Weight loss and the FT3 levels .

[dolbydriver]

¿ Weight loss and improved digestion is correlated with higher FT3 levels ?

[Barb135]

"Hypo you can´t lose weight"  Right..... Having energy does not necessarily correlate with getting slim and is not always a consequence of good health, nor of adequate levels of FT3.  

My energy and digestion have increased, but my weight has not, because I have other issues (insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome), that prevent weight loss.  Those are a whole new ballgame and I'm having to learn new eating rules.

[dolbydriver]

Hypo you can´t lose weight . The symptoms are correlated , if you have more energy also the digestion improve , getting slim consequence of your good health .

[Barb135]

I had horrible acid reflux/GERD when hypo, which went away when I was no longer hypo. If I have it now, it's usually because I ate too much of something, but sometimes, it happens when I need more acid.  Yes, I know that sounds odd, but sometimes, if I take a sip or two of dill pickle juice or vinegar/water, the acid reflux goes away.

As for weight, it's a given that if we take in more calories than we use, each day, we will gain weight.  It's true that FT3  largely regulates metabolism, but we also need to be aware that there are other things that can cause weight gain/inability to lose, as well.  The main thing is insulin resistance.  Insulin is considered the "fat storage" hormone, so too high levels of insulin will cause weight gain/inability to lose, as well, because whenever we eat carbs our blood sugar raises and if that sugar isn't used for energy right away, insulin shuttles it to the fat cells and it's saved for later use.

[gimel]

I assume you are referring to the thread on the "Question of the Month" that Barb started.  Although weight gain can be associated with a number of possible causes, if your metabolism is lower than the combined effect of your calorie intake and your activity level, then those extra calories each day result in weight gain.

Metabolism is primarily affected by your thyroid status, and Free T3 is the biologically active thyroid hormone that largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms (which of course include weight gain), while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate at all.  Understand though that T3 can't just be used like a diet pill.  Obviously a hypo patient should make sure Free T3 is adequate;however,  you can't just increase your Free T3 level to try to supercharge your metabolism, or else you risk becoming hyperthyroid, which is worse than hypothyroid.

As for digestion, I have personally had severe acid reflux when being hypothyroid due to low Free T3 levels. This was during a period when my usual med, Armour Thyroid was not available.  As soon as Armour became available again, I started back on it and in just a couple of days, the acid reflux was gone.  I have also noted other members having acid reflux type problems when hypo.