Thyroid and Keto

derry60 said:

I have been hearing and researching Thyroid and Keto...Although Keto can be fine with and under-active thyroid, it is not good for long term. Many women who have been on Keto long term are now having metabolism problems. They have either gained weight or cannot lose anymore. Has anybody here had this problem?..Although I am talking about women who have been on Keto long term, say 3 years or more...I am on Keto but have gained weight and cannot lose anymore even though I have done all that I can. I have been on Keto for 4 years now. I do have a Thyroid problem, but many women who did not have a Thyroid problem, do have now after long term keto

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Hi! I have an underactive thyroid and have been following a pretty low-carb diet for some years (not necessarily keto) in an attempt to lose a stubborn 4-5kg. I find it very hard to lose any weight despite diet and exercise. In the first lockdown - spring/summer 2020 - I took the opportunity of making every single thing I ate under my control (no eating out etc), and went very low carb. As a result, I managed to lose half a stone over 3 months (although, interestingly, my Hba1c stuck resolutely at 40.) Two years on, eating low carb seems to make very little, if no, difference to my weight - and Hba1c is still 40! I had a blood test recently and pushed for an increase in my levothyroxine but the doctor didn't want to. It is very frustrating.

derry60 said:

I have been hearing and researching Thyroid and Keto...Although Keto can be fine with and under-active thyroid, it is not good for long term. Many women who have been on Keto long term are now having metabolism problems. They have either gained weight or cannot lose anymore. Has anybody here had this problem?..Although I am talking about women who have been on Keto long term, say 3 years or more...I am on Keto but have gained weight and cannot lose anymore even though I have done all that I can. I have been on Keto for 4 years now. I do have a Thyroid problem, but many women who did not have a Thyroid problem, do have now after long term keto

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Derry, I don't deliberately follow a keto diet, although I'm certainly low carb and sometimes keto.

My weight is stable - varying 2kg either way, over the last almost 8 years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism along the way, but am now in a bit of a holding pattern as far as my thyroid is concerned.

One thing I would say is that diabetes (particularly T2) is very common. Thyroid challenges - particularly hypothyroidism is also very common, so it is likely that those with both conditions would also be very common.

Personally, I have no intention of increasing my carb intake as a result of my thyroid challenges, and my Endo is supportive of my approach to managing both my T2 and thyroid. For full disclosure although we have chatted about my T2 and longer-term remission status, my Endo only treats my hypothyroidism.

I was taking 200micrograms of Thyroxine daily for many years, but went low carb at diagnosis and have stuck to it. My intake of Thyroxine is 125 micrograms now, and I will be checked to see if it needs to be reduced further when I go for my next blood test.
Far from damage, low carb seems to be resurrecting my defunct thyroid.

derry60 said:

I have been hearing and researching Thyroid and Keto...Although Keto can be fine with and under-active thyroid, it is not good for long term. Many women who have been on Keto long term are now having metabolism problems. They have either gained weight or cannot lose anymore. Has anybody here had this problem?..Although I am talking about women who have been on Keto long term, say 3 years or more...I am on Keto but have gained weight and cannot lose anymore even though I have done all that I can. I have been on Keto for 4 years now. I do have a Thyroid problem, but many women who did not have a Thyroid problem, do have now after long term keto

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Lots of things tend to affect weight loss: sleep or lack of it, which can be an issue with thyroid(under and overactive), Hormonal issues such as menopause, stress...just about anything you can think of. Personally, I wouldn't blame keto. Weight loss is a fickle thing, and I believe at some point or another, weight loss can plateau. Once that happens it can be quite difficult to restart. If you've been doing a keto diet and losing weight, have you adjusted your macros? They may need to change.

I'd also be careful which sources your research comes from!