I started the Keto diet about 2 weeks ago. Just before starting I got a blood test and my TSH was 4.88 on 01-18-2018. On 01-22-2018 it dropped to 0.91 and on 01-26-2018 dropped again to 0.08. all test done by a hospital lab.
Could it be Keto related?
Could be but likely not. TSH numbers can fluctuate and diet has something to do with it, but its not only keto that can make these numbers go up and down. Thyroid dysfunction is a problem that affects many people, if you are experiencing ongoing chronic symptoms, see your dr. It can be due to nothing, or be quite serious. https://www.prevention.com/health/9-thyroid-symptoms-to-look-out-for/slide/3
It seems unlikely that keto would have that kind of drastic effect in 2 weeks. I would have it rechecked again in 3 months or so.
Are you working with an endocrinologist or just a general practitioner/primary care doctor?
If it is just a PC, you may want to consider speaking with an endocrinologist.
I have personally found that most PCs don’t know enough about the tests and what they mean to be a good resource.
It isn’t unusual for people with Hashimoto’s to swing between hyper and hypo.
I would agree with the other posters, I don’t think Keto would have this huge impact in such a short time.
I had similar swings beginning shortly after starting keto, which might have happened quickly, but my lab tests were months apart, so I couldn’t say for sure. I do have Hashimoto’s, but I was diagnosed years ago, established a good TSH level, and have been pretty consistent since then. So I think it’s very likely that keto and/or fasting is the cause.
After the initial drop (to .05), my doctor lowered my levothyroxine dosage from 125 to 112. Then my TSH jumped up to about 3.8, so she’s got me back at 125 for a couple of months to see what happens. I have never had big swings like this before, even after significant weight loss (or gain).
It’s not a popular view, but keto can affect thyroid function in ways that are still poorly understood. This hasn’t put me off keto, but I wish that it were more widely cautioned that it’s advisable to keep an eye on thyroid function, especially for people who already have issues.
ok - so what I’m hearing is that this happens and I shouldn’t freak out over it. Thanks for the feedback.
I have read that keto, over time, can improve thyroid function. In my case this was true in a minor way but not enough to change my hypothyroidism.
Hey everyone…
I am asking on behalf of my stepmom
She is 32, has been keto for just under 2 years, and carnivore for over last three months. She runs anywhere from 30-70km upwards a week, lifts moderate once or twice a week and eats OMAD mostly and has a long history of alternative day fasting for past decade. 16%BF, BMI 19, good blood lipid profile. She blows a breathalyser of 1.2-1.6mm/L consistently every day.
She has been starting to get very cold after workouts or after eating and often has swelling and puffiness. Her athletic performance is slightly impaired. The coldness makes her quite sleepy and sometimes not able to keep warm despite our very hot climate. Additionally she feels her PM cortisol is creeping up, while her AM is starting to lag and some other changes in mood. She has sensed that this is all hypothyroid or low thyroid functioning symptoms and she identified quite a few other symptoms that go along with that (hPa axis etc).
It is essential for her to maintain some sort of LCHF diet to keep PCOS symptoms at bay, and she greatly enjoys carnivore style eating but she is unsure if it is further causing her thyroid function to drop lower putting her at risk of further conplications. She recently noticed her thyroid is a bit swollen (it happened once also on a long extended fast too in 2016 prior to keto- but it cured itself eating high carb/fruit diet).
When she reverts to normal keto after zero carb carnivore, she does feel comparatively inflamed, bit sluggish, and prefers the satiety of carnivore w/ OMAD. She has tried adding in carbs and feels warmer but still has other thyroid symptoms such as fatigue/mood/digestive issues but she doesn’t feel good overall like she did on the first 8 weeks of carni/ZC
Her concern is that she doesn’t want to further damage her thyroid, and she isn’t sure if she needs to include some carbs to help her thyroid. She doesn’t believe in synthetic drugs and natural thyroid supplement is porcine derived which she would like to avoid due to her faith. So she is determined to rebalance her thyroid through diet and lifestyle but is not sure what is the best path; zero carb/carnivore, keto, or just low carb high fat? She read it might take 3 months? And also it is next to impossible for her to reduce her activity level as she emphasises a need to run/swim/lift regularly.
Is low thyroid rehab possible on ZC/carni - is keto better?
She has read everywhere by cannot seem to find an answer so hopefully someone here who is knowledgeable may be able share some info. Thank you.
Also:
“After carnivore, regular keto with plants makes her feel bloated and inflamed and less regular”