Exercise feeling worse day after?

[lisan1]

Is it normal to feel worse the day after exercise? Am close to optimal on my dosage. Tried for first time to exercise yesterday and today I feel a lot worse. How do you get back to exercising if it will be like this,..

[NatChap]

I used to feel like that too. If you are optimal this won't happen so I imagine you aren't there yet! Do you have your results to hand so we can take a look?

[NatChap]

Also, if your vitamin and mineral levels are low it will affect your ability to exercise and recover. Have you had FT3, ferritin, vitd, vit b12 etc.. tested?

[lisan1 in reply to NatChap]

Yes, they are ok according to advise I've got here.

My latest result was

Tsh 0.14 (0.35-5.5)

Ft4 15.8 (10-19.8)

After that test I increased with 12,5 mcg levo.

[NatChap in reply to lisan1]

Don't you have your FT3 result?

[lisan1 in reply to NatChap]

No, will test ft3 next time private. Wanted to at least feel reasonably well first.

[NatChap in reply to lisan1]

It's the best way to find out whether you are close to being optimally medicated. Medichecks have an offer on 15% off thyroid checks until the 31st.

[SilverAvocado in reply to lisan1]

We can't really know if your levels are good without seeing freeT3, it's the most important of the 3 numbers.

I'd say that freeT4 is quite low, the rule of thumb is it should be in the top quarter. People often need it right at the top or over range to get a good freeT3. But even then it's possible for freeT3 to be very low.

Getting freeT3 measured is really the first step in optimizing dose, not the end of it.

[lisan1 in reply to SilverAvocado]

Thanks!

[radd]

lisan,

Exercise will stimulate thyroid hormone secretion and improves tissue sensitivity to the hormone (whether natural produced or medicated) but only if we are functioning well, with optimal thyroid hormone, iron and nutrient levels.. Pushing ourselves when we feel unwell will further stress the adrenal glands that will be compromised from low or intolerated thyroid hormone.

You have only been medicating 7 months and if thyroid hormone levels are still low (or intolerated, ie good blood test results but exhibiting hypothyroid systems), one may become easily fatigued, have weak muscles, suffer from weight gain and have a low body temperature due to a reduced metabolism.

Optimal nutrients, iron, cortisol, balanced sex hormones, low antibody count, no gut issues and an adequate diet (including protein) would all help you to exercise but it depends on how well your thyroid hormones are working.

The danger is if you push when your metabolism isn't up to it, you compromise other hormones and create further imbalances and become further unwell. T4 has to be converted to T3 (active hormone that drives our metabolism) in various organs and peripheral tissues in the body, which is great for muscles and when fully optimised will give you a lot of muscle strength. However, if low or used up too quickly depleting levels, it can be difficult to replenish as the process of achieving T3 is immensely complicated involving many factors and other hormones.

By building exercise very slowly you give time for T3 levels to build. The more cell receptors that will accept T3, the more protein synthesis will allow muscle growth and mitochondria (power factories that burn calories and increase the basal metabolic rate (BMR).)

Low thyroid hormone will compromise the adrenal glands by using excess cortisol instead and as the adrenals release hormone in response to any stress including exercise, you may exacerbate the problem. I read somewhere that in a healthy person, cortisol kicks in after about 40 minutes of intense training but in compromised adrenals it is so much faster and will supply adrenaline if cortisol is in short supply. Constant elevated glucocorticoids (such as cortisol ) will encourage protein breakdown and interfere with the HPA axis and good thyroid hormone.

Overtraining can lead to cellular damage and activation of the immune system, including changes in natural killer cell activity and increased activation of peripheral blood lymphocytes. This type of nonspecific immune response is associated with symptoms such as chronic fatigue, weight loss, decreased appetite, and sleep changes. Altered immune status is also known to affect the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, and may be responsible for altered thyroid function.

The way to progress is slow and sure.

[lisan1 in reply to radd]

Thank you. Could you give me an example of easy start when used to run 7km 4 days a week before diagnosis. How do I start now for my body to be able to handle it?

[radd in reply to lisan1]

lisan,

Exercise stimulates protein synthesis and when greater than the amount of protein broken down, results in muscle growth.

As both are controlled by complimentary cellular mechanisms an unbalance of thyroid hormones (required for muscle growth) results in muscle reduction .

Aging also mediates cellular changes in muscle and walking and something sympathetic like pilates will improves the connective tissue harness surrounding muscle (beneficial for injury prevention) without the high impact on joints caused by running, etc.

Remember muscle can only be built with exercise stimulus, adequate protein and thyroid hormones, etc .....

[cwill]

I would suggest that If you bloods are good and you have no signs of hypo then up your walking first. When you cope with a decent pace, gradients etc than you can build the steps/time. Once you have no ill effects then walk /run for periods within the walk. Remember that you may feel great whilst doing it but you need to monitor your symptoms for signs of struggle. Try to work out a plan for gradual return rather than expecting to be able to do everything at once. And get Epsom salts and a magnesium spray to help ease the aching muscles. Slow and steady...

[lisan1 in reply to cwill]

Thank you for your reply. Will try to take it slow.

[SilverAvocado in reply to cwill]

I'd also suggest Pilates and yoga. Bringing walking up to running is an exercise that's quite harsh on the body, but Pilates is great for increasing your strength without any straining, or yanking the body about.

[linkit]

Well I walked 5K on Sunday and was completely unable to do much at all on Monday so I sympathise with you. I think just take it steady our bodies have to get used to us being able to exercise again after being so debilitated for so long! My results too are 'supposed' (according to GP) to be 'normal' so it's hard to influence any change unless you go it alone! I go it alone with the help of all these kind and knowledgable people on here oh and Dr Skinner's book which is my reference manual, for trying to get my nutrients and gut optimal. xx

[lisan1 in reply to linkit]

Thank you for your reply. I will try to take it one step at a time and maybe wait until next blood tests to see where my ft3 is.

[Bluedragon]

Hi, take it slow. Look at walking, swimming and gentle yoga and qigong. Takes time. Look after yourself. Oats are a great nurturing food. Ginger tea. Nettles. 🤓

[lisan1 in reply to Bluedragon]

Thanks!