When you start taking thyroid medication like levothyroxine, don't expect instant weight loss. The first barrier is getting the right dose of thyroid medication. Once you have reached your ideal dose, you may notice some weight loss after around three to six months of continuous use.
One of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland is weight gain. So, once you start taking levothyroxine, you may lose weight as your body's hormones rebalance. Losing weight can also be a sign that your dose of levothyroxine is too high.
One study of 101 people with hypothyroidism found that 52% lost weight after starting treatment with thyroid hormone replacement, with an average loss of 8.4 pounds.
Hypothyroidism refers to an underactive thyroid, which can cause weight gain. Taking medication for this condition may help a person lose excess weight. Treating an underactive thyroid may cause a person to lose some weight, but thyroid medication is not a weight loss drug.
In most cases, levothyroxine causes some weight loss. According to the American Thyroid Association, when this medication is started, you may lose up to 10% of your weight. This weight is mainly water weight, since being hypothyroid makes you retain water.
You should start to feel better a few days after you begin taking medicine. But it may take a few months for your thyroid hormone levels to get back to normal. If your levels get better, but you still have symptoms like fatigue and weight gain, your doctor may need to change your treatment.
Hypothyroidism slows down your metabolism, making it more difficult to lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy body weight.
Weight gain
Even mild cases of hypothyroidism may increase the risk of weight gain and obesity. People with the condition often report having a puffy face as well as excess weight around the stomach or other areas of the body.
Along with an increase in energy levels and a more stable weight, your other symptoms should improve as well. Your sex drive may improve, you may sleep better, pain in your muscles and joints may go away and your mood may improve as a result of treatment for low thyroid or other hormone replacement therapy.
When you start levothyroxine you won't feel better the next day. You may not feel better in two weeks. But symptoms should start disappearing within a month. After six weeks of treatment, you should be almost completely free of symptoms, assuming you're at the right medication level.
Common side effects of levothyroxine include heat intolerance, a fast heart rate, and diarrhea. More serious levothyroxine side effects are also possible. If you experience side effects like tremors or mood changes, talk to your healthcare provider as soon as you can.
In most cases, thyroid hormone medication works quickly to correct symptoms. People with hypothyroidism who take thyroid hormone medication usually notice: Improved energy level.
Your thyroid gland produces a particular thyroid hormone called Thyroxine (T4). While T4 doesn't have a particularly strong fat burning effect on your cells you need to produce plenty of it because it's the building block of the real fat burning superstar… the thyroid hormone T3.
Hypothyroidism has traditionally been associated with obesity, whereas hyperthyroidism has been linked to being underweight. However, very few studies have assessed these associations.
The afternoon crash means your blood sugar has dropped too low for your brain and body to function normally, causing you to become drowsy, mentally foggy, tired, and unmotivated. Unstable blood sugar is notorious for making it difficult to manage an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto's hypothyroidism.
With thyroid fatigue, you may feel like you can't get through a day without a nap. You may sleep more than usual but still feel completely exhausted. You may not even have the energy to exercise. At times, you may fall asleep during the day or very quickly at night.
Weight gain may signal low levels of thyroid hormones, a condition called hypothyroidism. In contrast, if the thyroid produces more hormones than the body needs, you may lose weight unexpectedly. This is known as hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is far more common.
Walking. Walking is the easiest and best exercise for thyroid patients to lose weight. It is a low-impact exercise that individuals suffering from hypothyroidism can do anywhere. Walking improves cardiac health and has potential mood-boosting benefits (including depression and fatigue).
Why can't I lose weight with hypothyroidism? People who have hypothyroidism have thyroids that make fewer hormones. This causes their metabolism to slow down and burn fewer calories. Hypothyroidism can also make a person feel tired and less motivated to exercise.
You and your doctor should set up a plan to test and measure thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) every few weeks after beginning medication. This is the best way to know whether it is working.
In conclusion, bedtime intake of levothyroxine in our study significantly improved thyroid hormone levels. This may be explained by better gastrointestinal bioavailability at night or by less uptake interference by food or medications. As shown in this study, bedtime administration is more convenient for many patients.