Thyroid Supplements and Weight Loss (Which to avoid & which to use)
Can you use thyroid supplements to help with weight loss? The answer is probably not as straightforward as you might think. We will talk about WHY this isn't the right way to think about losing weight if you have thyroid problems but first let's focus on weight loss and thyroid supplements.
There are really two groups of people who are interested in using thyroid supplements for weight loss.
Those who are overweight but don't have thyroid problems and those who are overweight and DO have thyroid problems.
The reason that both groups of people want to use thyroid supplements for weight loss is because they know that the thyroid controls and regulates your metabolism. If you can naturally boost your metabolism then obviously weight loss will be easier.
When it comes to weight loss, though, (for all types of people) you want to focus on T3.
T3 is king when it comes to weight loss because T3 is THE active thyroid hormone and it contros all of the functions that we think about when we think about the thyroid.
T3 is in charge of your metabolism, your thyroid function, your energy levels, your heat production, and your heart rate.
If you are interested in weight loss then T3 should be your PRIMARY focus (not other thyroid hormones). And what makes this a problem is that MOST thyroid medications contain ONLY T4 in them.
And most people are NOT able to turn that T4 into T3 which causes problems and weight loss resistance. This is why it's so important to optimize your T3!
If you have thyroid problems and you want to lose weight here are the supplements you should AVOID:
- Gimmicky weight loss supplements or those which are heavily marketed.
- Raspberry ketones.
- Orlistat.
- Garcinia cambogia.
- Hydroxycut.
These supplements are marketed for weight loss but are not really effective for those with thyroid problems.
So what should you use instead? You will want to focus on supplements which target the following areas:
- T3 levels (you want supplements which INCREASE T3) levels.
- Inflammation (you want supplements which REDUCE inflammation to help with weight loss).
- Appetite (you want thyroid supplements which help NORMALIZE your appetite and notice I didn't say suppress it).
- Protein powder (protein powders can help balance your appetite and help you build muscle mass).
- Supplements which promote T4 to T3 conversion (these help INCREASE T3 levels).
- Supplements which LOWER leptin and insulin resistance.
Focus on THESE supplements and THESE areas if you have thyroid problems and want to lose weight (see my recommendations below or in the comments section).
There are really two groups of people who are interested in using thyroid supplements for weight loss.
Those who are overweight but don't have thyroid problems and those who are overweight and DO have thyroid problems.
The reason that both groups of people want to use thyroid supplements for weight loss is because they know that the thyroid controls and regulates your metabolism. If you can naturally boost your metabolism then obviously weight loss will be easier.
When it comes to weight loss, though, (for all types of people) you want to focus on T3.
T3 is king when it comes to weight loss because T3 is THE active thyroid hormone and it contros all of the functions that we think about when we think about the thyroid.
T3 is in charge of your metabolism, your thyroid function, your energy levels, your heat production, and your heart rate.
If you are interested in weight loss then T3 should be your PRIMARY focus (not other thyroid hormones). And what makes this a problem is that MOST thyroid medications contain ONLY T4 in them.
And most people are NOT able to turn that T4 into T3 which causes problems and weight loss resistance. This is why it's so important to optimize your T3!
If you have thyroid problems and you want to lose weight here are the supplements you should AVOID:
- Gimmicky weight loss supplements or those which are heavily marketed.
- Raspberry ketones.
- Orlistat.
- Garcinia cambogia.
- Hydroxycut.
These supplements are marketed for weight loss but are not really effective for those with thyroid problems.
So what should you use instead? You will want to focus on supplements which target the following areas:
- T3 levels (you want supplements which INCREASE T3) levels.
- Inflammation (you want supplements which REDUCE inflammation to help with weight loss).
- Appetite (you want thyroid supplements which help NORMALIZE your appetite and notice I didn't say suppress it).
- Protein powder (protein powders can help balance your appetite and help you build muscle mass).
- Supplements which promote T4 to T3 conversion (these help INCREASE T3 levels).
- Supplements which LOWER leptin and insulin resistance.
Focus on THESE supplements and THESE areas if you have thyroid problems and want to lose weight (see my recommendations below or in the comments section).
Activity