Can anyone point me . . . ?

amo · 06-24-2009, 02:51 PM

Can anyone point me in the direction of a study or medical authority or anything that says that people with hypothyroidism need more carbs?

Out of everything I'm doing (time in sun, low carb, CLO, calcium/magnesium/zinc/selenium supplements), it's the only thing I can't document anywhere, though I'll confess my thyroid replacement had to be increased when I tried VLC/ZC.

So anecdotally I might say it's true but I've never seen any hard evidence. Anyone have some?

Leo41 · 06-24-2009, 04:34 PM

It's Nonstickpam on this board who is our resident expert, and I've copied her comment from another thread:

"It was Dr. Broda Barnes who did the metabolic studies on carbs/calories ratios. He found that hypothyroid patients (TREATED, not untreated) tended to lower their conversion of T4 to T3 when under 30grams of carb and under 1500 calories. He REALLY saw it when they went to 1200 cals with the same number of carbs."

You might be able to find the actual study by Googling Dr. Barnes. My own experience is that this is true because when I was in my early 20s and not hypo, I thrived on very low carb, but when I tried to do it recently to move out of a stall, I became almost physically ill. When I added some veggies carbs, I was fine.

amo · 06-24-2009, 06:39 PM

Thanks! I thought I'd read pretty much everything here but I guess not.

I've NEVER cut my calories that much, but when I did VLC, my weight plummeted (for me), hovered/stalled, and then skyrocketed before I got my meds adjusted . . .

For what it's worth, my doc didn't want to put me on Armour (some time ago/recent change was just a dose increase), but he responded to my plea to go "natural," after I explained that I was already feeling tons better and losing weight by cutting out processed foods and trying to eat more naturally. I just told him that I wanted to try natural thyroid supplementation, too, and he went for it. That might help some of you sway reluctant docs. I hope.

Leo41 · 06-25-2009, 09:25 AM

Do you feel significantly better on Armour? And were you taking both T3 and T4 synthetic? I ask because I've been taking synthetics and feel fine, and I don't know why I'd ask my doctor to switch me to Armour.

amo · 06-25-2009, 09:35 AM

I do feel better. But I switched from levothyroxine alone, so I wasn't adequately treated. If my doc had refused Armour, my next request would have been to have both synthetic hormones, but I actually do believe "natural" is better in a very general sense.

Ilpirata · 06-25-2009, 10:59 AM

I believe reference to this study can be found in Dr. Broda Barnes Book "Hypothyrodism, the Unsuspected Illness"

which I need to order and read!

06-24-2009, 02:51 PM	#1
amo Junior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 24 Gallery: amo Stats: 181/154.2/140(?) - Hashi WOE: Cautious OWL/39 years young Start Date: LC started February 2008	Can anyone point me . . . ? Can anyone point me in the direction of a study or medical authority or anything that says that people with hypothyroidism need more carbs? Out of everything I'm doing (time in sun, low carb, CLO, calcium/magnesium/zinc/selenium supplements), it's the only thing I can't document anywhere, though I'll confess my thyroid replacement had to be increased when I tried VLC/ZC. So anecdotally I might say it's true but I've never seen any hard evidence. Anyone have some?

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06-24-2009, 04:34 PM	#2
Leo41 MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,446 Gallery: Leo41	It's Nonstickpam on this board who is our resident expert, and I've copied her comment from another thread: "It was Dr. Broda Barnes who did the metabolic studies on carbs/calories ratios. He found that hypothyroid patients (TREATED, not untreated) tended to lower their conversion of T4 to T3 when under 30grams of carb and under 1500 calories. He REALLY saw it when they went to 1200 cals with the same number of carbs." You might be able to find the actual study by Googling Dr. Barnes. My own experience is that this is true because when I was in my early 20s and not hypo, I thrived on very low carb, but when I tried to do it recently to move out of a stall, I became almost physically ill. When I added some veggies carbs, I was fine.

06-24-2009, 06:39 PM	#3
amo Junior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 24 Gallery: amo Stats: 181/154.2/140(?) - Hashi WOE: Cautious OWL/39 years young Start Date: LC started February 2008	Thanks! I thought I'd read pretty much everything here but I guess not. I've NEVER cut my calories that much, but when I did VLC, my weight plummeted (for me), hovered/stalled, and then skyrocketed before I got my meds adjusted . . . For what it's worth, my doc didn't want to put me on Armour (some time ago/recent change was just a dose increase), but he responded to my plea to go "natural," after I explained that I was already feeling tons better and losing weight by cutting out processed foods and trying to eat more naturally. I just told him that I wanted to try natural thyroid supplementation, too, and he went for it. That might help some of you sway reluctant docs. I hope.

06-25-2009, 09:25 AM	#4
Leo41 MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,446 Gallery: Leo41	Do you feel significantly better on Armour? And were you taking both T3 and T4 synthetic? I ask because I've been taking synthetics and feel fine, and I don't know why I'd ask my doctor to switch me to Armour.

06-25-2009, 09:35 AM	#5
amo Junior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 24 Gallery: amo Stats: 181/154.2/140(?) - Hashi WOE: Cautious OWL/39 years young Start Date: LC started February 2008	I do feel better. But I switched from levothyroxine alone, so I wasn't adequately treated. If my doc had refused Armour, my next request would have been to have both synthetic hormones, but I actually do believe "natural" is better in a very general sense.

06-25-2009, 10:59 AM	#6
Ilpirata Big Yapper!!!! Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Beautiful San Jose, CA Posts: 7,626 Gallery: Ilpirata Stats: 263/193/170 for now... WOE: Low Carb JUDD (Alternate Day Diet) Start Date: September 2007	I believe reference to this study can be found in Dr. Broda Barnes Book "Hypothyrodism, the Unsuspected Illness" which I need to order and read!