Low thyroid, high cholesterol

[AmberRose60]

I'm interested in the effect an under active thyroid has on cholesterol levels. I have been taking Levothyroxine for 15 years and according to tests, my thyroid function is now within the normal range. A recent blood test shows my cholesterol levels as overall high (7). I have read that thyroid can affect cholesterol but when treated properly the cholesterol comes down. Also that levothyroxine does not bring cholesterol down. What is the solution? Statins or a different thyroid med?

[tattybogle]

yes .. 'not enough' thyroid hormone is a cause of raised cholesterol levels .. and yes , properly treating the hypothyroidism will reduce the high cholesterol ( assuming it was the cause and not something else going on)

However just having TSH fT4 back 'in the normal range' does not necessarily mean you actually 'have enough' thyroid hormone for you personally .

It depends WHERE within that range, you are .

The thyroid hormone range is a bit like shoe sizes.,

there's a 'normal range for women' eg [size 4 to size 7 ].....but you need the right size for you , your feet won't manage very well with the wrong size shoes ,even if they are 'a normal size for women'

So first ....let us know your actual thyroid results result [and lab range] for TSH and fT4 (and fT3 if it's been tested )

And we can make sure your Levothyroxine dose is 'as good as it can be for you' ( rather than just 'in the normal range') , before considering a different type of thyroid hormone ,, or statins . Statins are not recommended for women with hypothyroidism .

The NHS say that the Hypothyroidism should be treated first to lower the cholesterol, and that there is an increased risk of problem on statins. I don't have that NHS link to hand , but hopefully someone else will add it in another reply to your post .

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i just wrote the following for someone else ,so some of it may not apply to you , but i'll stick it here in case some of it is helpful :

TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone ) is a 'message' from the Hypothalamus/Pituitary to the Thyroid . (HPT axis)

A High TSH is saying ....."the amount of T4 we have is not enough yet ".. so it asks the thyroid to make more . However your thyroid is a bit knackered , it can't manage to respond to that request well enough anymore (hence you being put on Levothyroxine)

Once someone with a knackered thyroid (that can't make enough T4) is taking T4 from Levo , then the TSH is not so much a message to their thyroid ...but rather a message to their GP asking them to increase the T4 by increasing the dose.

Your TSH can try asking your thyroid for "more T4 please' , and shout as loud as it likes ( high HSH is 'shouting') .... but your thyroid cant manage to make enough T4.

When your dose is 'enough' for you .. then your TSH will go down ( stop shouting)

just because fT4 of 14 is 'in the normal range' that doesn't mean it's 'enough' for you

.. 14 is only enough for the person who usually has 14.

it is not enough for the person who usually has 20.

..... it's like shoe sizes .

size 5 is a 'normal' shoe size for women .... and so is size 7

.. the normal range for women's shoe sizes might go from [4 to 8]

But 'normal' size 5 shoes are no use to you if you have 'normal' size 7 feet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TSH 'asks' the thyroid to make more/ or less T4/T3 ( FEEDFORWARD) .

and TSH is also a reflection to how much T4/T3 there is in the blood and how satisfied the hypothalamus / pituitary are with that level ( FEEDBACK)

BUT... that is how the system works when the thyroid is making all the T4( and a variable amount of ready made T3)

Unfortunately the Hypothalamus /Pituitary are a bit thick ~ they can't tell the difference between T4 from the thyroid..... and T4 from a tablet.

once we are taking 'enough' of the T4 we need from a tablet.. the TSH goes down again so the thyroid is effectively turned 'off' (or at least 'turned right down' ) and so the FeedForward part of this conversation is less use .... the knackered Thyroid has largely 'left the conversation' once we are taking a 'full' dose of T4

GP's still use the FeedBack part of the conversation as a monitor of how 'satisfied' the body is with the dose of T4 taken (and how much T3 is being made from it) .

However it is not 'foolproof' to use just the TSH FeedBack as a monitor for how satisfied the whole body is once we are taking T4 only .... because it ignores the fact that TSH is ONLY a reflection of how satisfied the Hypothalamus / Pituitary are ... some other part of the body may not be so happy with the new balance of more T4: less T3....... and the TSH can't reflect how the rest of the body feels .. it is only in conversation with the Hypothalamus , Pituitary and Thyroid .(HPT axis)

The Hypothalamus / Pituitary may be saying "that's enough T4 thanks" , or even "that's a bit too much T4"......... but the muscles or heart or liver or brain etc may be saying "but i haven't got enough T3 any more"

[AmberRose60 in reply to tattybogle]

Thank you. I will request blood test results from my surgery to see the various levels. Seems like I should be avoiding statins though. Meanwhile, I have adjusted my diet to exclude saturated fat and I’m trying to do more aerobic exercise. Work in progress…

[SlowDragon Administrator]

75mcg levothyroxine is only one step up from standard starter dose

Unless you are extremely petite you are likely not on high enough dose levothyroxine

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested 

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once 

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies 

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis. 

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Havd you had thyroid antibodies tested

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis 

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test 

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Request GP test full thyroid and vitamins…

Or

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Just Thyroid includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£49

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

If you can get GP to test vitamins then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

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...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Watch out for postal strikes

[AmberRose60 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I will certainly look into these blood tests.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to AmberRose60]

come back with new post once you get results

Examples of test results

Medichecks

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Blue horizon

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Monitor my health

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

[Basketweaver]

I have exactly the same issue, have been taking levothyroxine for 30 years and have a recent cholesterol result of 7.1 (4.6 LDL). My thyroid blood test results were 'normal'