What is an underactive thyroid? The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. It helps to keep hormone levels balanced. When it isn’t working properly, that’s called hypothyroidism. You can be diagnosed with this through blood tests. But what effect does an underactive thyroid and keto have on your body?
Symptoms of an Underactive Thyroid
There are many symptoms of an underactive thyroid. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms, and the one that had me tested at first. I just felt like I could never get enough sleep. That combined with weight gain and dry skin made me an ideal candidate to be tested. My levels were low, and I was prescribed Synthroid to help.
Other symptoms include depression, being sensitive to cold, brittle nails, swollen face, constipation, muscle pain, a horse voice, and difficulty concentrating. It can cause infertility, as well as heavy periods for women and erectile dysfunction for men. If you are suffering from some of these symptoms, go to a doctor and they can order blood tests to check your levels.
Underactive Thyroid and Keto
There are many conflicting ideas about whether people with an underactive thyroid should do keto. On one hand, health professionals say that you need starchy carbohydrates to keep your thyroid working as much as possible. They cite thyroid levels going down when people start keto as proof of this. On the other hand, health professionals say that keto helps with inflammation and can keep your thyroid working as much as possible.
The most balanced viewpoint on this topic I found said that when you lose body fat, it induces a temporary decrease in thyroid activity. That doesn’t mean specifically keto is bad, any loss of body fat will cause a decrease in your levels. So, then you have to look at the long term benefits of weight loss compared to the short term effects on your thyroid levels.
My Underactive Thyroid and Keto
Luckily for me, I didn’t know this was a thing until I was about 6 months into my keto lifestyle. But, for me, I didn’t experience any severe side effects. I was already on Synthroid, and I haven’t changed that throughout my two years on keto – for better or for worse. Last March, I had blood tests done to check my cholesterol and thyroid levels. Everything came out a-ok.
If this is a concern for you, talk to your doctor before starting keto. I also always recommend getting annual check ups to make sure everything is good. I have anxiety, so I need this to keep things on an even keel for me – whether I’m on keto or not. Also, having an annual check up keeps the doctor from giving me unwanted advice about keto. My new doctor is not a huge fan of the lifestyle.
Final Thoughts on an Underactive Thyroid and Keto
I’m not a doctor. The research I can find is free and on the internet, so take it for what it is. Some articles are against doing keto if you have an underactive thyroid. Other articles are from health professionals who recommend it. The bottom line is to do what works for you. Stay in contact with your doctor and get your annual check ups to make sure things are good. For me, it has worked out great and I haven’t experienced any negative side effects. That’s all I can say about that!
Wendy
