Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

Millions of prescriptions of thyroid medication will be filled this year and the vast majority of them will be for levothyroxine. Of those millions, only about 10% or so will go to a class of thyroid medication called natural desiccated thyroid. Despite being only 10% of all prescriptions, thyroid patients have a clear preference for it. Not only does it help with weight loss, but it also can help better control thyroid symptoms based on surveys of thyroid patients. There’s only one problem: Doctors don’t like to prescribe it. Unfortunately, they are under the impression that NDT is an inferior medication to levothyroxine which is why today, I’m busting these NDT myths. Here they are, in no particular order: 1. Claim #1: Taking NDT Will Cause Bone Loss & Heart Problems Long-term studies show this isn’t true PROVIDED you are not taking more than you need. 2. Claim #2: Newer Synthetic Medications Are More Effective The idea here is that NDT may cause side effects because of its T3 content. This

Despite what many of you may feel, it’s definitely possible to get to a normal weight if you have a thyroid problem. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it does mean it’s possible. In order to do that, though, you’ll want to avoid these mistakes. Mistake 1. Massive upfront calorie restriction. Calorie restriction in some form will be necessary to get to your ideal weight but many thyroid patients should spend more time focusing on their thyroid function instead of their calories, at least in the beginning. Mistake 2. No weight goal or plan. Thyroid patients who set specific goals are the ones who will reach them. If you don’t have a plan then you won’t obtain your goal. Mistake 3. Overeating healthy foods or "healthy" versions of unhealthy foods. Paleo brownies are still brownies whether they are paleo or not. Are they healthier than box brownies? Sure. But they still shouldn’t be on the menu if you are trying to lose weight. Mistake 4. Not having realistic expectations. As a thyroid patient, your w

There’s a lot of bad advice that gets thrown around out there for people who have Hashimoto’s. And, believe it or not, some of the worst offenders are doctors! If you have Hashimoto’s, make sure you aren’t falling for these lies: 1. Your TSH is "normal". The TSH is an accurate test for diagnosing thyroid disease but it’s not a great test for assessing if you are being adequately treated. 2. Changing your diet won’t help your thyroid. It’s always been the case that changing your diet is an important and necessary treatment for just about any disease state and Hashimoto’s is no different. 3. You’ll have to take thyroid medication forever. Even though you MIGHT have to take thyroid medication forever doesn’t guarantee that you will. New research suggests that there are a lot of patients out there who can get off their meds. 4. The best and only treatment for hypothyroidism is levothyroxine. While levothyroxine works for some people, it doesn’t work for everyone. There are plenty of other options you can lo

Glucomannan is a plant fiber that comes from konjac root and it has some special properties that can help you lose weight. Unlike other plant fibers (which are also healthy) it can absorb up to 100x its weight in water. This holding of water allows it to press against stretch receptors in your stomach which impacts appetite. But this is just one benefit, here are 3 ways that glucomannan can help you lose weight: 1. By helping you to control your appetite. When taken before a meal, and with water, glucomannan absorbs water which pushes against your stomach walls. This then sends signals to the brain that you are full. But, in this case, you are full of plant fiber and not food which means you are hacking your appetite. 2. By delaying the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates. When introduced to water, glucomannan turns into a sticky viscous fiber which delays the absorption of glucose and carbohydrates. This delay means better insulin and blood sugar control which means more weight loss. 3. By po

One easy way to check the status of your overall health and the health of your thyroid is by simply looking at your nails. Because your nails grow slowly, and because they respond to stressors on the inside of your body, they represent a 6 month history of your overall health. It just so happens that they also give you valuable information about your thyroid function as well. In hypothyroidism roughly: 70% of patients experience fragile nails 48% experience slow growth 40% experience thinning And 38% experience onycholysis (which is nail separation at the base) In hyperthyroidism roughly: 100% of patients experience koilonychia (which is depression of the nail in the center with flaring of the nails on the side) 83% experience softening of the nail 29% experience onycholysis (which, again, is nail separation) And 10% experience brittle nails In addition to these problems, those with thyroid problems are also at increased risk for developing: 1. Leukonychia 2. Pits in the nails 3. Brittle nail sy

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These 3 simple vitamins can help support your thyroid in more ways than one and, based on data from NHANES, most people aren’t getting enough of them from their diet. Here’s how they work and why they are helpful: #1. The Pro-Thyroid Benefits of Vitamin A Vitamin A helps with the production of thyroid hormones, protects your thyroid gland from autoimmune disease, prevents thyroid gland enlargement, and protects against thyroid resistance. Up to 45% of the US population doesn’t meet their vitamin A intake requirements from food so supplement may be a good idea. #2. The Pro-Thyroid Benefits of Vitamin D3 One study showed that hypothyroid patients taking vitamin D saw improvements in TSH levels and calcium regulation. Vitamin D also protects against thyroid cancer and both types of autoimmune thyroid disease (Graves’ and Hashimoto’s). #3. The Thyroid-Symptom Related Benefits of Vitamin K2 Vitamin K2 can help prevent two of the biggest consequences of low thyroid function: osteoporosis and cardiova

All thyroid hormones are important for different reasons but if we are talking about pure power, T3 reigns supreme. Compared to other thyroid hormones, it’s about 100 times more active on the thyroid nuclear receptor which means that it does the majority of the heavy lifting. And because of its power, when T3 levels are low, you will feel T3. By my estimation, low T3 is probably one of the biggest causes of persistent low thyroid symptoms among patients with hypothyroidism and is often missed because most doctors don’t check for it. But if you want to optimize your thyroid, you need to optimize your T3. Here are some of the most common causes of low T3 that you should be aware of: 1. Thyroid gland problems 2. Decreased T4 to T3 conversion 3. Relative t3 deficiency (thyroid hormone resistance) 4. Illness or chronic medical conditions 5. Nutrient deficiencies 6. Prescription medications If you suspect you have low T3 then you’ll want to watch this video which walks you through natural ways to incre

Experiencing symptoms and not sure where they are coming from? It may just be your thyroid. Owing to the fact that just bout every cell in your body has a thyroid hormone receptor, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are vast. And while you may know about the more common symptoms, there are plenty that can easily get mixed if you don’t know what you are looking for. With that in mind, here are some of the most surprising symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function): 1. High cholesterol Thyroid hormone regulates the elimination of cholesterol. When thyroid hormone is low, cholesterol clearance is decreased which causes a build-up of cholesterol in the body. 2. Menstrual problems Because thyroid hormone impacts both progesterone and estrogen, low thyroid can cause menstrual problems including problems with fertility. 3. Swelling in the legs and in the face Low thyroid function increases mucopolysaccharides in the tissues which pull water along with them. This results in swelling wherever they go.

T2 thyroid hormone is a potent thyroid hormone and the only thyroid hormone available over the counter. For this reason, many thyroid patients have asked me how they can test their T2 level to determine if they would benefit from a T2 supplement. And while commercially available tests are not available for T2 right now, we do have a way to estimate T2 status in the body with the use of proxy measurements. These proxy measurements aren’t perfect, but they do seem to be fairly accurate based on my experience. Here are the measurements that I’m talking about: 1. Resting heart rate. If T2 is low then your resting heart rate will be low (usually in the 50s to 60s range). 2. Metabolism. Feel like your metabolism is sluggish? Low T2 could be to blame. 3. Cholesterol. When T2 is low, cholesterol levels will rise. 4. T3 and T3 levels. T2 is a byproduct of the metabolism of thyroid hormone. If your T4 and/or T3 levels are low then we can assume that T2 will probably also be low. 5. Thyroid symptom

Which is more important for weight loss: hormones or calories? I would say, for most people, its hormones. This is because the majority of people are already pretty good about keeping an eye on their calories. And if calories were the problem, they would already have lost their weight. Both calories are hormones are important for regulating your weight but I’ve found that hormones become more important as you have more weight to lose. And calories become more important the closer you are to your ideal body weight. If you are someone who has more than 15-20 stubborn pounds to lose that aren’t being managed by calories, then it may be time to check out these 4 hormones. These hormones all have the ability to help you lose weight by targeting different functions in the body: *note: these hormones should only be used if you are DEFICIENT or low in them. You wouldn’t want to take them for weight loss if your levels are normal. 1. Testosterone. Testosterone is important for both men and women and it wor

Want an easy way to reduce your risk of developing all autoimmune diseases by up to 22%? One study of over 25,000 people showed that you could do this with just the use of two supplements taken every day: Fish oil and vitamin D. Link to study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8791065/ Here are some takeaways from the study so that you can easily apply this information to your life and get the benefits: 1. The reduction in autoimmune disease is probably higher than 22%. This is because the researchers could only include people with official autoimmune diagnoses and not probable autoimmune diseases. 2. The benefit from these treatments applies to ALL autoimmune diseases, not just thyroid autoimmune diseases. 3. The longer you take these supplements, the bigger the benefit. The researchers found that the benefit of taking vitamin D was significantly higher after it was already taken for 2 years. 4. Even if you already have an autoimmune disease, there’s still good reason to take vitamin D

Not having enough vitamin D increases your risk of developing unwanted symptoms like depression, fatigue, and muscle weakness but it also increases your risk of developing more serious consequences like diabetes, weight gain, and cancer. For these reasons, you should take your vitamin D level very seriously. But the question is: how can you rapidly increase your vitamin D to prevent these issues? I’m glad you asked because you have 3 options that work VERY well: Method #1. is the sunlight method. This method is by far the most natural and the one that you should aim for if at all possible. It works by harnessing the power of the sun which helps to convert and activate vitamin D in the skin and body. Watch the video to make sure you are using the correctly! Method #2. is the supplement method. Because not everyone will be able to get all of the necessary vitamin D that they need from the sun, we have to talk about supplements. If you are using supplements then you’ll want to make sure to use vitamin D3

It’s never normal to have elevated antibodies to portions of your thyroid gland floating around in your blood. The presence of these antibodies indicates that your own body may be trying to attack and destroy your thyroid gland and they are the hallmark of thyroid autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease. And, unfortunately, conventional medicine doesn’t have very many great treatment options for lowering these antibodies. But that isn’t a problem because it turns out that there are some great natural supplements that have been proven to help. These supplements fall into two groups: Those proven in studies to be beneficial: 1. Nigella sativa 2. Selenium 3. Inositol 4. Iodine reduction And those shown to be effective based on anecdotal experience and based on known physiologic action: 1. Vitamin D 2. Fish oil 3. Magnesium Want more help reducing your thyroid antibodies? Check out this video: https://youtu.be/lrjOCPG5Yic?si=8lZ0WKgG_HwLWsQ9 Download my free thyroid re

Want an easy way to naturally increase how well your thyroid is working by up to 20%? There’s a simple way to do it: by treating your gut. Your gut and thyroid are connected in several ways and if there’s a problem with one, you can guarantee there will be a problem with the other. There’s no scientific study to back my claim that treating your gut can increase thyroid function by up to 20%, but based on my understanding of thyroid physiology, I think it’s possible for most people. Here’s why: 1. Estimates suggest that 20% of circulating T4 is converted into T3 in your gut. 2. Healthy bacteria can bind and hold onto thyroid hormones allowing for recycling of these hormones instead of elimination in the stool. 3. Your gut is the site of the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from both the food that you eat and the supplements that you take. Your thyroid needs these nutrients to function optimally. 4. It’s the site where your thyroid medication is absorbed. 5. 70% of immune cells live t

Berberine is one of the most powerful weight loss supplements out there because it acts on some of the most fundamental issues that precipitate weight gain. What makes it ideal is that it has a broad range of benefits, is well-tolerated, and can be used in conjunction with other weight loss supplements and medications. Here’s how it can help you lose weight: 1. By improving insulin sensitivity. Berberine has been shown in at least 1 study to have an equal impact on blood sugar as the prescription medication metformin. 2. By increasing the density of mitochondria in your muscle cells. Increasing muscle function is critical to burning more calories. 3. By activating brown fat tissue. Brown fat tissue helps regulate your heat production and metabolism and berberine can help you brown white fat. 4. By reducing inflammation. Reducing inflammation helps balance fat-storing hormones like leptin. 5. By improving gut health. There is a connection between gut health and your ability to stay lean and berberine

Not drinking enough water? You may want to rethink that decision because dehydration has a negative impact on your thyroid! Not only is about 60% of your body made of water (making it essential for just about every cell and function), but your body also needs water to maintain the concentration of proteins in the bloodstream. States of dehydration cause changes to the functions of these proteins which can then impact your hormones (including your thyroid). Here are 3 ways that dehydration can negatively impact your thyroid: 1. Dehydration impacts thyroid hormone delivery. When you are dehydrated, your body will shunt blood flow to the tissues that need it most. This means that thyroid hormone will not be carried evenly to all of your tissues (especially those farthest from your heart). 2. Dehydration impacts thyroid hormone-binding proteins. Dehydration impacts the concentration of proteins that bind to and inactive thyroid hormone. This means that you will have less active thyroid hormone availab

If you’re suffering from hair loss then there’s a high probability you’ve looked into hair supplements. But before you go out and purchase one, there’s something you need to know: there’s a secret ingredient that all of the best hair supplements contain and I’m going to share it with your right now. What’s the ingredient? It’s silicon. What’s crazy is that this ingredient has been under your nose for a long time without you even realizing it because it’s often hidden as a different name among other ingredients. But give me a few minutes and I’ll explain why silicon is the PRIMARY ingredient found in the best hair supplements. Silicon is a trace element which means your body only needs small amounts of it and it’s because of this that it often gets overlooked. A true deficiency in silicon is quite rare but it’s not uncommon to not get enough. And low levels can and definitely do impact your hair, skin, and nails. Popular supplements like nutrafol and viviscal, which are used by thousands of people ever

If you are interested in losing weight or simply maintaining weight then you need to pay close attention to your basal metabolic rate. This rate controls how many calories you burn at rest and it’s the most important factor when it comes to your weight. The question is, can you do anything to augment your basal metabolic rate to improve how many calories you burn at rest? And the answer to that question is yes. This is because your thyroid is primarily responsible for controlling BMR. It’s estimated that up to 40 to 60% of your caloric burn is regulated in part by your thyroid. And there are things you can do to improve your thyroid function to increase how many calories you are burning at baseline. One of those things is by taking thyroid hormones, especially t2 thyroid hormone. Emerging research is showing that T2 thyroid hormone is one of the thyroid hormones in your body that is primarily responsible for regulating your metabolism. And it just so happens that T2 is the only thyroid hormone t

Exercise is probably one of the best treatments for your thyroid that you aren’t taking advantage of. Don’t believe me? Here are just some of the benefits: 1. Higher free thyroid hormone levels. 2. Lower TSH level. 3. Faster weight loss. 4. Increased muscle mass and better muscle health overall. 5. Improved mood. 6. More consistent bowel movements. 7. Reduced inflammation. If you wanted to take advantage of a treatment that can help you almost as much as a thyroid medication (without the need for a prescription) then exercise is something you simply can’t ignore. But how can you exercise for your thyroid? And if you do, how do you know which exercises are best? Exercising with a thyroid condition is difficult, but not impossible. Symptoms like fatigue, and muscle pain, which can stem from low thyroid function, can limit your ability to exercise but the good news is that exercising can actually help alleviate these symptoms. If you are going to exercise, the best combination of exercises includ