Hi,
My endo said on t3 only I would have to eat more. I should have asked him what.... calories or protein. I'm 5 ft 3in and weigh 118lbs. I think I need 60-90 gms of protein a day now. I don't need to lose muscle or fat. Does anybody know anything about this? Thanks
Never heard of that, did you ask why?
Never heard of eating more with t3 . Are you sure endocrinologist said that ? Sorry just I'm on t3
I wouldn't necessarily rush head long in to eating more. Do you think he just meant more protein? If so you should aim for 1/1.5 gram per pound of body weight especially if you're active. I do a fair amount of high intensity exercise so I supplement with soy free whey protein. Hope this helps
You seem to be in the ideal weight range. If anything I would say your protein is a little high but nothing to worry about. We know endo.s live in a different world. x
I have heard about that. More so read about that a person is advised to eat more protein while on t3 only as t3 makes one use up more protein.
BUT I have not seen any scientific back up for that claim as it was on a blog of someone with wilsons syndrome given t3 only until clearing happens.
Otherwise recommended protein intake is 1-1.5 g protein/ every kilo you weigh. 2g if physically active.
I would not worry about protein intake if there is no proper source to back up it.
I don't have a clue why he suggested that you eat more. Did he mean you should have a well-balanced diet (not quite the same thing).
I take T3 only and have never heard his suggestion before.
TBF, if you need to eat more ,your body will tell you to. Total rubbish regarding having to eat more. I was on T3 for over two years. Now on NDT.
On T3 only I ate like a mouse, exercised a lot and gained 3 stone in 2 years. I too am now on NDT.
Hi there Andteynomad Iwas interested to see hat you were on T3 only and gained weight. Could you please tell me how muc T3 you were taking and how much NDT you are now taking! Also does your GP precribe NDT or do you get it privately? Has your weight been more stable with the NDT?
Many thanks
I was on T3 only between December 2010 and November 2012. My weight had risen gradually over the previous five years, from 9 stone to 10 stone. Three months after starting T3, I weighed 9 stone again and was delighted. By August 201I weighed nearly 11 stone and by September 2012 I was up to 12 stone. None of the endos I saw could explain this and nor could the dietitian they sent me to. In November 2012 I came off T3 altogether on the endos’ advice because my LFTs were raised. My weight then stabilised. In June 2013 I started Levo and lost 20lbs in the first three months. I moved over to self treating with NDT in February 2015 and have now lost another stone. I now have about 7 lbs to go before I reach my ‘fighting’ weight. T3 doses varied from 5 -40mcg over that two year period. The weight loss occurred initially on 5-10mcg. The weight gain escalated as the dose was raised. I only stayed on 40mcg for a matter of weeks as I had a major hair fall. I am now on two and a quarter grains of NDT and looking to add another quarter grain at the end of this week.
Only if you aren't hypo. When taking T3 as a body builder to get cut for competitions you have to be careful to eat lots of protein and some carbs, and train very heavy to prevent muscle loss, but that's when you AREN'T hypo. 118 isn't underweight for 5ft 3, just make sure you are eating enough fat and not doing tons of cardio-type exercise (which depletes T3 and therefore negates the point of taking it).
You might WANT to eat more if your appetite increases along with your metabolism. Eat when you are hungry until you feel OK, then stop.
Hi Nicole6, I agree with the others, I've never heard this said before. BUT someone on here recently said that she'd been very hungry since she started taking T3 and felt the need to eat more. Perhaps that's what he meant : your body will be working more efficiently, and you will feel the need to eat more.
I'm on T3 only, and I can't say I've noticed this effect. My appetite varies - sometimes I'm hungry all the time, other times I'm not interested in food. But we're all different. Listen to your body and go with the flow. Eat enough to satisfy yourself, but Don't push yourself to eat more. Your body will tell you what it needs. 
I was on T3-only for over a year. Have never been told such a thing. Didn't notice that I needed to eat more while on T3-only. If you are worried about protein, have this endo run a Total Blood Protein (TBP) and make sure you are at least mid-range.
I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 1995. Each person is unique unto themselves. Therefore, what is a proper diet for me may not be for you. It is so simple. Put a call into him or her, and ask them for the proper diet and you will see a significant change. Best of Luck to you. I am also 5'3'' and 120 lbs. Dottie
I really Don't think it's a good idea to ask a GP for a diet. They know nothing about nutrition - especailly for hypos - and are more than likely to give you a low - or no - fat diet, which is the last thing you need. I have even had doctors recommending I consume soy! Thank goodness I know better than that, now.
T3 should increase your metabolism, so then you would, naturally, eat more, but, what he is saying is just really odd.
Some believe Dr. Ray Peat is the final authority on hypothyroidism. In this interview with Mary Shomon, he says this about protein:
Mary Shomon: You feel that chronic protein deficiency is a common cause of hypothyroidism. How much protein should people get (as much as 70-100 grams a day?) and what types of protein, in order to prevent hypothyroidism?
Dr. Ray Peat: The World Health Organization standard was revised upward by researchers at MIT, and recently the MIT standard has been revised upward again by military researchers; this is described in a publication of the National Academy of Sciences (National Academy Press, The Role of Protein and Amino Acids in Sustaining and Enhancing Performance, 1999). When too little protein, or the wrong kind of protein, is eaten, there is a stress reaction, with thyroid suppression. Many of the people who don't respond to a thyroid supplement are simply not eating enough good protein. I have talked to many supposedly well educated people who are getting only 15 or 20 grams of protein per day. To survive on that amount, their metabolic rate becomes extremely low. The quality of most vegetable protein (especially beans and nuts) is so low that it hardly functions as protein. Muscle meats (including the muscles of poultry and fish) contain large amounts of the amino acids that suppress the thyroid, and shouldn't be the only source of protein. It's a good idea to have a quart of milk (about 32 grams of protein) every day, besides a variety of other high quality proteins, including cheeses, eggs, shellfish, and potatoes. The protein of potatoes is extremely high quality, and the quantity, in terms of a percentage, is similar to that of milk.
Heloise, then he definitely doesn't think dairy is a problem. What do you think about all of this calcium?
Acutally, Nicole, I have never thought that milk supplied that much calcium. Many years ago, two nutritionists wrote a series of books called Fit for Life and even today their theories are still proving true. They said the by the time dairy is digested not much of the calcium is derived. I'll have to dig up my books and check them out again. They were very much against sugar and white flour and fluoride which they said came from the aluminum industry. They were ahead of their time and fighting an uphill battle.
On the other hand, lots of people are dairy intolerant and raw dairy is much healthier anyway. Personally I only drink coconut milk. It's important to balance calcium with magnesium, possibly more magnesium than calcium.
This article talks about calcium in dairy, It also talks about magnesium :
healthy-holistic-living.com...
Good article. If you ever see a Fit For Life book at a garage sale, you should pick it up.
Yes, to calcium because it is good for your bones - as people on Thyroid (Th) medications(Meds) we have to pay attention to this. However, Take your calcium intake well away from your Th Meds because they will interfere with the Thyroxine absorption. e.g. Take Th Meds in the morning and Calciuim (via food if possible) late afternoon.
The reason is that Th Meds need acid in the stomach for absorption and Calcium neutralizes that acid (it is a "base"). So also avoid Calcium last thing at night (bye bye Cocao with milk!) because it might affect your morning Th meds.
Actually, calcium suppléments really aren't a good idea. Especially just on their own. They should be taken - if you absolutely must take them - with vit D, magnesium and vit K2.
Have a look at this article :
I just posted something about gluten which is a protein that causes amino acids to stick together which makes it hard to go through the small intestine. This causes undigested proteins to enter the bloodstream. So good quality proteins are important.
I go with the majority on this one, sounds like Baloney to me.
I guess I'm just going to eat all the cheese and ice cream and drink all of the milk I want and just be happy .......as long as it's 4hrs from my t3. Smileyface
How long after eating can I take my afternoon dose of T3, and how long do I have to wait to eat again?
This is about not being able to eat with hypothyroidism.
Advice on what to eat and what not to eat. 
Eating with Levothyroxine?
Nobody needs T3 tablets
