Hi, just curious to know whether anyone else has experienced cellulite after taking T3 and if so have they found anything that helps reduce its appearance. Since being on T3 for a year I’ve developed significant cellulite on my legs and also weight gain - rather odd as it is supposed to increase cell metabolic activity. My skin has also become quite spotty - is this due to T3?
If it helps I’m on optimum levels for about 5 weeks and all my vitamins and minerals are okay. Many thanks
I have taken T3 for several years and have not developed cellulite.
The benefit of T3, for me, is it resolved the severe palpitations I had on levothyroxine and I feel well and symptom-free.
Hi DaisyJones1, when you say your thyroid blood tests and key vitamins are ok, this might not be optimal. Can you share your blood test results so we can better advise.
I’ve not noticed any increases cellulite as a result of introducing Liothyronine. For me, it was part of reaching peri menopause. I’m finding massaging with coconut oil and essential oils (eg frankincense) useful for improving leg circulation.
It should be the opposite. I lost so much weight and cellulite on T3. I think there must be some other reason why is this happening to you. Maybe some other underlying condition.
Individual responses to the addition of Liothyronine, as with all medications, can vary considerably. I actually lost weight when under medicated for hypothyroidism and this stabilised when I started combined therapy.
Have you lost muscle mass since adding liothyronine? If so, your skin won't be pulled as tight and cellulite will be more visible as a result. That's the only explanation I can think of.
Dry brushing the skin helps. See videos on youtube about it, worked for me.
Mucin can be keeping the skin taught. When it begins to break up, I am sure some people will develop cellulite. It depends how long it has been there (can be unnoticed for many a year due to its tightening of the skin). Other posters have suggested remedies. I have no idea whether they work. It probably depends on different factors. Young women probably respond more positively to mucin breaking up (damn). I would love to get rid of mine but really I would rather feel better in myself, so should my mucin begin to break up and cause cellulite I will just have to take it on the chin! I hope you get the result you want.
I also developed cellulite but never connected it to T3 maybe your under medicated you should add your recent labs with ranges so everyone can see.
Thank you all for responding. Very much appreciated for all the thoughts and suggestions.
Here’s my last blood results from early September:
Thyroid Stim. Hormone L <0.005 0.270 - 4.2 mIU/L
Free T3 6.8 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L
Free Thyroxine (FT4) 14.8 12 - 22 pmol/
my iron is low but I’ve been following a rotoscope for the last 6 months and it’s increasing. B12 is fine.
My oestrogen is a little low as perimenopausal.
I’ve been optimal from this September.
Thank you again.
hello Daisy, I am so happy to read your post. I also experience a lot of weight gain since adding T3. I was hoping it would have the opposite effect. How are you now? Did you find a way to feel better?
hello Soof, thanks for your message. It was a very strange experience. I decided that T3 wasn’t for me. I was very warm yet put on weight rapidly especially on my legs. They were very swollen. I have since moved to NDT - Erfa and it’s a far better experience. Difficult to describe but I feel calmer - it seems more gentle. What’s your experience in T3?
Hi Daisy, I feel exactly what you described : warm, but rapid weight gain and cellulite on places I never had it before. Are you still happy with Erfa? I think I will try it too.
It is better but I’m still waiting for the weight gain to dissipate. I think from adding T3 my appetite increased which reflects my metabolism working better and needing more food.
My experience is far more lost I’ve with NDT. From everything I read it is so individual but I was flawed by the t3 and the weight gain etc - as this seemed more like a hypo issue but all my levels were very good on it. Maybe it has something to do with reverse T3 and I know my cortisol is too high in the morning. I am also aware my iron levels are low. Supposedly you need good iron levels for the benefit of T3. Are yours at a good level? Have you ever tested Reverse T3?
Hey DaisyJones, i haven’t tested my iron in a while, i am waiting for a new appointment with a functional doctor. This weight gain is making me very hopeless. I tried taking a little extra T4 last week and although I was unable to sleep, the bloating went away. But today I am like a balloon once again. Your story sounds like mine. Please keep me updated on how you feel on the natural thyroid.
So sorry to hear that. It’s bizarre isn’t it as so many seem to have a very different experience. I definitely feel better on NDT and have just changed the timing when I take it so not to raise my cortisol. This seems to be better for me but early days.
Try drinking green tea - I read that this can help.
Please do let me know what your functional doctor says as I am still miffed by this experience. The thyroid doctor I saw thought it very unusual and maybe something to do with dosing. . I’m on a high dose so certainly not under medicated and my figures are at top of range. From all my reading I think it’s linked to iron levels, cortisol and/or reverse T3 and adrenals.
Good luck!
thank you! I hope you continue to feel better on ndt. The cellulite we get from the t3 medication has something to do with the link between cortisol/estrogen/insulin resistance. I read that cellulite is caused by too much estrogen and elevated cortisol can elevate estrogen because our liver can’t handle dealing with both.. ? I will try a liver cleanse for a few days (just fruit &vegetables&herbs) and see if that helps. I will keep you posted 
Hi Soof, just wondering how you are getting on and whether the functional doctor has managed to offer some further insight into the changes after taking T3?
I’ve just continued as is to create some stability but changed my dosing time to approx 11am for NDT so not to raise my cortisol further in the morning.
Best wishes,
Daisy
Hi Daisy, I didn’t get any wiser from the functional doctor. I also take my t3 around 11 like you. I still experience rapid weight gain with t3 . How are you doing?
Sorry for my late response. I do wonder whether returning to Levo may be the better option as the T3 in both ndt may not be working in the way I had hoped. I’m going to discuss this with my endo after my next set of blood tests.
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