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988694 tn?1332359479

Low carb diet good or bad for your hypothyroidism

I have encountered a lot of info on the Web about if  a low carb diet is good or bad for people with hypothyroidism. I realized there is a division and nobody seems to agree: For some it has been good for others it has been not. I personally lose a lot of hair when going low carb, along with other symptoms. I am now trying now to increase my intake and experimenting a little. I was wondering what your experience has been while on a low carb diet... has it done wonders for you or it hasn't?

Some argue a low carb diet originates lowT3 and high Reverse T3
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Avatar universal
fkljsfl hesse
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Avatar universal
Yes, I use a low carb and high fat diet. And I'm diabetic. It works for me, i usually have good weight loss and burn some fat off eating something like http://www.fatburnerdepot.com/healthy-1500-calorie-diet-meal-plan-for-any-fat-burner/ but i go to the gym and have a trainer too.

Just my rant and 2 cents for the day
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988694 tn?1332359479
Thanks for the link. I guess we are so different and react differently to any changes we do to our diet and/or routine exercise.I also read that too much exercise can also affect T3 conversion and produce hight RT3.

I can say that while I am in high doses of thyroid meds I feel better when I eat more and exercise just normal, otherwise, my hair feels like a straw and falls ridiculously too much.

I posted this poll to learn about others members with hypothyroidism and their experiences with a ow carb diet (which I think it is very popular). It seems that as the articles I read on the web, people react differently and some of us are maybe just more, hormonally speaking, sensitive to external stimulus.
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988694 tn?1332359479
Thanks for your input. I agree with you in that a person respond to an stimulus it can vary from others.

When I am not taking enough thyroid meds or nothing at all, I cannot lose weight on a low carb diet, but when I am on sufficient meds I lose pretty quickly. The problem is that I over do it and problems like hair loss start (even when taking a daily multivitamin).

Yeap, just counting calories was my initial approach years ago. Now, and after meeting with a nutritionist for a year I realized I was cutting lots of protein too! not anymore. She always insisted in that I had to have enough carbs to keep my energy and brain functioning properly.

RT3 has always been a problem when I am in a low weight range...
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1756321 tn?1547095325
There is an article on Wellness Mama: "Is a Low Carb Diet Healthy?" that is worth reading. Here are two excerpts...

"Can Low Carb Affect Your Hormones?

Short answer: Yes. But this can vary widely by individual and can be both positive or negative, depending on the person.

Some people (a very small percentage of my clients) who jump into low carb from a very high carb diet will experience some thyroid-like side effects a few weeks or few months after switching such as fatigue, coldness in extremities, hair-loss or other problems."


"Most people will be able to transition to a low-carb diet, even quickly, without a problem, and those with a history of thyroid problems or hormone imbalances may just need to take it a little slower.

Unless a person’s endocrine system is severely damaged, he or she should be able to transition to a low-carb diet over a period of a few months without any adverse health reactions and see weight loss and health improvements as the body adjusts."
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Avatar universal
"I have had a couple of doctors telling me I am too thin and that going on a low carb diet might affect conversion levels (lowers T3)."

If your body is in "starvation mode", more T4 will be converted to RT3, instead of FT3.  

Hypo or not, I never had good luck with a low carb diet.  I had a business partner who lost over 100 pounds on it, but I never lost a pound, unless I also controlled calories, which kind of changes it to your plain, old low calorie diet, doesn't it?  LOL

Given the number of diet plans out there and the number of books that keep coming out in a steady stream, I think we have to conclude that, as with thyroid meds, one person's heaven is another's hell.

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988694 tn?1332359479
Good for you! I am glad that you have been feeling great in your low carb diet. I also lose weight going on a low carb diet, but along comes hair loss and others symptoms...congrats!!
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988694 tn?1332359479
Thanks Barb, I am not confusing carbs with gluten. I am not celiac, but I follow a gluten free diet because I am intolerant to gluten (for the last two years).

Every time I have tried to follow a low carb diet (refined carbs mostly) to drop five or six pounds I start losing hair and get adult acne, along with other symptoms. I have a conversion problem, because my FF3 remains low  no matter what and I need to supplement with a combo (T3/T4) medicine. I have had a couple of doctors telling me I am too thin and that going on a low carb diet might affect conversion levels (lowers T3). And that could be the reason I need to keep increasing my dose to feel better.

Check these links if you would like. There is more in Internet...


http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2012/6/18/q-a-thyroid-and-low-carb-diets.html

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

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Avatar universal
Hi, low carb diet works wonders for diabetics.  I went on a low carb diet, lost approx 100 lbs !  which put my diabetic levels back into normal range.  As for thyroid function, I never noticed any changes in my hormone labs, due to low carb diet.  Low carb diet is definetly beneficial for weight loss :)  
Helpful - 0
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
Are you confusing carbs with gluten?  

Typically, a diet low in simple carbs, such as those found in sugary foods, as well as breads and things made with white flour, white rice, etc are best limited, because they break down quickly and tend to spike blood sugar as well as turning to fat, if not used quickly for energy.

Complex carbs (dietary fiber), on the other hand, are those found in veggies, whole grains, beans, etc.  Those are the ones we need to eat the most of, because they break down slowly, so they don't spike blood sugar and they keep us feeling fuller longer.

Gluten is a protein in grains that some people insist that EVERYONE with Hashi's should avoid, while some of us feel there 's no reason to avoid it, unless one is sensitive or allergic to it.  The controversy is, typically, over gluten.

I, personally, try to maintain a diet low in simple carbs and higher in complex carbs, because I have insulin resistance and weight issues, so I don't need anything that compounds those issues. I have not, however, changed my diet to exclude gluten.

I don't think the amount of carbs has anything to do with hypothyroidism.
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649848 tn?1534633700
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