Why would thyroid issues cause weight gain?

trjjoy
trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
I don't understand this. All bodily processes and cells require fuel aka calories. Someone who weighs a certain weight and who has a certain activity level will require x number of calories.

What, exactly, is it that a thyroid issue does to supposedly make people gain weight?
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Replies

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,865 Member
    Like I said, the reduction in metabolic rate is 4% max, one time. There's quite a bit of research done on that. It also doesn't seem to recover. Meaning if you eat as before you'll slowly gain a bit of weight until you've reached a new equilibrium, provided you don't eat more.

    Btw, I do have hashimotos, and was untreated when losing weight on here.
  • trbp72
    trbp72 Posts: 33 Member
    edited May 2019
    I think as long as you have the issue in check (using the medication right) and are excercising regularly...it will work itself out...I mean I have started to take my medication first thing before I eat or drink anything (other than water to wash the levythyroxine down) as prior to my last testing I was just taking all my tablets together...and it was suggested to me that taking them as instructed (at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything but water) would be beneficial...so I have been doing that for a while and I think that coupled with the regular exercise routine I have going, my weight is coming down...but I also think that it would come down quicker if I didn't have the thyroid issue...so yes the issue slows down the process and indeed can also stunt muscle mass growth as well...I am not concerned with bulking up just yet...but it may prove difficult to do so because of the thyroid problems...

    It all boils down to whether you become inactive because of the thyroid problems...and yes all the other issues that may accompany it...such as water retention, etc. that will contribute to weight gain...
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
    is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.


    Why would CO be much lower? A body consists of cells that need calories/energy. A body with hypothyroidism doesn't lose limbs or organs so that body would still need a certain amount of calories to function because it still has all those cells and bodily processes to maintain.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    the malfunction in the thyroid endocrine system means everything happens more slowly. Being slowed, the person being less physically active - lacking energy means the body uses fewer calories because it is doing less. Frequently everything is happening less well- breathing - circulation - cell reproduction- muscle activity -digestion/elimination=constipation - mental functioning is slowed and so much more in many people so the body uses fewer calories. Our bodies have their individual ways in which they express our personal version.

    Often the medical profession refuse to test our t3 levels even when they do it is usual to assume total t3 is correct even though it is known without the correct balance of minerals the t3 can be made incorectly, making our three pin plugs the wrong way round - negative where the positive should be so these reverse t3 will never fit into a cell and float about doing absolutly nothing except confuse the doctors.

    Most important is the thyroid gland being central to the endocrine system can eventually fail because another gland is running slow or fast. Again the medical profession does not recognise this fact.

    Most of us who are hypothyroid never have our antibodies tested, antibodies show the presence of autoimmunity which needs a specialist approach to reduce the antibodies which in general medicine does not happen.

    in order to function properly the endocrine system needs iodien, selenium, and more minerals it also needs a full compliment of vitamins e, d and the like. I have heard on some radio programms, here in the UK, nutritionists saying the daily recomended daily allowance is way too low. Where a person is in defficit they need higher levels to bring them back to what is looked on as "normal". Normal for one is greater or lesser than for another. We are individuals.

    May be to answer your question more precisely - the body does not loose limbs - it looses the ability to make the limbs and other essential functions work effectively.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    trjjoy wrote: »
    untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
    is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.


    Why would CO be much lower? A body consists of cells that need calories/energy. A body with hypothyroidism doesn't lose limbs or organs so that body would still need a certain amount of calories to function because it still has all those cells and bodily processes to maintain.

    You have less energy so move less. The less you move (including fidgeting) the less you burn.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,110 Member
    I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.

    You can also just as easily lose weight though when you understand these things. I don’t worry about the sudden fluctuations anymore because I know what they are. I adjusted my calorie intake accordingly and was able to reach a healthy weight again.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.

    Me too. Sigh
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,239 Member
    and, adding to the n = 1's - I suddenly lost thyroid function - after surgery to remove half my thyroid due to a tumour.

    This made absolutely no difference to my maitenance - I maintained on exactly same calories as before the surgery.

    But obviously that is because I was commenced on adequate thyroxine replacement

    UNTREATED hypothyroidism will certainly lead to weight gain.

    Of course it depends on the degree too - somebody with a slightly underfunctioning thyroid may not notice much difference - somebody with a severely underfunctioning untreated one certainly would