The active thyroid hormone is called T3. It plays a major role in your basal metabolic rate which is the number of calories you burn per day. Acute or chronic dieting can result in a significant decrease in intracellular and circulating T3 levels by up to 50%, which significantly reduces basal metabolic rate by 15-40%. With chronic dieting, the thyroid levels and metabolism often do not return to normal levels; the body stays in starvation mode for years with significantly reduced metabolism despite the resumption of normal food intake, making it very difficult to lose or maintain lost weight.
Persistent low T3 levels can have adverse effects on every aspect of your metabolism such as glucose, protein, and fat metabolism, cardiovascular, bone, gastrointestinal, gallbladder, hormone, lipid and cholesterol, and red blood cell metabolism.
Doesn’t it make sense that if you can’t lose weight, you should as the question, “WHY?” instead of going on the current fad diet? Is the cause poor dietary choices, lack of exercise, hormonal (imbalance or lack of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, thyroid disorder), exposure to toxins (round-up, plastics, heavy metals) or genetic factors?
Let me help you determine the cause so you can avoid the long term consequences of going on some acute or chronic dietary restriction program which alters your thyroid metabolism for years!
Douglas C. Hall, M.D.
Metabolism 1984;33(2):164-170.
Human Nutr clin Nutr 1982;366:41-48.
J Lab Clin Med 1973;81:421-430.
About the Author
Douglas C. Hall, M.D.
Dr. Douglas Hall, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on Jan. 30, 1941. He received his BS and Doctor of Medicine at the University of Florida, training in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Hall has been in private practice since 1974 and currently has a large practice in Ocala, specializing in OB/GYN and Functional Medicine.