hi, I suffer from Hashimotos, Sjögren’s and whatever osteopenia means. I’m now worried as to avoid taking Alendronic acid for osteopenia I’ve been taking D3+K2 and magnesium. I’ve just had my blood test results although D3 hasn’t come through yet, but my bad cholesterol has increased from 5.75 to 7.81 and the only thing I can link to this is taking D3. Has anyone else had this problem? I eat reasonably well and walk every day and nothing has changed as my thyroid results have remained unchanged and in the ‘normal range’
high cholesterol taking D3: hi, I suffer from... - Thyroid UK
high cholesterol taking D3
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Essexlil
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Jaydee1507Administrator
Do you have a copy of your latest thyroid blood results including key vitamins - ferritin, folate, B12 & D3?
The most common reason for raised cholesterol is hypothyridism.
hi Jaydee, my D3 results haven’t shown up yet. Other results:
SERUM TSH 0.07 (0.27-4.2) below low reference limit
Serum free T4 19.2 (12-22)
B12 224 pg/mL (197-771)
Serum ferritin 259ng/ml (13-150)
Folate 4.5 ug/L <3 ug/L suggestive deficiency
Thank you for any help!
Your B12 is very low in range. Are you vegan or vegetarian? Do you have any low B12 symptoms? theb12society.com/signs-and...
Folate almost deficient. Wait until you sort out whats what with your B12 before tackling that.
To know whats happening with your thyroid we need an FT3 result which the NHS doesn't do. People here pay for private blood tests. Monitor My health being the cheapest at just over £26 with discount code from Thyroid UK. thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
hi Jaydee, no I’m not vegetarian, quite a healthy diet including tuna, salmon and chicken. My last T3 result was April 2022: 5.0 pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
My B12 was low over the past few years - I’ve tried to take supplements but ended up hyped up and stressed so stopped taking it. I’ve never seen an endocrinologist regarding my Hashimotos, just ask GP for regular blood tests.
B12 can be in the form of hydroxocobalamin, cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin. Although the latter is lauded, methylcobalamin can give some that hyped up wired feeling. So try another source if your supplements were methylcobalamin.
And shots if available to you.
hi thank you for this information - I’ve just checked and the B12 I gave up taking was derived from Methylocobalamin. I had no idea there are different forms. I’ll try one of the others now I know
Methylcobalamin in any supplement form makes me cuckoo for cocoa pops. I worked very hard at university to construct such a studious medical description!
All the best to you.
B12 224 pg/mL (197-771)
Folate 4.5 ug/L <3 ug/L
Both far too low
How long since this test was done
You need to improve B12 at least over 500 and folate around 20
Get vitamin D, folate and B12 at good levels then test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together - Monitor My Health is cheapest
Test early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65
(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies)
monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...
10% off code here
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery
Are you making sure you take magnesium afternoon or evening at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine
LOW Ft3 can cause osteoporosis
thyroidpatients.ca/2018/07/...
hi SlowDragon, these tests were last week. As my previous B12 test was low I started taking a supplement but, as I’m already anxious and often hyped up this made me even worse so I stopped taking it. My last T3 result was in April 2022 : 5.00 pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
As I also have Sjögren’s I feel like I don’t know which symptoms are caused by what 😢
My last T3 result was in April 2022 : 5.00 pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
That’s some time ago
Anxiety is common hypothyroid symptom
Low vitamin levels tends to result in poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3. This results in high Ft4 (can make you feel wired and anxious) …..but low Ft3 ….results in hypothyroid symptoms
Perhaps consider retest via Monitor My Health
Test early morning, just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine
Hashimoto’s and sjogrens are both autoimmune
It’s always worth trying gluten free diet too
Cutting gluten out can often noticeably improve anxiety
You may need to slightly lower dose levothyroxine and get T3 prescribed alongside
But before considering adding T3 vitamin levels really need to be at good levels
hi SlowDragon I take my D3 and magnesium, and fish oil with my evening meal at 6pm. I take my levo around 5am.
SlowDragonAdministrator
Far more likely in need of dose increase in levothyroxine
High cholesterol is linked to being hypothyroid
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
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.
What are your most recent TSH, Ft4 and Ft4 results
hi SlowDragon, I’m taking 100 mcg
my results are TSH 0.07 (0.27-4.2)
Serum free T 4 19.2 (12.00 - 22.00)
Thank you for any advice!
SlowDragonAdministrator
7 months ago
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
You had very low B12 and folate
Have you been supplementing Vitamin B complex and separate B12 after these results
Have you retested Folate and B12 since ?
Low B12 symptoms
b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
methyl-life.com/blogs/defic...
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex
Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
B12 drops
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
B12 sublingual lozenges
amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...
cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...
B12 range in U.K. is too wide
Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Low folate
supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too
Difference between folate and folic acid
chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...
B vitamins best taken after breakfast
Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)
Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20
If you want to try a different brand in the meantime, one with virtually identical doses of the ingredients, and bioavailable too, then take a look at Vitablossom Liposomal B Complex. Amazon sometimes has it branded Vitablossom but it's also available there branded as Yipmai, it's the same supplement
amazon.co.uk/Yipmai-Liposom...
or available as Vitablossom brand here
hempoutlet.co.uk/vitablosso... &description=true
Or
Igennus Vitamin B complex. Nice small tablets. Full dose is 2 tablets per day. Most people are fine with just single tablet
igennus.com/products/super-...
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...
endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and continue separate B12
How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been
SlowDragonAdministrator
As you have Hashimoto’s have you had coeliac blood test
Are you now on strictly gluten free diet/dairy free diet
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial
Hashimoto’s and leaky gut often occur together
Both dairy and gluten are inflammatory foods
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
drknews.com/changing-your-d...
Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/296...
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
I do wish you weren't so prescriptive.
hi SlowDragon, I’ve got my up to date D3 results and T3 appeared on my NHS app today. My D3 after taking D3 K2 drops has gone up to 97.3 nmol/L (>75 nmol/L optimal) - is this too high now?
T3 has gone down to 3.9 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) which is worrying as it was 5 pmol/L last April
Could this be why my cholesterol has risen?
Any advice as usual much appreciated!
vitamin D is perfect now
Any where between 80-125nmol is good
Now reduce vitamin D dose to maintain at that level
Not surprising Ft3 has dropped with low vitamins
It’s a vicious circle
For good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 you need good vitamin levels
Low Ft3 frequently results in low stomach acid, poor nutrient absorption and low vitamin levels as direct result
Low Ft3 also results in increased cholesterol levels
T3 has gone down to 3.9 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) which is worrying as it was 5 pmol/L last April
What were TSH and Ft4 at same test as this Ft3 result
Was test done early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
TSH was 0.07 mlU/L (0.27 - 4.2)
Ft 4 was 19.2 pmol/L (12.0 - 22.00)
As the only test time they could give me as I hadn’t been booked in correctly was 2.15 I’d taken my 100 mcg Levo at 4 am and eaten lunch. They were done on 9th Feb at same time as 3.9 T3.
Glad D3 is good - I’ll go down to one drop now (5 drops = 3000 IU) so is 1 ok?
Retest thyroid properly as next step
TSH, Ft4 and Ft3
Test early morning, just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Meanwhile improving low B vitamins
ok thank you I’ll do that
I don’t think anyones mentioned your ferritin but that’s high.
I take D3 and my cholesterol is fine. I also have osteopenia. The best thing for it is weight bearing exercise. It is a precursor to osteoporosis for most people is my understanding.
As some wise person here mentioned once before - cholesterol rise sometimes shows that thyroid/adrenals/pituitary not working properly, out of balance. There may be other reasons as well. Maybe stop supplements for a while and see what happens?
I do understand, it is a worry. Very difficult to get Dr’s full attention on anything recently, but do keep asking for help and let them explain everything again and again x
Hi Essexlil,
I have an underactive thyroid and was put on levothyroxine about 6 years ago which didn't really help. Through a private blood test I discovered my T3 ( Liothyronine ) was under the range and a private Endocrinologist put me on T3 because I can't convert T4 ( Levothyroxine ) to T3. One of the amazing results of this was that my cholesterol came down from about 6.8 to 4.8 without any changes in my diet or lifestyle within 2 months. I suggest that it may be possible you are also unable to convert T4 to T3.
Despite my reduction in cholesterol once I was taking T3, I am also on a statin because I have a 70% furred artery into my heart because of an untreated thyroid problem which I suspect I have had since giving birth to my children 40 years ago! The doctor would only test TSH which tells us nothing about our true thyroid status and so I was diagnosed too late.
I discovered that I have a gene DI01 which means I can't convert T4 to T3. I found this through 23andMe genetic testing.
I don't think D3, K2 or Magnesium are relevant to your increase in cholesterol but an inability to convert T4 to T3 might be. I suggest you ask your doctor to carry out a T3 test. He may also suggest you go on a statin.
Good luck
hi Pam, only thing is my GP tested my T3 at my request last April and it proved to her that I am converting just fine 5.0 pmol/L (3.1-6.8) when I asked she said no that’s perfect so no problem there. I’ve put on over a stone since being on levo. Mainly on my abdomen - when I sit down and reach down to pick something up it’s like being pregnant my stomach is so big 😢
Sorry to hear that. Maybe something else is going on. Definitely need a conversation with your doctor.
Good luck
hi Pam since replying I’ve realised that my GP has tested T3 this time and it’s gone low - 3.9 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) it was 5.0 last April. Is it possible to have the gene for poor conversion and for this to happen- can it fluctuate? My mum was never well on levothyroxine or Armour - she passed away 15 years ago but separate T3 was never offered to her - now I’m wondering if we both have/had the gene D101.
Hi Essexlil ,
That’s interesting. You might have the gene/genes because DI02 gene also makes it difficult to convert T4 to T3 . It’s T3 you need because it works at cellular level.
My mother also had a thyroid problem and wasn’t diagnosed until her early 80s by which time she had developed vascular dementia because of furred arteries. Her cholesterol was 11 at that point! She also passed out and her skin was so dry it came off in flakes. She was only put on Levothyroxine T4 but having done a lot of research since I was diagnosed I realise she also needed T3. She never got better on just T4. The DI01 gene that I have must have come from her.
My husband recently had half his thyroid removed and he’s also on NDT. He has the DI02 gene which he has passed on to both of our daughters and I have passed on DI01 to one daughter so she has a double whammy!
My oldest daughter was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 2 years when she had a thyroid problem. That’s because the doctor didn’t carry out the full range of thyroid tests so it was missed.TSH testing on its own is pointless!Her thyroglobulin antibodies were 584 on a range of 0-115 way over the normal range and she had to pay for the proper tests for thyroid herself. She’s on medication now and feels better.
Sorry for so much information! You can probably tell that I am really cross about the negligence of the medical profession because it has been so harmful to my family.
You can get genetic information from 23andMe and Ancestry. You have to pay but it gives a lot of information about your health. I believe that you can also request a specific test from other companies too.
DI01 has 2 known markers that can have mutations and cause problems:
DI01 rs2235544 SNP the C ( or G ) can be associated with higher levels of T3. TheT ( or A )is the risk allele. It can reduce T4 to T3 conversion and raise reverse rT3 when active.
DI01 rs11206244 SNP. The normal allele ( normal no defect) is C ( or G ).The T ( or A ) allele is the risk allele. It can reduce T4 to T3 conversion and raise rT3 when active.
DI02 has one known SNP that can have mutations and cause problems. This is referred to as
rs225014. The normal allele ( no defect is T ( or A ). The C ( or G ) allele is the risk mutation. It can reduce T4 to T3 conversion and raise rT3 when active.
I hope I have made the information clear despite the complexity and that it is helpful.
thank you very much for this information. I’m going to take the gene test as it could not only be helpful for me, but my children and grandchildren. Before I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, looking back I’d had symptoms for many years but they hadn’t shown up on the blood tests. When the autoantibodies finally showed up my GP said I was borderline hypo and gave me the choice of taking levo or waiting to see how it went. At the time, after seeing my poor mum suffer through bad treatment or no treatment at all I decided to start on levo. I’d had bouts of food intolerance problems for many years and they disappeared with levo even at 25 mcg. I did gradually start to put on weight and now have put on over a stone which is upsetting as I eat less than I used to. I’d put off genetic testing when my T3 seemed ok last year, but now it’s very low I think I need to find this out. Thank you once again!
It’s definitely worth persevering.
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