Hashimoto Disease and fasting

This topic contains 8 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by Raych9 5 years, 7 months ago.

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Trying Hard Too

7:34 am
18 Jul 18
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I’ve started the 5:2 diet a couple of weeks ago after reading Dr Mosley and Mimi Spencer’s impressive book. The science behind the book was very interesting abd decided to embark on it. The first day of fasting was hard but not on the side of feeling hungry but on other effects such as migraine and some aches. I thought it was just my body getting used to it. However, the second day of fasting (3 days after the the firs fast) felt brutal on my body. I felt so sick that I thought I had a virus, muscle aches, bloated tummy, a migraine, irritable and exhausted. Worst of all, these symptoms lasted for two days after the fast. I decided to search for information on Hashimoto Disease and Fasting and I found this: https://hashimotoshealing.com/intermittent-fasting-and-hashimotos/
I think the diet has merits and helps many people, but it might not be suitable for people with Hashimoto. I thought to warn those in my situation and recommend that they work with their Dr before taking in the diet.

bigbooty

11:39 am
18 Jul 18
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Im assuming you’ve had your T3, T4 and TSH levels measured and they are abnormal? And that the diagnosis was Hasimoto? When you say you fasted, are you talking water fast for 36 hours or reduced calories 500/800 for the 36 hour period? You have to increase your water intake, salt intake and magnesium intake to compensate for your reduced food intake. Perhaps do IF in consultation with your Dr who is well aware of your Hasimoto. Good luck.

Minka

12:53 pm
24 Jul 18
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Hello Trying Too Hard,

I’m a Hashimoto’s patient and I’ve been practicing for over 2 years, however, I have to be considerate because many of us with Hashimoto’s develop a secondary condition called ‘adrenal insufficiency’ which leads to low cortisol. The stress fasting puts on the body sometimes requires more cortisol than our body is able to produce.

May I ask if you also experience the symptoms you describe above when you exercise? If so, your issue might be due to low cortisol levels.

As per the circadian rhythm noted in the article, I regulate mine by adhering to strict sleep wake times and by administering my thyroid dose during the window in the wee hours of the morning when cortisol is produced. In other words I practice the Circadian T3 Method.

Hope this helps and know that it IS possible for someone with advanced Hashimoto’s to gain great benefit from practicing 5:2.

daniela34

5:21 pm
10 Aug 18
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Have you had any research done in this direction or is it your opinion?…

Minka

12:34 pm
2 Sep 18
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Hi daniela34,

Yes, I have done extensive research on this topic. Here are some of those articles if you are interested in viewing them…

https://chriskresser.com/intermittent-fasting-cortisol-and-blood-sugar/

https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/intermittent-fasting-thyroid-health/

Also, what I wrote isn’t simply a viewpoint, but an experience of mine from having my cortisol and thyroid levels tested at various points of my years of intermittent fasting experience and comparing these with symptoms.

Pandabear

7:42 pm
20 Feb 19
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Hi everyone, I’m new to this but just wanted to add that I’m also Hashimoto and tried this diet for the first time after watching the first BBC documentary with Dr Mosely a few years back and lately after buying the book. I’m in week 7 following the “8 week meal planner” and I haven’t lost as much weight as I hope (only 7 pounds) but my main concern hasn’t been the lack of weight loss, it’s actually been the way I’ve started to feel. I’m back to the exact symptoms I had when I was diagnosed with Hashi – anxiety for no reason, feeling awake all night, fluttery palpitations, low focus and generally quite dozy! My nails have also started to flake. On the flip side, my skin is good, nothing major like cold sores or ulcers so I’m off to the GP on Friday to have a few blood tests. Initially my thought was low iron but I’m actually now beginning to think it’s the thyroid that’s out of whack. Everyone’s input on this forum has been really helpful. It seems odd to think it could be a result of reduced calories but I have a feeling it IS actually related. Again, when I was diagnosed with the thyroid problem back in 2011, I hadn’t been eating properly and wondered if I had inadvertently kicked off the thyroid problem by putting my body in a state of shock. Anyway, just food for thought – will get back to you all with the results 🙂

guanyin

11:02 am
26 Mar 19
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I have Hashimotos and hypothyroidism and I started this diet because I’m pre-diabetic. In January I did the Prolon Diet and I lost 1kg then put it back again. For the last 8 days, I’ve been on 800 calories days per day and gained weight. I’ve also felt rough on it. I’ve just done some research on Hashimotos and fasting and there are many people who advise against low calorie and fasting for Hashimotos. Be great to have some research done on this to see what’s happening with the body and why this happens. Maybe because T3 is reduced when eating lower carbohydrates, this is knocking the body too much. I think also maybe our cortisol is affected negatively. I don’t know because I’m not a doctor. Any doctors who can input?!

crankypants

5:14 pm
28 Mar 19
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I have Hashimoto’s and this plan is the only thing that has actually helped me to lose weight. I have lost 19lbs so far since starting on January 7th and I’m pleasantly shocked. I will say that I have been doing gluten and dairy free with it as well, so that could be a factor. I had tried just doing gluten and dairy free last year with no noticeable changes or weight loss, but I wanted to really try it out again as I hear a lot of people saying that it helps with Hashimoto’s. No other side effects so far.

rejuvaaesthetica

11:07 am
1 Apr 19
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Since fasting straightforwardly impacts digestion and the manner in which body utilizes vitality, it causes a drop in thyroid hormone T3 and an expansion in invert T3 (rT3). … Fasting has a few advantages — it appears levothyroxine taken amid the fasting state is more productive and preferred assimilated over when taken amid typical eating routine days

Raych9

7:12 pm
3 Apr 19
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I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s before I had a full thyroidectomy. I basically had a goiter so massive it was growing into my chest and pushing up against my vocal chords and crushing my esophagus. My thyroid levels always came up as ‘normal’ during blood tests, but what happened is my thyroid was growing larger to keep those levels going and was triple the size of a normal thyroid before removal.

I was recently switched to Armor after the Synthroid gave me hyper symptoms – hungry all the time, shaking when I didn’t eat, constantly thirsty and running to the bathroom often, I thought I was going diabetic, but it turns out I went hyperthyroid for the first time in my life instead of hypo and I was switched.

What I’m saying is this – ensure your medication is not the reason instead of blaming the diet. Not only do I have Hashimoto’s, I don’t even have a thyroid and rely on daily medication to act as my thyroid. While showing hyper symptoms I was eating constantly and maintaining my weight, but it came at a cost – the need to eat massive amount to stave off that hunger or risk shaking. When I was switched to Armor, problem went away. It had nothing to do with what I was or was not eating.