Training and Hypothyroidism

[Gittit Shwartz]

Hi all,

I've been slipping into hypothyroidism over several months. It's only recently showing up on blood tests badly enough to be defined as "clinical" but the symptoms have been there for a while: low body temperature, fatigue, hair loss, anemia, problems with memory and concentration etc.

I'm still poking around trying to find a treatment/cure that doesn't involve synthetic hormones, but it'll probably take a while. Meanwhile, I've had to lower my expectations of training to a minimum. I get sick often, I can't do long/intense workouts or I start getting severe orthostatic hypotension and feel even worse the next day. Basically my recovery ability is in the toilet. Appetite is poor and I'm barely maintaining strength.

I know this is a temporary state I'm in, but i don't want to totally let myself go until I've got it under control. I need some advice on how to balance training and recovery.

I'm thinking I can probably handle strength training upper body twice a week, lower body twice a week... I split them to keep workouts short. I do some squat or deadlift variation for 3 sets of 1-3 reps, pullups+HSPU with the same scheme. Stretching and handbalancing 6 days a week since that is low impact. I get to 1-2 Capoeira classes a week, these are the hardest for me but hard to give up...

Should 1-2 times a week be enough to maintain strength? I tend to lose upper body strength fast. Is there anything I can do to maintain minimal conditioning? Should I try to keep protein intake up although I'm not hungry for it, or am I just putting more stress on my body? How do I decide when I'm too run down to train, and should I make up the session later? Any particular PWO strategies that might help?

I know I'll mostly have to feel it out on my own, but any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Gittit

[Ari Kestler]

Can you tell us why you are concerned about taking "synthetic hormones"? Especially if they will solve your problem.

If you were a type I diabetic would you let yourself take insulin?

[Steven Low]

Don't have problems with iodine deficiency?

[Mike ODonnell]

When's the last time you took a week off to just relax?

[Garrett Smith]

Adrenals and thyroid are intimately tied together. More work may need to be done on the adrenals--including minimal training.

Have you read the Adrenal Fatigue book yet to modify your workouts based on its suggestions?

[Dave Van Skike]

Originally Posted by Gittit Shwartz

Hi all,

I've been slipping into hypothyroidism over several months. It's only recently showing up on blood tests badly enough to be defined as "clinical" but the symptoms have been there for a while: low body temperature, fatigue, hair loss, anemia, problems with memory and concentration etc.

I'm thinking I can probably handle strength training upper body twice a week, lower body twice a week... I split them to keep workouts short. I do some squat or deadlift variation for 3 sets of 1-3 reps, pullups+HSPU with the same scheme. Stretching and handbalancing 6 days a week since that is low impact. I get to 1-2 Capoeira classes a week, these are the hardest for me but hard to give up...

Should 1-2 times a week be enough to maintain strength? I tend to lose upper body strength fast. Is there anything I can do to maintain minimal conditioning?

I know I'll mostly have to feel it out on my own, but any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Gittit

3 days a week is plenty to maintain and maybe even increase strength on a number of basic barbell exercises. i bet if you find a real easy rep scheme/progression you'll even gain strength as you throttle back on conditioning.

something that auto-regulates like ladders or a real simple, 5,4,3,2,1 progression working up to a medium heavy single 1-3 times a week is very easy on the body and CNS. works very well for BB and simple bodyweight stuff, dips, pull-ups etc. I've done this exact thing while on protein fast, nowhere near the same but super low energy environment anyway.


i wouldn't bother preserving a high level of conditioning, it goes so quickly and comes back so quickly.

best of luck.

[Gittit Shwartz]

Thanks all for your replies.

Originally Posted by Ari Kestler

Can you tell us why you are concerned about taking "synthetic hormones"? Especially if they will solve your problem.

If you were a type I diabetic would you let yourself take insulin?

I'm not convinced it's a permanent condition. I had mono a year ago following several years of chronic dieting and haven't completely recovered since, but my thyroid gland is intact.

One big problem with the conventional treatment (so far as I know) is that getting exogenous hormones will make your body downregulate its own production of these hormones... So you're basically on it for life.

If I find no other solution, I'll do the conventional treatment, but I'm still optimistic.

Don't have problems with iodine deficiency?

Nope. Dr. G took care of that

When's the last time you took a week off to just relax?

I've taken a few breaks lately because I was sick or feeling too run down... Honestly I feel if I was doing less than I am I would qualify as "sedentary"!

Adrenals and thyroid are intimately tied together. More work may need to be done on the adrenals--including minimal training.

Have you read the Adrenal Fatigue book yet to modify your workouts based on its suggestions?

Thanks for the suggestion Dr. G. I'll try to get hold of a copy.

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Gittit Shwartz

I'm not convinced it's a permanent condition. I had mono a year ago following several years of chronic dieting and haven't completely recovered since, but my thyroid gland is intact.

I've taken a few breaks lately because I was sick or feeling too run down... Honestly I feel if I was doing less than I am I would qualify as "sedentary"!

You do extreme dieting, workout alot, can't recover, strength is going down and get sick often....can you say excess stress and immune system is shot? Eat normal, don't do IF, lift with moderate intensity 2-3x a week, get your sleep, stop all crazy GPP stuff....your body is crying for help....keep running it at full pace and you will regret it.

Get your AM fasting cortisol levels checked....I bet they are blown out. Less stress on the body....more healing and slow recovery. Otherwise you will just gain more weight later in life because of the damage to your adrenals/thryoid. Give them a break and just take it slow and steady....that and find a way to be happy with your self image right now....as I know plenty of healthy people (who are lean and look great) who get OCD and do extreme stuff.....that's where the real issue is with some...make sure that is not the case with you.

Hence...another reason I hate the V-diet.....gets people all neurotic about quick weight loss especially for those that may not even need it....

[Dave Van Skike]

Word.

Gittit,

I'll bet you an airmailed Grassfed Brisket of your choice that if, for 1 month you;

Hit a basic medium frequency, medium volume strempf program focused on practice, not a workout (Ghost of Pavel Past);

precede your strempf work with skill practice and close it out with stretching and mobility work;

Do ZERO metcon;

Limit your Gym sessions to 4 days a week max;

Do ZERO extracurricular sneak workouts or marathons stretching sessions

Hit 3 square meals a day and get to bed by 9.

In month you'll be stronger and feel better regardless of your bloodwork.

[Garrett Smith]

Gittit,
Dave and MOD's advice are both solid.

If you decide to test your cortisol levels, talk to your ND about a Diagnos-Techs Adrenal Stress Index, it's a 4-time saliva test (~6am, noon, ~5pm, ~10pm), much more valuable than just a single AM cortisol.

I did get the job at Future Formulations, Dr. Wilson's company (the author of the Adrenal Fatigue book), so if you have questions or need to get their supplements for your adrenal recovery, let me know off-line.