Thyroid levels / cholesterol link

[Fruitandnutcase]

Does anyone know of any recent respected research on the link between thyroid levels and high levels of cholesterol?

I had an annual blood test on Tuesday and on Wednesday I had a call from my surgery about my cholesterol levels. The statin police didn’t half get off their mark!

I am convinced it is because my thyroid level is not optimal. I’ve been in remission from Graves’ disease since 2013

In that time my TSH has crept up from

0.56(0.35-5.5) T4 17.4(10-19.8) in 2013 these were done by NHS

To

TSH 2.19(0.27-4.2), FT3 4.91(3.1-6.8), Free thyroxine 15.1(12-22) done by Medichecks a few months ago.

I realise that I’m still ‘within range’ but I feel really lethargic, exhausted all the time, always hungry too, crave sweet stuff, get repeated sinusitis - that stopped when my thyroid was being treated but has started again, I have put on a couple of stones over the past year, get plantar fasciitis and ache all over, plus lots of other hypo symptoms. I wouldn’t say I feel depressed but I can’t see the point in life really - I’m 70 and I often wonder what it’s all about and what’s the point of it all, I go out and do things but I don’t feel much joy in life. Ideally I’d like to hibernate.

Anyway, if you’ve stuck with me this long, I’m really hoping someone can point me to research I can take along time my GP in two weeks when I see her for the ‘big cholesterol discussion’.

I do not want to take statins - tried it once and could barely walk after two weeks - Ideally I’d like to persuade her to try some levothyroxine to bring my TSH down to around 1 which was the level where I felt better than I do now. I know she won’t want to because I had Graves and she won’t want to ‘damage my heart!!!’ Obviously I definitely do not want to become hyper again but I’d like to feel a bit more perky.

So, can anyone link me to respected research on the link between thyroid and high cholesterol - my GP knows how I feel about it because when I told her last time we had the discussion that I was sure there was a link between the two because when I had Graves and was really hyper my cholesterol was at its lowest ever she just nodded - also does anyone have any idea of how much levo I would need to get down towards a TSH of around 1?

On the plus side my HbA1c was ok. That was a big relief.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your Medichecks results suggest you need dose increase in Levothyroxine

Did you also get vitamin levels tested?

Common for vitamin levels to drop on Levothyroxine.

Low B12 especially common when we get older

Can you add vitamin results, if you have them

What vitamin supplements do you currently take?

Sinus issues suggest dairy intolerance. Are you, or have you tried, dairy free diet?

Link about hypothyroid and high cholesterol

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to SlowDragon]

Not taking any levo at all. Last time I took it was as part of block and replace for Graves and that was in 2013.

Unfortunately I’m ‘within range’ and my GP is happy with that.

I've just added my full results above

I could probably add a bit more vitamin D and B12. I stopped everything for a while before I did my bloods.

I went totally GF about five years ago and don’t take much dairy at all - I’ve never liked dairy products - although I do like a spot of cream on mixed berries. I’m not in a dairy free diet though.

Thanks for your suggestions, I’ll go study them in depth.

[MaisieGray]

An article I read, described the issue very straightforwardly (and reinforces your experience when you were hyper):

"Your body needs thyroid hormones to make cholesterol and to get rid of the cholesterol it doesn’t need. When thyroid hormone levels are low (hypothyroidism), your body doesn’t break down and remove LDL cholesterol as efficiently as usual. LDL cholesterol can then build up in your blood.

Thyroid hormone levels don’t have to be very low to increase cholesterol. Even people with mildly low thyroid levels, called subclinical hypothyroidism, can have higher than normal LDL cholesterol. A 2012 study found that high TSH levels alone can directly raise cholesterol levels, even if thyroid hormone levels aren’t low.

Hyperthyroidism has the opposite effect on cholesterol. It causes cholesterol levels to drop to abnormally low levels."

Here is the study referred to, in which it's stated that "From a clinical perspective, in hypothyroidism, it may be therapeutically important to keep TSH at a low normal level to maximize the control of cholesterol production."

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks for that MaisieGray, I’ll off and study it all.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

Is this how you did the last test?

Plantar fasciitis is often low vitamin D and/or low FT3

Your FT4 at 15 was only about 30% through range

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, I stagger through to the bathroom straight from bed about 6.00am. I’m not taking any levo at all - stopped when I finished my block and replace in 2013.

I’ve gone from being like the Duracell bunny when I had Graves to feeling like the one who collapses by the wayside and now that I have high cholesterol again when it was really low when I had Graves really does make me think it could be my thyroid. The comment that thyroid levels don’t need to be very low to affect cholesterol kind of confirms what I feel about it. It might not be that at all but the fact I’ve felt it for some time and the fact there are papers being written about it makes me think I could do with a bit of help to become optimal.

I’ve got two weeks to build up my case for at least trying a little bit of levo.

[Marz]

I have read here that there is a mention on the NHS website that treating the Thyroid BEFORE prescribing Statins is the way to go ! I have also read on the Cholesterol Support Forum that the Triglyceride result is very important - and lots of other tests not usually done ...

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz - I will go search out the cholesterol forum and see what that says and I’ll see what I can find on the NHS website. 2.19 isn’t high compared to what some people are allowed to reach but I’m wondering if it’s too high for me.

[Marz in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Not a hugely active Forum but look out for sos007 and of course Londinium and me banging on about Thyroid ....

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Marz]

Yes, I’ve just discovered Londinium! Will look out for sos007 too

Just found sos007 - and someone else called Marz 😉