Hypothyroidism and Low Carb Diets: A No-No?

[hose1975]

I've read that people with hypothyroidism should not embark on low carb diets. Why is this? What counts as low carb in this context?

And how do people with both hypothyroidism and pre diabetes / type 2 diabetes (mainly) deal if we don't want to take yet another bl***y medication? I'm eating about 80g carbohydrate per day and have managed to get my fasting bloods back into the normal range but I don't want to be doing this at the expense of my thyroid function (what little remains). On the other hand, nor do I want abnormal blood sugars.

It's a bl***y tightrope, people.

 

[catherinecherub]

If you could provide a reference to what you have read it would help.

 

[hose1975]

Here you go (not the most scientific gathering, I'll admit):

http://anthonycolpo.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-bad-for-your-thyroid/

http://chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health (scroll down to the hypothyroidism section: is insulin really needed for T4 to T3 conversion?)

http://www.drcate.com/going-low-carb-too-fast-may-trigger-thyroid-troubles-and-hormone-imbalance/

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/low-carb-diets (quite interesting, also possibly quite ranty)

Cheers

Jo

 

[Indy51]

Depends on who you believe - I could provide references from Dr Ron Rosedale, Dr Eric Westman and others who say the opposite. It's one of the memes used by higher carb Paleo advocates to differentiate themselves from LCHF. I tend to believe real doctors rather than internet ranters (but admittedly they are doctors treating many patients with LCHF diets for diabetes).

Hypothyroidism can also be associated with Vitamin D3 deficiency - I was diagnosed with a cluster of conditions that apparently are quite often found together: metabolic syndrome/Type 2, UTI, hypothyroidism and D3 deficiency. My hypothyroidism reversed within 6 months on D3 supplementation and LCHF.

 

[hose1975]

Alas, @Indy51, I don't think my hypothyroidism is going to reverse itself as I've had the autoimmune variety for 20 years now (and I'm only 39), with antibody levels of about 410,000 (range: under 400) on diagnosis! I had my vitamin D levels tested privately in France last summer and the result came back as deficient; GP insisted on retesting in NHS lab a week later when I came home and level came back as well into the normal range. I think it was to do with the methodology. Didn't know which result to believe. I take 1,000 IU vitamin D3 every day anyway as it seems to help with my intermittent tinnitus.

Currently my TSH is suppressed, my free T4 is where I would want it to be but my free T3 is very low in range which might explain why I feel so tired and foggy. Bah!

 

[Ian DP]

I have hypothyroidism and have been on around 36g carbs per day for the past 9 months, and plan to continue for ever. Current BG levels best ever

 

[Kellrob]

I have hypothyridism and have been on LCHF since beginning of Feb. Im wondering if it is my thyroidism that is making me still feel tired and foggy headed?

 

[Daphne917]

I began treatment for hypothyroidism about 18 months ago and have been low carbing for about 6 months and everything seems ok

 

[Indy51]

Alas, @Indy51, I don't think my hypothyroidism is going to reverse itself as I've had the autoimmune variety for 20 years now (and I'm only 39), with antibody levels of about 410,000 (range: under 400) on diagnosis! I had my vitamin D levels tested privately in France last summer and the result came back as deficient; GP insisted on retesting in NHS lab a week later when I came home and level came back as well into the normal range. I think it was to do with the methodology. Didn't know which result to believe. I take 1,000 IU vitamin D3 every day anyway as it seems to help with my intermittent tinnitus.

Currently my TSH is suppressed, my free T4 is where I would want it to be but my free T3 is very low in range which might explain why I feel so tired and foggy. Bah!

You might want to look into the autoimmune version of the Paleo diet as they claim to have success in dampening autoimmune diseases - one particular book is by Dr Terry Wahls who has put her MS into remission using the diet and is now conducting medical research into it for MS and other autoimmune conditions.

http://www.amazon.com/Wahls-Protoco...F8&qid=1427937074&sr=8-1&keywords=terry+wahls

 

[Bewildered]

Cripes, the more I read the more confused I become. I have had an under active thyroid (diagnosed) for 10+ years. At the time my type 2 diabetes was diagnosed my TSH was high, so 3months later it's still high and a second increase to lecothyroxine. In that 3 months I have been trying to low carb. Now on 175mcg lecothyroxine, 2g metformin. A friend of mine has been telling me about NDT, so I have been reading up on T3 and T4, so if the T4 needs to become T3 to be active, and low carb limits the T4 conversion, then is it logical that I should be prescribed the T3 either on its own or in conjunction with T4 to remain on the hflc diet for the bg?

 

[hose1975]

Cripes, the more I read the more confused I become. I have had an under active thyroid (diagnosed) for 10+ years. At the time my type 2 diabetes was diagnosed my TSH was high, so 3months later it's still high and a second increase to lecothyroxine. In that 3 months I have been trying to low carb. Now on 175mcg lecothyroxine, 2g metformin. A friend of mine has been telling me about NDT, so I have been reading up on T3 and T4, so if the T4 needs to become T3 to be active, and low carb limits the T4 conversion, then is it logical that I should be prescribed the T3 either on its own or in conjunction with T4 to remain on the hflc diet for the bg?

If you want some really good advice on different thyroid medications then you could do much worse than to head over to the Thyroid UK forum at Health Unlocked: the members are incredibly knowledgeable about all sorts. It's like this forum is to diabetes.