Struggling to bring down blood sugars

[Wired123]

Hi Friends,

As some of you know I've been on a journey and taking T3 was the real game changer. I am under the care of a fantastic private Endo.

I've included my thyroid and sugar results in this post. My insulin is elevated indicating insulin resistance. All tests are done fasting and no meds in the morning.

I've been on a good diet (low carbs, lots of lean meat and veg), exercising 3 times a week (weight training) and generally being as good as possible.

I've lost a tonne of fat but also am 4 KG heavier due to more muscle - my fat is visibly reduced and my clothes are massive on me.

I was expecting low carb diet, fat loss and higher muscle mass would all contribute to reducing my HbA1C over time however it's more or less flat for the last 1.5 years.

Any suggestions on how to bring the sugars down? Is this stubborn high sugar and insulin resistance a symptom of being hypothyroid?

[arTistapple]

I see your T3 levels appear to correspond to your HbA1c levels. I hope someone has a reference for this but I have read somewhere that T3 influences it. 40 is a respectable reading. Your glucose levels (like HbA1c) potentially could also be related to T3. I was caught out after being on the cusp of T2diabetes for years when taking T3 for only a short time. I was p..ing like a race horse and I suspect sugar was being released from my piles of mucin. As for insulin resistance this could just be lagging behind everything else. Thyroid medication starts off all sorts of chemical/biological reactions in the body which have been on hold possibly for a very long time (in my experience). You are very pleased with your endo. Presumably he/she is knowledgable enough about both conditions to comment. They really should be able to answer your question. I would also be interested in the answer as I see enough on this forum to have cause to believe it’s all very much related.

[Wired123 in reply to arTistapple]

Thanks for your response. I’m seeing the endo next week but wanted to do some research in advance.

Everything I’ve read says T3 will help with insulin resistance, except one book called The Blood Code which says the opposite.

[london81 in reply to Wired123]

Just to add I’m interested too. My blood sugars are optimal and I take 4.5 grains NDT, so no evidence there that my sugars were affected by t3. However, I am also over weight. I took ozempic and lost weight despite it not seeming to impact the hba1c result ( which stayed as optimal). That seems to indicate to me there is maybe more going on under surface with hashis. Not many answers there for you just feedback on things I’ve noticed.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

[Wired123 in reply to london81]

That’s interesting that you lost weight on Ozempic but no reduction in A1C, when the drug is designed to impact sugars.

Interestingly many years ago I took Victoza (which was an earlier version of Ozempic) and my sugars went up and I lost no weight. I was on T4 mono then but the doctor took me off it as it was giving no benefit.

Clearly another mechanism going on underneath that we are unaware of.

[Bertwills]

I have read evidence that T3 does impact blood sugar & keeps it higher than ideal. I have used Berberine to help my levels be lower & less reactive. Apparently it’s avoiding large peaks & troughs that is important so eating protein & fat alongside carbs can help.

[Wired123 in reply to Bertwills]

Thanks my diet is predominantly protein and veg with some fat, alongside minimal carbs - maybe 10-20g per meal.

So if T3 raises sugar and hence insulin that cannot be good.

I’ve been considering Berberine. Do you find it effective and how much do you take?

[Bertwills]

I follow the guidance on the packet. If you research you will find advice that it shouldn’t be taken permanently but cycled on & off. There are some concerns with it but used carefully many people find it used for a range of problems. It did reduce my test results to the level that the GP stopped bothering me to test every six months. I do Medichecks so keep an eye on it anyway.

Remember that we hypos do need carbs, it’s just keeping it all balanced that’s vital & tricky.

[Wired123 in reply to Bertwills]

Yes you are right we hypos need carbs, it’s about keeping them to a minimum and spread through the day as well as being good, real carbs as opposed to processed cr@p.

I’ll discuss Berberine with my endo.

How much did your HbA1C come down whilst taking it? Does it go back up when you cycle off?

[Bertwills in reply to Wired123]

Hi, I’ve looked at my Medichecks tests & initially I was over range so 42 or above for blood sugar & I’m now consistently 39 or below, still high but better & no longer in the pre diabetes range. I think Berberine has a part to play.

[Wired123 in reply to Bertwills]

That’s excellent, was that purely berberine or diet as well. I’ll be discussing Berberine with my endo next week.

[Bertwills in reply to Wired123]

A bit of diet! I’m not very good at restricting myself, I love fruit & it is difficult to resist though I try to eat it with protein & fats now eg banana omelette. I think I shall invest soon in a continuous monitor as the prices have come down. I’m sure Berberine makes a difference.

[Bertwills]

Don’t have the numbers to hand but I’ll check my test results tomorrow & report back.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

I did Zoe Nutrition and used the continuous glucose monitor for 2 weeks (you can hire/buy one cheaper than Zoe and do it yourself). What amazed me (I eat similarly to you) was the dips after what I considered to be fairly low carb meals. Literally a teaspoon of organic gluten free oats in my yogurt or some blueberries would give me a spike and a dip that would yo-yo me all day. I’ve learned that putting chia or peanut butter in with resolves this and my focus has shifted towards upping good fats alongside veggies protein and low carbs. Highly recommend continuous monitoring to see for yourself, test yourself with GF toast or similar and watch what it does. Quite incredible. The do peanut butter on toast 3 hours later and compare. A game changer 🤯 🌱

[Wired123 in reply to Regenallotment]

I guess your experience is similar to what the Glucose Goddess describes in her book, ie to pair carbs with protein and fat to lessen the sugar spike and resulting crash. I’ve been following that advice for a few months and I feel good most of the time but am worried that my sugars are still high despite consuming very little sugar and carbs.

My worry is if I went on a traditional high carb diet that most people in the West eat (bread, pasta, potatoes, and processed food) my A1C would be through the roof.

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to Wired123]

Yes I got the book, really suits me. Yes I think if you switched to the Standard American Diet it would do exactly as you expect. I remember a Zoe podcast where one of the founders said his teenage son and t on a fast food binge and they tes gut microbiome before and after and his gut microbiome still hadn’t recovered from it years later.

So much to it, time consuming to resolve.

Do you think over time monitoring and raising FT3 to optimal and all those varied veggies etc. will help?

[Wired123 in reply to Regenallotment]

Yes the guy microbiome is another factor to consider. I have done a 3 month course of Symprove which was recommended to me by a Gastro.

As for FT3 I thought I was in the right range, are you of the opinion I should look at a dose increase? I’ve been on the same dose for a couple of years and feel generally fine so don’t think it would make sense to increase it especially given TSH level.

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to Wired123]

Just spitballing ideas, I’ve learned from my own experiences the tiniest of adjustments can have big effects. But it takes such a long time sometimes for it to show up. If you feel good that’s more important than what FT3 is showing. 🌱