Relationship between thyroid and metabolism

Severity plays a big role.

Also, an overactive thyroid would cause you to feel overly energetic and anxious, antsy, and maybe a faster metabolism.. again, depends on severity. Underactive is where you feel exhausted and have a lower BMR. But even then BMR is only reduced by ~200cal, the bigger problem is those with underactive thyroids feel like total shite and have no energy so NEAT drops to very little, and many of those with it don't exercise at all or do so very little.

For example, my TSH was at -9 and I was fricking exhausted beyond exhausted, I was seeing some hair falling out, and I had no strength. I'm already not very strong but my lifts were almost half of what they were once I felt better.

That's actually high. Optimal is between -1 and -2 for most people.

But I don't think that's severely high.

Not sure why I included the -. I'm sorry.

Anyway, the higher TSH number means your brain is pumping out TSH at a higher and higher level. TSH is Thyroid Signaling Hormone. The higher that number is, means your brain is sending bigger and bigger signals to your thyroid because it's not seeing the right balance of hormones, specifically t3 iirc.

In this way, TSH is kind of reads like a negative scale. The larger the number the more underactive your thyroid is.


Your doc should also be looking at free t4 and free t3. T4 is the storage hormone and the thyroid converts t4 to t3, which the body uses in metabolism.


ETA

In your case you have probably have too much t3 and so your brain is sending smaller signals to your thyroid.

Well keep in mind I'm just a schlub on the internet, not an MD, but yes I'd consider yours borderline overactive. Most MDs probably won't medicate you or anything for it yet but they should start asking you for blood work every 6 months to monitor it until they're comfortable that it'll be stable, then just annual blood draws for it.

If your T3 and T4 are normal and you are asymptomatic, nothing needs to be done.

If you are lifting heavy and eating correctly (limiting insulin spikes) it could off set some of your lower test issues.

Synthetic t4 prescription, levothyroxine. It took about a year and a half to get the prescription dialed in. I'm currently on 250mcg per day.


In my case (and many people with hypothyroidism) I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis, which is autoimmune. There is no diet proven to reduce antibodies. A FODMAP or strict paleo diet like AIP may help reduce inflammation and help some feel a bit better, but they're a lot of work for not much payoff. That said, I don't know how much studying has been done on any diets.

I chuckled. Very punny.