Is Intermittent Fasting Different
Intermittent fasting is, however, different from the typical calorie-reduced diet. It enables the body to access stored energy . Because we all have plenty of stored energy , there is no energy shortage once we can assess this energy. Hence, the slowing down in metabolism and energy expenditure is usually not an issue with intermittent fastingâwhen practiced correctly.
There are not many studies assessing the effect of fasting on hypothyroidism. In one study, prolonged fasting led to a decrease in T3. But this was only temporary. As soon as the probands ate, T3 was back to normal 90137-3/pdf” rel=”nofollow”> 6).
In another study that assessed the effect of Ramadan fasting on thyroid hormones, fasting had no effect on these hormones . During Ramadan fasting, people only eat between sunset and sunrise, for one month. So, it is a kind of intermittent fasting, though eating at that time is not ideal. Even people with hypothyroidism donât have to increase their thyroid medications, which is another sign that Ramadan fasting does not negatively affect thyroid function .
What Is Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is when a person follows a cyclical pattern of eating and fasting. Unlike diets where certain foods are restricted, intermittent fasting is an eating pattern based on the time between meals. There are different patterns of intermittent fasting that a person can follow.
People do intermittent fasting for a variety of reasons. For health purposes, people may choose to fast to lose weight,control inflammation, decrease insulin resistance, and improve brain function. Intermittent fasting for religious purposes may be to cleanse the body or as a demonstration of sacrifice. For example, the season of Lent is a time of fasting for many Christians who observe this tradition. Similarly, Ramadan is a month-long period of fasting for Muslims.
Intermittent Fasting And Your Thyroid: Exploring The Potential Connection And Implications
02 Feb, 2021
Intermittent fasting- its popularity is consistently on the rise and for many reasons. This unique approach to a healthy and fitter lifestyle has been reaping multiple benefits for people, such as better control of inflammation, weight loss, and better blood sugar control.
Recently, this dietary plan has been making rounds on the internet due to its connection with thyroid health. But how are intermittent fasting and the thyroid even related? Is it even safe to try this diet if you suffer from a thyroid problem?
This article will review intermittent fasting in detail, its benefits, and whether or not you should practice it if you have a thyroid problem.
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How To Lose Weight If You Have Hypothyroidism
A diagnosis of hypothyroidism can feel overwhelming at first, and treatment can feel like a mountain to climb.
You may have thyroid issues caused by Hashimotos disease or even secondary hypothyroidism. Secondary hypothyroidism is caused by a failure of the pituitary gland.
But dont fret! If you have trouble with increasing body weight, we can take you through simple guidelines on how to lose weight with hypothyroidism.
There are natural treatments for hypothyroidism weight loss without jumping onto medication.
Just remember to treat these changes as a new lifestyle, not just a quick thyroid diet for weight loss. We want your changes to be sustainable. Here are the best tips, from stress reduction to eating habits, for hypothyroidism and weight loss.
Intermittent Fasting & Hashimotos Disease
Metabolism and diet seem to play an important role in regulating the immune system. These factors are what decide which type of immune cells and how many of them must be produced inside the body. This naturally implies that any problem with metabolism can cause immunity-related problems as well, leading to many types of autoimmune diseases
Hashimotos thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroid disorder, and while no direct studies have evaluated its link with intermittent fasting, deductions can be made based on the basis of existing evidence. For example, intermittent fasting has been found to reduce the inflammation in many autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes type 1.
Also Check: Is Psa Blood Test Fasting
Get The Right Nutrients And Supplements
Here are the best natural dietary supplements to lessen the severity of your hypothyroidism, promote healthy metabolism, and promote hypothyroidism-related weight loss.
At PrimeHealth, your dietary and supplement plan is always personalized to your needs and personal labs from blood tests.
How Do I Know My Thyroid Is Causing My Weight Gain
Its actually more difficult than you might think!
It is well known in the scientific literature that low thyroid function results in weight gain but, for whatever reason, doctors will look to blame just about anything else except your thyroid.
To some degree, they are on the right track but their approach is still misguided.
They are partially on the right track because the truth is that there are many conditions that can contribute to weight gain aside from your thyroid.
Before you blame your thyroid, you will want to make sure that these other factors are not contributing.
For instance, you cant blame your thyroid for weight gain if you are sleeping 4 hours per night.
You cant blame your thyroid for your weight if you are eating an unhealthy diet, going through menopause, avoiding exercise, stressed out of your mind, and so on.
All of these factors can and will have an impact on your weight.
One of the easiest ways to check if your thyroid is contributing to your weight gain is by excluding these other factors.
If you notice that youve suddenly gained 10-20 pounds out of the blue, without changing your diet or exercise pattern, AND you are experiencing the symptoms of low thyroid, then theres a very high chance your weight gain is from your thyroid and not something else.
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Sex Hormone Imbalances In Estrogen And Progesterone From Thyroid Dysfunction
Next up we have sex hormone imbalances.
As a patient with Hashimotos, you are probably well familiar with the impact that your thyroid has on your weight.
But what you may not realize is that there are other hormones that also contribute to your weight and these hormones can be dragged down by your thyroid.
Heres an example:
One common symptom of hypothyroidism is infertility.
The inability to conceive is a complex problem but, in the case of thyroid disease, stems from the impact that thyroid dysfunction has on progesterone, estrogen, and ovulation.
Thyroid dysfunction results in anovulatory cycles and disordered levels of both estrogen and progesterone.
The result? Its much harder for your body to get pregnant.
You might be thinking, what does infertility have to do with my weight?
A lot, actually!
Sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are hormones that can impact your fat cells.
During puberty, these levels rise which causes weight gain in certain areas of the female body to accentuate the female figure.
In menopause, it is the decline in these hormones that results in weight gain, vasomotor symptoms, bone loss, and so on.
In other words, these hormones impact how and where your body stores fat.
If your thyroid is dysfunctional then you may start to see changes in these sex hormones.
The more disordered your progesterone and estrogen become, the more likely you are to gain stubborn fat in specific areas of your body.
Advanced Intermittent Fasting Strategies
Disclaimer: I do not do these strategies, they send me into a tailspin. You might find that it works for you however.
5:2 Intermittent Fasting
Eat like you regularly do for 5 days but cut calories drastically on 2 days. During these 2 days, should not be consecutive, consumption should be about 500-600 calories.
For example: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday will be normal eating days. Tuesday and Friday will be restricted days.
Eat Stop Eat Method
24 hour fasting is done 1-2x per week. If you have dinner on a Tuesday evening at 6pm and dont eat again until 6 pm on Wednesday, this counts as a 24 hour fasting window. Coffee and water are allowed during the fasting hours.
There are other fasting strategies out there but I dont believe they are beneficial for people who actively suffer from Hashimotos. As always, consult your physician before embarking on any major dietary changes.
Please leave me a comment and let me know what works for you.
Also Check: Does Intermittent Fasting Work Without Exercise
Intermittent Fasting And Hypothyroidism
There are a few things to consider when weighing if this style of eating is right for you. In looking at the research, here are the main takeaways for Hypothyroidism and intermittent fasting:
Intermittent Fasting may help with absorption of your thyroid medication
If you are taking synthetic thyroid hormone , fasting has some benefits. When taken during a fasted state, levothyroxine has been shown to be more efficient and absorbed better than those days when eating normally. The best time to take your thyroid medication is first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. This is because there are various factors that may affect your thyroid medication absorption, but food is one of them and can greatly influence the absorption and efficacy. .
Intermittent Fasting may aid in weight loss, even with low thyroid
Intermittent fasting is another way to reduce the total calories you are eating. Reduction in total calories will generally lead to weight loss in a healthy person.
Nearly all Intermittent Fasting studies have resulted in some degree of weight loss, ranging from 2.59.9%. And while numerous studies have been conducted on intermittent fasting, the protocol, duration, and baseline characteristics of the sample population have varied greatly. It is important to consider the variation that a low thyroid condition can play.
Additionally, there has been research showing that alterations in weight and body composition can occur when doing intermittent fasting.
Intermitten Fasting And Thyroid
Need some ideas? You better search it!
Intermitten Fasting And Thyroid. If you have thyroid issues, you should take a cautious approach towards implementing intermittent fasting into your lifestyle. These factors have a crucial role in thyroid function, especially among those with hashimotoâs thyroiditis and hypothyroidism.
Fasting has an impact on the thyroid. Recently, this dietary plan has been making rounds on the internet due to. Therefore we start to feel better.
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This All Happens In People Who Dont Have Hashimotos
Before you get all excited, its important to understand that people with Hashimotos are not normal subjects.
They often dont have normal insulin responses, their immune systems are hyper-vigilant, and they rarely have a normal capacity for handling additional stress.
Its important to understand is that intermittent fasting can help you under some circumstances and can actually do some harm in others.
What Happens To Thyroid Function When You Fast
Its all going to be specific to the individual fasting, of course, but heres what studies of humans have shown:
In 1978, researchers placed 45 obese human subjects on a 4-day fast, studying their thyroid hormones levels before and during the fast, and after refeeding. Everyones TSH and T4 went up during the fast. Everyones T3 dropped. Men saw bigger changes than women. When they supplemented T4 during the fast, T3 still dropped. When they supplemented T3, T3 was maintained.
- After the fast, what the people ate affected whether their thyroid hormones recovered.
- Those who ate pure carbohydrate saw their T3 return to normal.
- Those who ate mixed meals of fat, carbs, and protein saw their T3 return to normal.
- Those who ate only protein still had lower T3.
- Those who ate only fat still had lower T3.
Summary: A four-day fast depresses thyroid function in obese people without preexisting thyroid issues. Refeeding with carbs and/or a mixed meal restores it protein or fat alone does not.
In 1980, researchers placed obese human subjects with normal thyroid function on a 10-day fast. Prior to fasting, they ate 1500 calories per day for five days. During the fast, their T3 levels dropped from 167 ng/dl to 86 ng/dl despite repeated infusions of thyrotropin releasing hormone , to which they were unresponsive. Normally, TRH will cause TSH to rise, thereby stimulating thyroid hormone production, but this didnt happen during the fast.
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Why Is It So Hard To Lose Weight With Hashimotos
If you have Hashimotos and you are gaining weight then stopping this weight gain should be your top priority.
Im not kidding when I say that weight gain in thyroid patients can cause a lot of distress.
From the impact that it has on your psychological well-being to the impact it has on your overall health , managing your weight is very important.
More so for patients that have Hashimotos thyroiditis.
Why?
Because losing weight and keeping it off is harder for patients who have thyroid problems.
Losing weight is also more difficult if you are a woman . And because Hashimotos impacts women more than men, you have two things going against you.
But there is some good news:
Gaining weight with Hashimotos is not some inevitable thing that has to happen.
And, even if has already happened to you, doesnt mean that you cant stop it or even lose the weight that youve gained from your diagnosis.
The key is all about understanding the underlying cause of weight gain if you have a thyroid problem.
Contrary to popular belief, its not just about your calories or your diet .
Its a little bit more complicated which is why we are going to be discussing it today.
In this article, you will learn:
Foods to Avoid if you Have Thyroid Problems:
Ive found that these 10 foods cause the most problems for thyroid patients. Learn which foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease of any type.
The Complete List of Thyroid Lab tests:
Staying Safe While Fasting
Intermittent fasting can be a powerful weight loss and wellness tool if used appropriately. However, it is important to implement it safely and ensure that any preexisting condition such as hypothyroidism or Hashimotos will not be worsened by it. Fasting should not be attempted by pregnant women, those with eating disorders, diabetics, and individuals with hypoglycemia or adrenal fatigue. Furthermore, fasting should only be done by adults. Always speak with a physician before beginning an intermittent fasting regimen. If you are hypothyroid or suffer from Hashimotos, you may need to stabilize various factors such as blood sugar and adrenal function before fasting. Intermittent fasts can provide many benefits but, as with all diet plans, it is important to implement them safely.
Resources
1. Fasting and Thyroid. Dr. Sara Solomon.
2. 6 Popular Ways to Do Intermittent Fasting. Healthline.
3. Intermittent Fasting and Hashimotos. Hashimotos Healing.
4. Intermittent Fasting as a Therapy for Hypothyroidism. Perfect Health Diet.
5. What Is Ketosis? WebMD.
Read Also: What Is The Best Intermittent Fasting Plan
Inflammation In Your Body From Immune Dysregulation
Another cause of weight in Hashimotos has to do with inflammation.
Inflammation is not necessarily a bad thing on its own but it can become bad if it becomes rampant or chronic.
Inflammation is the process by which your body fights off infections and helps your body repair damaged tissues.
In this sense its good.
But it can become a problem when its not properly managed by the body, when its found in places it shouldnt be, or when it goes on for long periods of time.
And this is exactly what happens in patients with Hashimotos.
Because Hashimotos is primarily an autoimmune disease, inflammation is a core component of the disease.
It is inflammation that results in thyroid gland damage and the recruitment of white blood cells into your thyroid gland.
And, over time, this inflammation of the thyroid gland may cause irreversible thyroid gland damage making you 100% reliant on thyroid medication for the rest of your life.
Systemic inflammation also has a negative impact on other systems in your body including other fat-regulating hormones like insulin and leptin.
Insulin resistance and leptin resistance are both made worse in the face of inflammation.
Inflammation and your thyroid make weight gain worse in a vicious cycle.
Excess weight gain results in the release of cytokines and chemokines which in turn may make thyroid function worse.
The worse thyroid function gets the easier it is for you to gain weight.
And the cycle repeats.
Got Low Blood Sugar Or Adrenal Fatigue Then A Bedtime Snack May Be Appropriate
While the new research makes a strong case for extended nighttime fasting, long fasts may be detrimental to those with low blood sugar or adrenal fatigue.
In these cases, allowing blood sugar to drop too low through fasting can cause a series of negative hormonal consequences that result in insomnia, mood issues, fatigue, and poor brain function.
These consequences also mean Hashimotos hypothyroidism flares and trouble managing your autoimmune low thyroid condition.
If you wake up anxious at 3 or 4 a.m., you may be a victim of low blood sugar and need to eat a little protein to fall back asleep. Eating a little bit before bed can also help prevent those all-too-early wakeup calls. You also need to follow a diet during the day that stabilizes blood sugar.
Eating a healthy blood sugar diet over time may help you stabilize your blood sugar to the point that you can comfortably adopt the extended nighttime fast.
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