Hi,
I have been on a set dose that is as optimal as can be expected - for approx 2 years.
Levaxin 150 mcg
Liotyronin 5 mcg (+an extra 5 mcg once in a while, when my pulse goes down to mid-50s).
My question is if anyone else has low muscle mass, and difficulty increasing muscle mass? Does anyone know anything about if the effect of natural thyroid hormone (that healthy thyroids produce) on the mitochondria is different from the effect of synthetic thyroid hormone?
Thanks 😊
See from your profile you are in Norway
Do you have actual results and ranges you can add
T3 dose really should be constant...not adding in extra now and then
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
If/when also on T3, make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
Thank you for the reply SlowDragon, and all the good tips.
I don’t have any recent results, but my TSH is always less than 0.01, and T4 and T3 high end of range. Vitamins and minerals optimal. TPO between 300-400.
I take both T4 and T3 at 10 pm and normally blood tests the following morning, so this could have an effect. If I don’t take my meds before bed I can’t sleep, and blood tests must be done before 10:30 am.
I know that I should be taking a steady dose of T3, however if I take 10 mcg I am over medicated (heart pounding, sweating, high pulse), if I take a steady 5 mcg on average once a week I feel very low, my pulse drops (sometimes under 50) and I feel awful. Taking an extra 5 mcg of T3 helps almost within half an hour.
Are you saying that an optimal dose of T3 should help build muscle? Do you know of any scientific papers on the subject?
I have recently changes my doctor. Will have new tests done soon.
Thanks 🌺
Do you ever try a split dose T3
5mcg at bedtime and 5mcg 12 hours later
Yes, I have tried that. It works the first couple of days, but then too much seems to build up in my system.
No, T3 does not build muscle, it increases the rate at which all tissue is "burned up" (ie it is catabolic) and if you do not do anything to replace it, you will have muscle and fat loss. In case anyone is wondering why bodybuilders take T3, it is NOT to build muscle as it does not do that, it is to reduce body fat %ages to single figures before a show, and, as it can cause muscle loss, it is usually stacked with an anabolic steroid, lots of protein and heavy training to counteract that (but bodybuilders aren't hypo to start with). Having said that, I haven't noticed any more muscle loss than I'd expect from aging. I really should take up some resistance training again, but - life ...
Very interesting- thanks!
I guess my body was out to lunch...my t3 hadn't help my fat loss at all...lol
Well, you're just trying normalise your T3 to what an ordinary healthy person would have, but a bodybuilder is training hard 6 days a week and eating very few calories (for a short time) as well as taking T3.
What exactly is a normal persons T3 level? I'm not sure the lab ranges we are forced to live within are not created with all healthy individuals.
See the study by Pilo or the critique by Tania Smith. It's very variable and individual, as is level of T4, but it follows a daily cycle
I hope you get an answer to the muscle mass question.
Thanks for sharing Lora7again. I also was inactive for several years until I got my dose right, but I have been relatively active for a few years. Walking the dog every day, doing a lot around the house, playing with my grandson (I live with my daughter and family). But my muscle mass is the same and I can not do strenuous work or exercise. Tried beginners yoga, but it was too hard and I had to settle for yin yoga.
Going up 2 flights of stairs makes me pant.
I am 56 😀
I used to go for long walks, and mountains were never a problem.
The article you posted was very interesting. I probably don’t get enough dietary protein and vitamin D, though I do take vit D supplement. Maybe most importantly I don’t have enough testosterone. I used to take some DHEA. Maybe I will try these again.
Thanks 🙏
You can test cortisol and DHEa via Regenerus saliva testing
regeneruslabs.com/products/...
cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...
Recommend testing vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin at least annually ...ideally twice yearly
Thanks 🌸
Thanks for the tip!
I will probably try to incorporate more protein in the form of chicken and fish.
Your lucky me not so much.
Very interesting - when you say working again, is that due to meds?
The condition of losing muscle mass as we age is called sarcopenia. I'm not sure if losing muscle mass can be avoided completely, but I suspect it could be delayed with the right diet and exercise.
There are ways of slowing down the development of sarcopenia by avoiding things like malnutrition, eating a nutrient-dense diet, eating enough, doing regular weight bearing exercise, avoiding immobility, eating enough protein...
It would be worth your while to look up sarcopenia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarco...
buoyhealth.com/symptoms-a-z...
Based on many posts I've read on this forum I think not eating enough in women with hypothyroidism would be a common problem. Malnutrition would follow. It is possible to be obese and yet be malnourished.
I mean lucky that you have a thyroid ...Im thyroidless.
Oh, I understand you. All my life I had very skin body. When i have started to go to the gym, of course I wanted to increase the level of muscles in my body. Exercises helped, but it was very slowly. I tried to ask all my friends who like sport, what I should do to expedite the process. All of them recommended use SARM's.I didn't know anything about it and even didn't know where to buy it. Thanks that I have found thblack.com/where-to-buy-sa... , there is a big article on this thread. Hope that I have helped you
Help for Overcoming Thyroid Resistance
MUSCLE STIFFNESS
Anyone else suffering horrendous muscle fatigue?:( 
