Are you getting fat for no reason? It could be your thyroid. Hypothyroidism and weight loss go hand in hand. Your thyroid gland regulates metabolism. Metabolism is breaking down the food you eat to produce energy and the breakdown products are used to build new cells and tissues. Every cell is affected the thyroid hormone level in your body. When thyroid hormones are low you will suffer from hypothyroidism and weight loss will become difficult if not impossible.
Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss: How thyroid affects carbohydrate metabolism
Thyroid hormone stimulates carbohydrate metabolism. Carbohydrates such as starch, sugar, and refined or processed foods are broken down or metabolized to glucose. If glucose is not burned to produce energy, it is stored as fat in the form of triglycerides in your organs and tissues, especially the belly. Thyroid hormone
Stimulates the entry of glucose (sugar) into cells to be burned.
Releases energy when needed by telling the liver to generate free glucose.
If you have hypothyroidism and weight loss is your goal, you are missing the signal to burn carbohydrates and they will be stored as fat making it hard if not impossible to lose weight.
Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss: How thyroid affects fat metabolism
Fat is meant to store fuel to be used in case of famine. With the plethora of food and junk food in our society, this doesn’t happen for more than a few hours. Therefore, excess calories will be stored as fat in your belly, liver, pancreas and throughout your body. This will affect the functioning of your liver and pancreas leading to fatty liver, insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol and weight gain.
Thyroid hormone:
Stimulates fat mobilization from the stores in your belly and internal organs.
Increases basal metabolic rate to burn fat and calories
If hypothyroid and weight loss is a goal, you may be fighting a losing battle because you can’t burn fat without the signal from your thyroid
Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss: How heat burns calories
Every cell in your body is affected by thyroid hormone. Optimal levels of thyroid hormone will regulate your basal metabolic rate. Your basal metabolic rate is the rate the body uses energy while at rest to keep vital functions going, such as breathing and keeping warm. Thyroid hormone:
Raises the basal metabolic rate and keeps you warm.
If thyroid hormone is low, the spark to burn energy and raise your metabolic rate is missing
If you are hypothyroid and weight loss is your goal, you most likely fail to lose weight. You will store fat in your sub cutaneous tissue to keep warm.
Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss: What is an optimal thyroid level?
There is much debate regarding what a normal thyroid level is. Normal is determined by looking at a large population and determining the range where people experience overt symptoms of hyper (high) or hypothyroidism (low). If you have hypothyroidism and weight loss is your goal, be sure you have optimum levels. Free T3 and Free T4 levels the only accurate measure of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the blood, Normal and optimum are not the same. Thyroid hormone levels are optimum when:
TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is between 0.2 to 2
Free T 4 is 0.7 to 2.0.
Free T 3 is between 3.5 and 4.5
Thyroid hormone plays a major role in weight loss as well as many other metabolic functions. Be sure to check your thyroid levels because if you have hypothyroidism and weight loss is your goal, you may be fighting a losing battle. A functional medicine doctor can treat the complexity of thyroid disorder and have you functioning optimally so you can lose weight and feel great. Read more about getting thyroid hormone right to lose weight and feel great and schedule a consult to get your levels checked.
FAQ’S
Q: Can hypothyroidism lead to the storage of excess fat in the body?
A: Yes, hypothyroidism can contribute to the storage of excess fat in various organs, including the belly, liver, and pancreas. This may result in conditions like fatty liver, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome, hindering weight loss efforts.
Q: How can one determine optimal thyroid levels for effective weight loss?
A: Optimal thyroid levels are crucial for weight loss. Ensure that TSH, Free T4, and Free T3 levels fall within the recommended ranges: TSH between 0.2 to 2, Free T4 between 0.7 to 2.0, and Free T3 between 3.5 and 4.5.
Q: What should individuals with hypothyroidism and weight loss goals consider?
A: It is essential for individuals with hypothyroidism and weight loss goals to consult a functional medicine doctor. They can assess thyroid disorder complexities, optimize hormone levels, and provide personalized guidance for effective weight loss.
Q: How can I learn more about managing hypothyroidism for weight loss?
A: Read additional information on optimizing thyroid hormone levels for weight loss and consider scheduling a consult with a functional medicine doctor to get your levels checked and receive personalized advice.
Lorraine Maita, MD, CEO & Founder of The Feel Good Again Institute and Vibrance for life and widely known as “The Hormone Harmonizer”, has helped thousands of people ditch fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, lose weight, and achieve balanced hormones so they Feel Good Again.
She is a recognized and award-winning triple board certified, holistic, functional, integrative and anti-aging physician, speaker and author, and has been featured in ABC News, Forbes, WOR Radio and many media outlets to spread the word that you can live younger and healthier at any age.