How to Eat With No Thyroid?

Diet and Nutrition
1

I have had several clients recently who have no thyroid and I have some questions about this.

A. The whole purpose of a regular person eating small frequent meals is to keep the metabolism elevated. The thyroid regulates the metabolism. By eating frequently the thyroid will hopefully secrete the hormone that speeds up the metabolism and not eating frequently or cutting calories too much will make the thyroid produce a hormone that slows down the metabolism.

The question is how can this principle apply to someone who has no thyroid and takes medicine. Should they still eat small frequent meals? I know you should consume protein every 2-3 hours to make sure your protein balance stays positive putting you in a state in which you can gain muscle easier.

B. One thing I learned from Dan Duchaine(bodybuilding guru) was that your body temperature is a reflection upon your metabolism. He is correct because myself and other clients when our body temp is below 97.8 our weight lose/bodyfat reduction is slow if any. When it stays elevated above this its much easier to drop bodyfat/weight. Question is alot of my clients who take thyroid medicine because they have no thyroid run low body temp. Also note this temp is taken upon awakening.

So exactly how should I approach a person with no thyroid and whos prescription is not high enough. Do I have them cut calories even more so. Is there any point in eating frequent meals?

Anyone with experience with this please share. I need some expert advice.

Thanks in advance for any help.

2

The short answer is that they are more than likely supplementing with Thyroid medication as a form of hormonal replacement therapy and therefore would react the same way as anyone else with a thyroid.

Body temperature is more Determined by using one’s “normal” level and comparing, one cannot assume as many do that what is low to one person is low to all.

Frequent eating helps with metabolism, but not so much by raising/maintaining thyroid levels. Thyroid levels are somewhat controlled by eating, but as long as one were to consume enough carbs (something like 80gm a day) even just once a day would maintain thyroid levels. Not saying that the entire system known as metabolism would be optimized for fat loss, just that hormonally it would be close to irrelevant.

I would treat them just as anyone else, although you/they might be at more of an advantage as they might able to tweak their thyroid levels higher and towards more fatloss legally. Just a thought, but overall unless they test low in T3/T4/rT3,etc (and being that they are under a doctor’s care, he/she would notice and adjust that) they will be just like anyone else with the advantage of not having to worry about doing things to keep their thyroid levels up like everyone else does! Their thyroid levels should be optimized without external forces influenencing them.

3

[quote]Tomato wrote:
The short answer is that they are more than likely supplementing with Thyroid medication as a form of hormonal replacement therapy and therefore would react the same way as anyone else with a thyroid.

Body temperature is more Determined by using one’s “normal” level and comparing, one cannot assume as many do that what is low to one person is low to all.

Frequent eating helps with metabolism, but not so much by raising/maintaining thyroid levels. Thyroid levels are somewhat controlled by eating, but as long as one were to consume enough carbs (something like 80gm a day) even just once a day would maintain thyroid levels. Not saying that the entire system known as metabolism would be optimized for fat loss, just that hormonally it would be close to irrelevant.

I would treat them just as anyone else, although you/they might be at more of an advantage as they might able to tweak their thyroid levels higher and towards more fatloss legally. Just a thought, but overall unless they test low in T3/T4/rT3,etc (and being that they are under a doctor’s care, he/she would notice and adjust that) they will be just like anyone else with the advantage of not having to worry about doing things to keep their thyroid levels up like everyone else does! Their thyroid levels should be optimized without external forces influenencing them.
[/quote]

You are smart. Please stay around and keep posting.

4

[quote]Tomato wrote:
The short answer is that they are more than likely supplementing with Thyroid medication as a form of hormonal replacement therapy and therefore would react the same way as anyone else with a thyroid.

Body temperature is more Determined by using one’s “normal” level and comparing, one cannot assume as many do that what is low to one person is low to all.

Frequent eating helps with metabolism, but not so much by raising/maintaining thyroid levels. Thyroid levels are somewhat controlled by eating, but as long as one were to consume enough carbs (something like 80gm a day) even just once a day would maintain thyroid levels. Not saying that the entire system known as metabolism would be optimized for fat loss, just that hormonally it would be close to irrelevant.

I would treat them just as anyone else, although you/they might be at more of an advantage as they might able to tweak their thyroid levels higher and towards more fatloss legally. Just a thought, but overall unless they test low in T3/T4/rT3,etc (and being that they are under a doctor’s care, he/she would notice and adjust that) they will be just like anyone else with the advantage of not having to worry about doing things to keep their thyroid levels up like everyone else does! Their thyroid levels should be optimized without external forces influenencing them.
[/quote]

thats some good info bro. I have some questions.

Yes all of them are on some form of medication. Most on synthyroid.

The number 97.8 degrees came from Duchaines book Bodyopus. All my clients I have trained (5-6 years now) when their temp is below this weight lose is sluggish as hell. My personal experience is the same way. When mine gets this low and I am not using thyroid medicine or thermogenics I ususally come off diet for a week and up caloric intake to get temp. back up. Once its back up the results start coming again.

All of them are against tweaking their thyroid hormone mediciation. I will say that their blood work still puts them in the low range. I dont understand why a doc doesnt go ahead and up the dosage and get them to more of a middle of the road numbers for blood work. I guess the increased risk of side effects from the medication.

I have more research to do on this subject matter. Thanks for the thoughts it has given me something to think about.

6

I’m glad I came across this thread…my girlfriend has expressed interest in trying some Biotest supplements but we were unsure if they would cause complications with her thyroid medication…Do you know of any? She is taking a Synthyroid knockoff.

Qaash

7

[quote]Btris wrote:
thats some good info bro. I have some questions.

Yes all of them are on some form of medication. Most on synthyroid.

The number 97.8 degrees came from Duchaines book Bodyopus. All my clients I have trained (5-6 years now) when their temp is below this weight lose is sluggish as hell. My personal experience is the same way. When mine gets this low and I am not using thyroid medicine or thermogenics I ususally come off diet for a week and up caloric intake to get temp. back up. Once its back up the results start coming again.

All of them are against tweaking their thyroid hormone mediciation. I will say that their blood work still puts them in the low range. I dont understand why a doc doesnt go ahead and up the dosage and get them to more of a middle of the road numbers for blood work. I guess the increased risk of side effects from the medication.

I have more research to do on this subject matter. Thanks for the thoughts it has given me something to think about.[/quote]

Using one’s temperature is a great way to measure one being overworked, overstressed, etc. But it is only relevant according to ones starting temperature. Many people have naturally low’ish resting body temperatures and will still show stress with a lower reading, but only lower than there natural temperature - that should be the only reference point. I know a Samoan gentlemen who is very heavy and has a resting body temperature in the 98-99 range (I don’t remember.)
Anyway I think that using one’s natural resting body temperature as a reference to check for over-training, stress etc as a sign of reduced metabolism is a great tool, but only when having a reference for the individual and not a textbook. Re-feeds and cycling seem to work best for a reducion cause in part by dieting; a ‘take-it-easy’ week or similar for over-training; stress reduction and lifestyle adjustments good for everyone.

8

[quote]Qaash wrote:
I’m glad I came across this thread…my girlfriend has expressed interest in trying some Biotest supplements but we were unsure if they would cause complications with her thyroid medication…Do you know of any? She is taking a Synthyroid knockoff.

Qaash[/quote]

If she is just taking a replacement dose then she doesn’t have much at all to worry about other than avoiding antacids and calcium around her dose (including milk proteins.) Now if she were taking supraphysiological levels we’d have something else to talk about.

9

[quote]Btris wrote:
thats some good info bro. I have some questions.

Yes all of them are on some form of medication. Most on synthyroid.

The number 97.8 degrees came from Duchaines book Bodyopus. All my clients I have trained (5-6 years now) when their temp is below this weight lose is sluggish as hell. My personal experience is the same way. When mine gets this low and I am not using thyroid medicine or thermogenics I ususally come off diet for a week and up caloric intake to get temp. back up. Once its back up the results start coming again.

All of them are against tweaking their thyroid hormone mediciation. I will say that their blood work still puts them in the low range. I dont understand why a doc doesnt go ahead and up the dosage and get them to more of a middle of the road numbers for blood work. I guess the increased risk of side effects from the medication.

I have more research to do on this subject matter. Thanks for the thoughts it has given me something to think about.[/quote]
One other thing that may or may not be relevant to you and your clients is that when one is supplementing with T3 and it’s various names (Cytomel, etc) that one does not have to worry about doing anything to maintain the conversion of T4 to T3 as it is being supplied exogenously; now reductions in other hormones is still a strong possibility i.e. testosterone, with extreme caloric reductions and high-stress exercise taken to the extreme.
When one is taking T4 (Sythroid, etc) the conversion to T3 can become reduced with time and extreme stress, so precautions such as a re-feeding or cycling may be warranted in such cases.

10

Here’s a few interesting articles/links for everyone:

Here’s one most relevant to the original topic:
“Endocrine markers of semistarvation in healthy lean men in a multistressor environment”
http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/88/5/1820

Here’s one for Qaash’s Girlfriend and him regarding the optimal the dose time for T4 (sythroid, etc.):
http://thyroid.org/patients/notes/march07/07_03_09.html

Here’s one for general knowledge/updates/research:
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/pages/research_studies/research_index.html

Here’s food for thought on the use of Thyroid medication for weight loss:
“Thyroid Hormone for Weight Loss:
Physiologic and Metabolic Effects”

11

[quote]Tomato wrote:
Here’s a few interesting articles/links for everyone:

Here’s one most relevant to the original topic:
“Endocrine markers of semistarvation in healthy lean men in a multistressor environment”
http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/88/5/1820

Here’s one for Qaash’s Girlfriend and him regarding the optimal the dose time for T4 (sythroid, etc.):
http://thyroid.org/patients/notes/march07/07_03_09.html

Here’s one for general knowledge/updates/research:
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/pages/research_studies/research_index.html

Here’s food for thought on the use of Thyroid medication for weight loss:
“Thyroid Hormone for Weight Loss:
Physiologic and Metabolic Effects”

[/quote]

Thanks for the information, it will be a big help to us. By the way she is taking Levol Thyroxine.

12

Is there any specific diet or ratio of nutrients these women should follow. Low carb, mod carb, high carb, etc.

Any specific foods they need to avoid?

Do I get them to eat pretty much any other healthy individual…low glycemic carbs, lean proteins, and good fats?

13

I wanted to get in this conversation. I am hypothyroid. I was DX’d about three years ago. Not perfect yet, but doing better than I was. I currently take Armour Thyroid which is a pig grandular. It supplies the body with T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin(sp).

I am able to take this subliqually which is a good thing because I have digestive issues. It goes straight to the system this way. Shortly after being on Armour I was DX’d with Adrenal fatique. This one is tricky. I really should have started with this one first, but anyway I am on Cortef, small dose throughout day.

I put on 12 pounds and was very devastated. Not alot, but for me it made me feel bad. I came to the MWA site last year sometime. First started the Velocity diet. Lasted almost two weeks, when I came down with bad sinus infection. When I got better I started the AD and have been on ever since. I did lose 5 pounds on Velocity diet, but managed to lose 15 on AD. I really thought I would never be able to do it. I gained a little during the holidays and have taken a bit off, but still have three pounds to drop back off.

I really think the AD has been a excellent way for me to lose the weight. I always wondered about the connection between the thyroid and the carbs. I just don’t think I process them correctly. A metabolic thing.

I do take my temps daily. Once at 9:00, 11:30 and at 3:30 and then average them out. It lets me know whether I am balanced in my Cortisol levels. When I started I was in the 96.0 range. My average now is 97.7. I am really trying to get above this.

Many doctors do not think outside the box when it comes to the thyroid. It is very hard to find a doc that really understands everything.

btris,

Sticking to the lower carbs, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce, green beans, califlower, cucumbers, asparagus etc are the carbs I eat during the week. On the weekend I might eat oatmeal, brown rice etc. This has worked very well for me. Unfortunately I still cheat a bit, but I guess I am only hurting my results when I do.

Hope this helps.

fitnesslady

14

[quote]fitnesslady wrote:
I wanted to get in this conversation. I am hypothyroid. I was DX’d about three years ago. Not perfect yet, but doing better than I was. I currently take Armour Thyroid which is a pig grandular. It supplies the body with T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin(sp).

I am able to take this subliqually which is a good thing because I have digestive issues. It goes straight to the system this way. Shortly after being on Armour I was DX’d with Adrenal fatique. This one is tricky. I really should have started with this one first, but anyway I am on Cortef, small dose throughout day.

I put on 12 pounds and was very devastated. Not alot, but for me it made me feel bad. I came to the MWA site last year sometime. First started the Velocity diet. Lasted almost two weeks, when I came down with bad sinus infection. When I got better I started the AD and have been on ever since. I did lose 5 pounds on Velocity diet, but managed to lose 15 on AD. I really thought I would never be able to do it. I gained a little during the holidays and have taken a bit off, but still have three pounds to drop back off.

I really think the AD has been a excellent way for me to lose the weight. I always wondered about the connection between the thyroid and the carbs. I just don’t think I process them correctly. A metabolic thing.

I do take my temps daily. Once at 9:00, 11:30 and at 3:30 and then average them out. It lets me know whether I am balanced in my Cortisol levels. When I started I was in the 96.0 range. My average now is 97.7. I am really trying to get above this.

Many doctors do not think outside the box when it comes to the thyroid. It is very hard to find a doc that really understands everything.

btris,

Sticking to the lower carbs, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce, green beans, califlower, cucumbers, asparagus etc are the carbs I eat during the week. On the weekend I might eat oatmeal, brown rice etc. This has worked very well for me. Unfortunately I still cheat a bit, but I guess I am only hurting my results when I do.

Hope this helps.

fitnesslady[/quote]

Thanks for your assistance…I may contact you with more questions.