycles" in order to keep justifying a broken and increasingly preposterous viewpont that I fear for his sanity.

I've wondered sometimes whether Dr. Cate was right when she said that perhaps people who keep finding excuses for high-cabohydrate eating, and supposed problems with low-carbohydrate diets, are actually addicted to carbohydrate. She said it as a joke, but one wonders ...

Anyway, here's Peter taling what sounds like a lot of sense of the thyroid:

Hyperlipid: Are you free, T3?

[emmie]

I am already hypothyroid (Hashimoto's), and I've read all the nonsense about how low carb/low calorie, etc. will 'ruin' the thyroid.

But I was massively overweight and needed to eat both low carb and low calorie to lose the close to 200 lbs that I've lost over the past few years. My endo was delighted with my WOE, and when I mentioned some of the things I'd read on the Internet about how my low level of carbs/calories would 'damage' my thyroid, he said that was not true. I eat very low carb because I'm extremely carb sensitive.

My endo tests my hormone levels every 4 months, and there have been no changes based on my WOE. However, one item in Peter's blog interested me. Most of the internet 'experts' claim that the T3 'must' be at the upper levels of the lab range to be normal. Peter suggests that it's possible that someone eating low carb would thrive at a lower level of T3 (and the TSH would confirm that). My T3 is rarely higher than half of the lab range--when I feel fine, have no symptoms, and my TSH is in a good place.

[Lewis]

Thanks. Seems to be an area of hot controversy at the moment, Emmie. :-)

I notice Jack Kruse has just put up a blog post that goes into this area a bit:

Most people in the paleosphere believe that a low carb diet cause a low free T3 state. This false belief is caused because they fail to account for what happens to free T3 in a cold wet environment devoid of carbs that is loaded with seafood high in Selenium, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, and DHA. See context matters huge to neural biochemistry………..

BRAIN GUT 4: WHAT WAS HOMO'S SOLUTION? - Jack Kruse

I have a suspicion that supposed effects on the thyroid may the latest excuse for people who really don't want to break from our cultural habit of over-consuming carbs. Your endocrinologist's comments are interesting: he or she is obviously not convinced by the current claim that's going round the paleosphere.

I think people can do well quite well on diets with a fair amount of carbs in them -- look at Weston Price's Loetschental Valley Swiss, for example -- but as for needing them. I just can't overcome the skepticism there. I keep seeing threads on MDA telling me low carb threatens my thyroid, my heart, you name it -- even that it will make my penis shrink! I remain unconvinced. I doubt we could have got through the Ice Age, if we needed to keep consuming high levels of carbs.

[emmie]

I eat no more than 20g carbs a day, most often closer to 10g, and I've been eating this way for at least the past 6 years.

My endo doesn't just check my thyroid hormones every 4 months, he does a full blood panel and checks most standard values. Mine are always perfect.

I am 70 years old, and the only Rx I take are my thyroid meds. My BP, blood glucose, etc. are all perfect.

I feel great. Obviously low-carb eating isn't causing me any health issues.

The hysteria about the 'dangers' of low carb are just another example of problems with 'internet myths.'

[marcadav]

I am already hypothyroid (Hashimoto's), and I've read all the nonsense about how low carb/low calorie, etc. will 'ruin' the thyroid.

But I was massively overweight and needed to eat both low carb and low calorie to lose the close to 200 lbs that I've lost over the past few years. My endo was delighted with my WOE, and when I mentioned some of the things I'd read on the Internet about how my low level of carbs/calories would 'damage' my thyroid, he said that was not true. I eat very low carb because I'm extremely carb sensitive.

My endo tests my hormone levels every 4 months, and there have been no changes based on my WOE. However, one item in Peter's blog interested me. Most of the internet 'experts' claim that the T3 'must' be at the upper levels of the lab range to be normal. Peter suggests that it's possible that someone eating low carb would thrive at a lower level of T3 (and the TSH would confirm that). My T3 is rarely higher than half of the lab range--when I feel fine, have no symptoms, and my TSH is in a good place.

MY understanding is-- too low carb doesn't "damage" the thyroid. For some people too low carb, over time, can hinder T4 to T3 conversion.

I think everyone's "sweet spot" in regards to thyroid numbers-- TSH, FT4 and FT3-- and optimal health is very individual. I also think what drives those numbers and symptoms is multi-faceted.

My experience-- I was kept very ill because my TSH was in the hyPER range, while my frees had room to improve. I finally convinced a doctor to let me try a 6 week increase in my T4 med ( I take levothyroxine[T4] and cytomel[T3]). The difference was only 12.5 mcg but the outcome was miraculous.

About 3 years after going low carb/primal some symptoms returned and blood tests revealed my FT3 was low. My Cytomel was increased and symptoms abated again.

I try to get at least 50 grams of carbs a day- the amount of glucose thyroidmanager.org recommends as the low threshold to prevent Euthyroid Sick Syndrome.

Again, in the end, each person's path to thyroid health is person specific.