Are you on Levothyroxine medication and you're gaining a lot of weight?
Trust me, it's not your fault. It's a common problem for most of the patients.
Most Doctors assume that if they prescribe T4 medication, your body will automatically convert it to T3 but it's not always the case...
Levothyroxine is an example of such T4 medication.
What ACTUALLY happens is; a lot of people who suffer from hypothyroidism have inflammatory state and hormone imbalances.
Inflammation prevents your liver and kidney from working in a proper way.
What's more, Inflammation and hormone imbalance prevent T4 being converted into T3. T4 is instead converted to T3 reverse.
T3 reverse is an inactive form that gets stored in your body.
It is sometimes referred to as the “hibernation hormone”.
Reverse T3 may block thyroid action and exaggerate your symptoms. It may actually make your hypothyroid symptoms get worse.
So what can you do in order to improve your thyroid action and make sure you're losing weight? At first, consult your doctor (always).
Then make sure he helps you to:
1.Reduce your inflammation: check the levels of CRP and ESR (inflammatory markers). supplement with omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C and curcumin.
2. Check the condition of your GUT:
many thyroid patients suffer from SIBO (small intestine bacteria overgrowth) or leaky gut. This condition can cause abdominal pain, excess gas or even depression.
SIBO and leaky gut reduce also nutrient absorption. If you suffer from these symptoms you can try reducing your refined carbohydrates and see what happens.
3. Add low-intensity exercise during your fasted state:
Intermittent fasting along with a short session of low-intensity exercise will not only burn your calories but also improve your insulin and leptin sensitivity.
Insulin and leptin resistance are associated with hypothyroidism. Improving the sensitivity of leptin and insulin will massively improve weight loss.
4. Change your thyroid medication
Change your thyroid medication from T4 such as Levothyroxine (Euthyrox) to T3 medications in order to surpass conversion.
5. Supplement your diet with Selenium:
It is involved in converting T4 into T3Increasing T3 and thus decreasing reverse T3 creation will improve weight loss and decrease symptoms you're experiencing***Food rich in Selenium: Eggs, Brazil nuts, Seafood, Seeds
6. Supplement your diet with Zinc:
Zinc is a powerful anti-inflammatory agentZinc will improve the conversion of T4 into T3
7. Avoid Low-calorie diets
-suppress the metabolism (suppress the metabolism)
8. Avoid stimulants and fat burning pills
- or stimulate the metabolism (eventually leads to burn out of the thyroid)
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