William Davis's Blog: Dr. Davis Infinite Health Blog, page 137

Lose the wheat and grains, lose the inflammation

Rick shared the progression of facial and health changes he experienced by following the Wheat Belly lifestyle (above). Since he began 5 months ago, Rick has lost 28 pounds and 8 inches off his waist, he is freed from previously chronic knee and back pain, and experienced an improvement in mood. But take a look at Rick’s photos when we put his most recent photo at 248.6 pounds up against his 2009 photo at a weight of 250 pounds–virtually the same weight:

Even though each photo was taken at similar weight, look at the impressive contrast in Rick’s face: The photos look like two different people at virtually the same weight.

The difference is inflammation.

Wheat and grains powerfully inflame the body. Inflammation can manifest as facial redness (seborrhea), as other forms of skin rash such as acne, dandruff, eczema, and psoriasis. It can show as joint pain, especially in the hands, wrists, and elbows, sometimes in the knees, hips, and low back. It can show as water retention/edema in the face (look at the 2009 Rick) and ankles. Grain-induced inflammation can also show up as an autoimmune disease, anything from rheumatoid arthritis, to autoimmune pancreatic beta cell destruction (type 1 diabetes), to pernicious anemia (autoimmune destruction of the parietal cells of the stomach responsible for vitamin B12 absorption).

What makes wheat and grains such powerful inflammatory stimuli? Here is a partial list:

Gliadin-derived peptides–This occurs in celiac disease and in people without celiac disease. Partially-digested gliadin-derived peptides are directly inflammatory to the intestinal lining.



Intact gliadin–When the gliadin protein molecule remains intact (or nearly intact, since humans struggle to digest poorly recognized proteins from the seeds of grasses), it initiates the series of steps that lead to autoimmunity and results in diseases such as celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, cerebellar ataxia, Sjogren’s disease, IgA nephropathy, some forms of schizophrenia, and type 1 diabetes.

Omega gliadins–The omega gliadins, one of the several variants of gliadin from wheat, rye, and barley, are responsible for some peculiar phenomena, such as exercise (and aspirin) induced anaphylaxis (severe allergy resulting in shock), some skin rashes, and make a contribution to Crohn’s disease.

Wheat germ agglutinin–Like intact gliadin, wheat germ agglutinin, entirely impervious to human digestion, is both a direct bowel toxin, as well as a trigger for autoimmune phenomena such as Crohn’s disease. If it gains access to the bloodstream (which it undoubtedly does, reflected by increased antibody levels against it in some people), it can activate inflammation, amplify the effect of insulin, and cause platelet aggregation (blood clots).

There’s more, but you get the picture. Take a look at Rick’s facial transformation, even when weight is the same, and you see the surface evidence of the body-wide inflammation provoked by following conventional dietary advice to eat more “healthy whole grains.”

The post Lose the wheat and grains, lose the inflammation appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Athletes follow the Wheat Belly lifestyle

I recently discussed why and how, by following the Wheat Belly lifestyle, carb loading is no longer necessary to engage in exercise, even long distances. In fact, carb loading is a destructive process that, over time, accelerates joint destruction/arthritis, cataract formation, hypertension, heart disease, dementia, and other conditions (via excessive, repeated, and irreversible glycation of proteins; see the original Wheat Belly for further discussion).

The process of converting from carb-loading, grain-eating athlete to that of no carb-loading, no grain-eating athlete requires 4 to 6 weeks, the amount of time necessary to amp up the ability to mobilize fat for energy. It’s during this critical period that people will say things like “I tried exercising but felt so awful that I had to add back the carbs,” not recognizing that the effect would disappear by 4-6 weeks. And it’s not uncommon that performance improves over previous levels, as it did for both people here–after the obligatory 4-6 week wait.

Here are two endurance athletes who have embraced the Wheat Belly lifestyle and given up on the health and performance impairment of carb loading.

Timothy:

“I have been on Wheat Belly for less than three months. I am a triathlete who is 45 years old and I was constantly hurting myself, especially while I ran, and weighed about 238 pounds (6′ 2″) last year.

“But now that I found my fountain of youth by adding Wheat Belly (and taking a few natural anti-inflammatories that I was taking last year and helped a little bit), I have been injury-free, taken 12 minutes off my personal record in sprint triathlons, placed 1st and 2nd in my age group this year, can do triple workouts without any soreness or inflammation. I lost 22 pounds in the first two weeks of starting Wheat Belly (weigh 215 to 216 pounds now), went from 16% body fat on 9/16/14 to 7.4% body fat on 4/4/15. I no longer have to take meloxicam (anti-inflammatory) or the blood pressure reducer I was prescribed. I have the metabolic rate of a 22 year old and just feel like I have my 18 year old body back! And this journey began two years ago after I was diagnosed with bladder cancer.”

Caron:

“I have always enjoyed running and have completed 4 half marathons. Yesterday, I completed my first half marathon since adopting the Wheat Belly lifestyle and I cannot believe the difference. I knocked off 34 minutes from my previous personal best and felt amazing the whole way through.

“Although the loss of 58 lbs likely had a big hand in that (they say you can’t out run a bad diet), I was even more pleased by the fact that I could do this without the sugary gels and sports drinks I saw all around me. My only ‘fuel’ was a sugar-free electrolyte and the water along the course. No need to carb load, no ‘runners stomach,’ and my legs felt little fatigue at the end of the 21 k race.”

The post Athletes follow the Wheat Belly lifestyle appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Richard and Karen eat like royalty . . . and look what happens

Richard Lane is a regular around the Wheat Belly Facebook page, posting many photos of his beautiful wheat/grain-free meals. He is a champion at creating dishes consistent with this lifestyle, as well as drawing some recipes from the Wheat Belly Cookbooks and other sources.

“This is my wife Karen taken last summer at my sister’s birthday party. She put the same top on today. It’s awesome to see the difference in how she looks. I’m so proud of her and thankful to William Davis!”



As you can see from Richard’s photos, Karen is eating indulgently like a queen, thanks to hubbie’s enthusiastic wheat/grain-free cooking, yet she lost 33 pounds while doing so.

Here are some of the dishes that Richard and Karen have been eating (along with Richard’s commentary):

“Breakfast for supper. Poached eggs on sausage patties on top of Wheat Belly focaccia bread. Bread recipe is in both cookbooks and online. Google Wheat Belly focaccia!”

“Spectacular burger on a GRAIN-FREE glorious bun on a fantastic evening. Adjective city!”

“What’s good for the pizza crust is good for scrambled eggs. No need to ask for a recipe, the crust is JUST SCRAMBLED EGGS. Throw on your own sauce and favorite toppings!”

“A favorite! Pizza: homemade sauce, mozzarella, spinach, mushrooms, red pepper, red onion, black olives, and goat milk feta. Delicious!”

“NACHOS! How I love thee and have missed thee, let me count the ways! BUT NO LONGER. Grain-free nacho chips covered with spicy ground meat, a few tomatoes and onions, and lots of grated cheese!” (Recipe for tortilla chips on Elana’s Pantry: http://elanaspantry.com/paleo-tortill...)

The post Richard and Karen eat like royalty . . . and look what happens appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

So what were they saying about Wheat Belly being another low-carb diet?

Linnea shared these photos and comments from her mom, who describes an impressive recovery from multiple health problems, including a life-threatening side effect of an intravenous drug used to “treat” autoimmune diseases:

“85 lbs lost. Severe debilitating rheumatoid arthritis in compete remission, medication induced liver failure reversed, high blood pressure reversed, no more IBS, chronic headaches or migraines, chronic urticaria (hives) gone, chronic pain and pain flares gone, chronic fatigue mood swings and depression gone, and many more milder issues resplved.

“Was on 17 medications including IV therapy immune modulator, chemotherapy, cardiac medication, etc. Now only on one thyroid pill. Basically I am alive and well and look forward to many more ENJOYABLE years.”

Now what should this woman tell her doctor(s) who nearly killed her now that she has undergone astounding remission–cure–with wheat and grain elimination?

Wheat and grain elimination, followed by vitamin D restoration and correction of bowel flora distortions (that are the rule in autoimmune diseases and must be corrected to restore normal intestinal permeability), should be the first default steps with the diagnosis of any autoimmune condition. Doing such easy, inexpensive, natural things does not, of course, preclude adding toxic drugs that do such things as cause extravagant weight gain and can lead to liver failure. But doesn’t it make sense to try these benign strategies first?

The post So what were they saying about Wheat Belly being another low-carb diet? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Wheat Belly for a marathoner and pregnant mother

Chris shared her unique story of being ketotic while following a Wheat Belly wheat/grain-free lifestyle during endurance training/competition and pregnancy.

“I did Wheat Belly/ketogenic diet for Boston [Marathon] last year and it was so effective in increasing endurance. There was never a reason to fuel, except for hydration.

“Now 6 months pregnant with my 4th and this is the first time I’ve been wheat-free and on a ketogenic diet for pregnancy. The results so far are amazing: no crazy emotional mood swings, no out of control hunger, no crazy weight gain and the baby is growing beautifully. My midwife is basically dumbfounded.

“I think the biggest change in this pregnancy over my last 3 is that my husband tells people he can’t believe how nice his wife is this time. I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life, so having that under control with food is profound. Who knew after growing up a carb-loving vegetarian that I’d feel better removing grains/carbs, eating healthy fats and, of course, meat.

“The result: rarely hungry, no crazy anxiety, weight is always stable, lots of energy and a little less money as nutritious dense food is more expensive.”

I have previously discussed how endurance athletes are increasingly recognizing that the process of fat burning is a far better method of sustaining energy during endurance exercise than carb loading (not to mention that carb loading is intrinsically detrimental to health and accelerates conditions such as cataracts, deterioration of joint cartilage, and dementia). But I’ve not discussed the effects experienced during pregnancy. Chris’ experience is consistent with what my friend and fertility specialist, Dr. Michael Fox describes: fertility restored in many infertile women, dramatic reduction in morning sickness and other struggles during pregnancy with a strict low-carbohydrate diet (a form of no grain, no sugar eating, of course)–in short, life and health revert back to normal.

You don’t have to achieve ketosis, i.e., burning fat for energy in the absence of carbohydrates that yields ketones, in order to succeed at endurance exercise nor pregnancy. Ketosis is simply one end of a spectrum, a physiologic–not pathologic–response that can heighten mental and physical performance. Chris’ experience flies in the face of conventional belief that carbohydrates are necessary–they are not, even during periods of exceptional physical stress such as running 26 miles or nourishing a child in utero. After all, humans living wild would experience periods of ketosis just by consuming the wild foods available, particularly during cold seasons when seasonal fruit was unavailable or the ground too frigid to dig.

The same remains true after delivery and during breastfeeding: Chris is engaging in a lifestyle that is physiologically appropriate, something that all other creatures except humans know instinctively (that’s why I show the photo of the mother dog with her pups–no modern advice needed for her to know what to do and how to eat).

The one accommodation that Chris and everyone else should make when transitioning to a wheat/grain-free (“low-carb,” “paleo,” “primal,” etc.) lifestyle is to be sure to nourish bowel flora. Removing wheat/grains removes about 3-4 grams of prebiotic fibers/resistant starches in the form of amylose and some others. Primitive humans ate more crude plant matter in large variety, some fermented foods (that further “seed” the intestinal tract with Lactobacillus and other species of microorganisms), and dug in the dirt for edible underground roots and tubers. We mimic that behavior in order to re-establish healthy bowel flora with wide species diversity.

Long distance running, pregnancy, eating, sleeping, sitting–when we look for insight into the best ways to engage in such activities, we can be most confident that reverting to the ways that humans have done so for the past 2.5 million years yields wisdom that cannot be trumped by modern notions of health.

The post Wheat Belly for a marathoner and pregnant mother appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Carter Ann’s 4-DAY Wheat Belly facial change

Carter Ann shared her 4-DAY Wheat Belly facial change.

“Me on the left on Monday. Me on the right today. Down almost 7 pounds after only 4 days grain free.”

Critics, of course, say that losing 7 pounds in 4 days is physically impossible. They are correct–if the loss was all fat. But take a look at Carter Ann’s face: she has lost a substantial amount of edema (water retention) and inflammation. People who have such wheat/grain-free facial transformations are losing edema, reversing inflammation, as well as losing weight from fat.

We can see it most clearly on the face, but the reversal of edema and inflammation occurs body-wide. You can also see it as reduced or eliminated foot/ankle swelling, relief from joint pain, reversal of many skin rashes, greater flexibility, and other phenomena.

Wheat/grain elimination is therefore a powerful means to reverse inflammation. Combine this with the anti-inflammatory benefits of vitamin D restoration, fish oil supplementation, and probiotic/prebiotic cultivation of bowel flora, and you have an exceptionally powerful means of reversing a wide variety of inflammatory conditions, including many autoimmune diseases.

But what is so wonderful about the reversal of inflammation with removal of wheat and grains is that it can develop in such a short time.

The post Carter Ann’s 4-DAY Wheat Belly facial change appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

A couple’s Wheat Belly success

Tara shared her and her husband’s photos and experiences, now finding health enlightenment through Wheat Belly.

“I wanted to share my husband and my before/after photos. We are still working hard to lose more, but the Wheat Belly life isn’t just about weight loss for us.

“I have suffered from horrible migraines since 5th grade–they are gone except for the occasional one during my cycle. (I know, TMI.) My husband doesn’t snore like he used to, our bodies don’t ache, his allergies are nowhere near as bad as they were (almost non-existent these days) and we sleep so much better. Thank you. We are so grateful!”

Clearly, Tara and hubby had impressive weight loss successes. But to almost entirely get rid of migraine headaches, body aches, allergies, and enjoy better sleep–spectacular! As I often remind everyone: The Wheat Belly wheat/grain-free lifestyle is NOT just another way to spin a low-carb diet, nor is it a result of a reduction in calories. It is based on the premise that we eliminate this collection of inflammatory dietary poisons from the seeds of grasses that never belonged in the human diet in the first place . . . and wonderful things can happen.

The post A couple’s Wheat Belly success appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

The timeline of weight loss . . . and why it confuses doctors

Weight loss is no small matter. It is a 7.0-on-the-Richter-scale health event that shakes and rumbles your body, complete with aftershocks and rubble in its wake.

Problem: The process of weight loss can be confusing to some people, particularly if you are tracking parameters such as insulin, blood sugar, HbA1c (reflecting the last 90 days of blood sugar fluctuations), blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol values. It can be confusing to your doctor who, not recognizing the characteristic signature changes that accompany weight loss, may even make declarations like, “See! I told that Wheat Belly stuff would kill you!”

The best solution: Just accept that there will be changes as long as weight loss is ongoing until weight has plateaued for a minimum of 4 weeks (with some measures continuing to improve over a much longer period after the plateau, such as a rise in HDL). Only then is it a good idea to start checking lab values or other measures.

However, sometimes bloodwork becomes necessary for other reasons, or you have diabetes and have to track blood sugar. So it can help to recognize the changes that accompany weight loss–NATURAL, NORMAL changes that are simply a necessary part of the weight loss process.

What is weight loss? You recognize the outward signs, of course, such as a shrinking waistline. But the internal changes all result from the process of mobilizing fatty acids from fat cells that enter the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, fatty acids can travel as fatty acids, or they can be transported as three fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule, in which case we call them “triglycerides.” Ongoing weight loss therefore means higher levels of free fatty acids and triglycerides. If you were to check a cholesterol panel, for instance, and your usual (pre-Wheat Belly) triglyceride level was 200 mg/dl, it could be 250 mg/dl–worse, yes, but due to the triglycerides being mobilized from fat cells.

Triglycerides interact with other blood components. (I call the VLDL particles that triglycerides occur in “the life of the party” because they “talk” to everybody.) The flood of fatty acids/triglycerides/VLDL modify HDL particles, causing them to be degraded more rapidly and resulting in lower HDL cholesterol values that appears to be a bad thing. An HDL of 50 mg/dl, for example, can drop to 33 mg/dl, a level ordinarily associated with higher cardiovascular risk. LDL particles can become enriched in triglycerides, thereby initiating the process of increasing small LDL particles of the sort that cause heart disease, though this effect is rather modest. Fatty acids and triglycerides block the action of insulin, thereby causing higher insulin levels, higher blood glucose, and higher HBA1c levels (or at least a failure to drop). Likewise, blood pressure responds to the flood of fatty acids/triglycerides by constricting (“endothelial dysfunction”) and causing higher blood pressure or a failure to drop.

But ALL of this is transient. Once weight plateaus and the flood of fatty acids and triglycerides slows back down to its maintenance rate, blood sugars plummet, blood pressure drifts down, HDL rises, triglycerides drop, LDL particles revert back to large, etc. Typically, you will end up with spectacular values and far less “need” for prescription drugs for diabetes, hypertension, high triglycerides, etc. Most people will end up with triglycerides of 60 mg/dl or less (especially if you supplement fish oil), HDL 60 mg/dl or greater (especially if you supplement fish oil and vitamin D), true measured (not the wildly inaccurate calculated value on cholesterol panels) LDL values that are lower (especially if you supplement iodine, get thyroid in ideal range, and properly cultivate bowel flora)–in other words, values that are ideal or near-ideal.

The effects can be partially blunted by taking fish oil, since the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, activate an enzyme that lines arteries called lipoprotein lipase that accelerates the clearance of triglycerides/VLDL from the bloodstream. Exercise also blunts this effect, likely by increasing sensitivity to insulin and subduing the after-meal rise that also raises triglycerides. Cultivation of bowel flora can likewise limit these effects.

For unclear reasons (likely genetic variation), not everybody experiences the full range of effects during weight loss. But should you see such changes, understand that it is part of an obligatory and natural process but occurring in the midst of the world’s worst epidemic of weight gain and obesity, such that most doctors won’t recognize the physiologic consequences of weight loss.

The post The timeline of weight loss . . . and why it confuses doctors appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Jamilyn: Weight AND health transformed minus grains

Jamilyn shared her several month experience and facial photos following the Wheat Belly lifestyle:

“Top left was taken January 20th, 2015. Lower left February 20th, 2015. And the right side was just taken April 26th.

“I started Wheat Belly February 9th, 2015. I have lost 20 pounds in just over 2 months and 10 on my own in the 9 months prior to WB. 30 pounds difference from the first picture to the 3rd picture.

“I have eliminated all of the many medications I was taking for migraines, IBS, gastroparesis, chronic sinusitis, and joint pain. Thank you so much! Words could never express the joy and freedom you have given me. I have a long way to go but I can’t thank you enough for the progress I have made in the past 3 months!”

Jamilyn looks different and feels different because she eliminated something that should never have been included in the diet of humans in the first place, “foods” adopted in desperation when real food was in short supply, but now celebrated as the cornerstone of diet in most circles.

Eating grains–the seeds of grasses–exposes us to multiple indigestible or only partially digestible proteins with unique amino acid sequences poorly recognized by the human digestive process. This explains why, for example, the gliadin protein of wheat (secalin in rye, hordein in barley, zein in corn, perhaps the avenin in oats), if it remains intact, initiates the intestinal permeability process that triggers autoimmune diseases. It explains why wheat germ agglutinin (in wheat, rye, barley, and rice) remains completely untouched in its passage from mouth to toilet and acts as a potent bowel toxin even in milligram quantities (average daily intake 10-20 mg in most Americans).

But this is why people can lose 10, 20, 30 or more pounds, but look and feel different more than the weight loss would explain. Jamilyn did not experience relief from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) because she lost weight. She did not experience relief from gastroparesis (in which the stomach fails to propel food onwards to the duodenum, accounting for discomfort after eating followed by putrefaction of the stagnant food) by losing a few inches off her waist. She did not find relief from joint pain and sinusitis because she now wears a smaller dress size. While many people view the Wheat Belly lifestyle as nothing more than weight loss program or low-carb diet, it is SO much more than that, as Jamilyn’s wonderful experience reminds us.

The post Jamilyn: Weight AND health transformed minus grains appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Thyroid Tune-up: Update

I am re-posting a classic Wheat Belly Blog post from a few years ago. Despite all our discussions about thyroid issues, there continues to be an enormous gap: undiagnosed hypothyroidism, gross mismanagement sufficient to impair weight loss and increase cardiovascular risk, and ignorance among healthcare providers. This Thyroid Tune-up is therefore an updated version of the previous post.

Imagine that all the cars in your neighborhood run poorly because nobody bothers to tune-up their autos. I show you how to tune your car and, lo and behold, 80% of the cars now run great. But 20% of cars still run poorly because their transmissions are bad. In other words, tuning the engine works when that’s the only problem with the car; if something else is wrong, then you car will not run properly.

So it goes with eliminating wheat and grains from the diet. It works right out of the box for the majority of people: substantial weight loss and shrinking waist size; reduced blood sugar and blood pressure; relief from arthritis, leg edema, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, etc. But some people complain that, despite saying goodbye to all things wheat, they still have problems. Obviously, as big a problem as modern wheat and other grains are, there are other causes for health conditions. There are infections, injuries, sensitivities to other foods, inherited conditions, etc. While wheat and grain exposure are causes for an incredible amount of human suffering, it is not the only cause.

How about weight loss? If all things wheat and grains are eliminated, most people can expect substantial weight loss. Some people will also need to reduce exposure to other carbohydrates, especially if a lot of body weight needs to be lost and/or pre-diabetic or diabetic patterns are present. I cannot say “eliminate wheat and eat all the ice cream and candy you want.”

Then there are people who do all that and still cannot lose weight. This is when it’s time to give serious consideration to thyroid dysfunction.

By “thyroid dysfunction” I am referring to various degrees of hypothyroidism, i.e., low thyroid hormone levels. (I’m going to ignore hyperthyroidism, since this is much less common and does not impose any limitation on weight loss.) This is a big issue, so I’m going to cover it as a check list, a series of bullet points that you can run down to cover as much territory as possible. There are three blood tests that everyone should have assessed to even start thinking about thyroid dysfunction: TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), free T3, and free T4. Optionally, a reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies (to identify thyroid inflammation/autoimmunity) can also be helpful. You do not need all the other nonsense often run, such as total T3 and FTI; these are outdated and often misleading.

Important issues to consider in deciding whether hypothyroidism is contributing to stalled weight or other health problems:

Hypothyroid symptoms–Beyond stalled weight loss, the most common symptoms of low thyroid hormone status include cold hands and feet; low energy; mental “fog;” loss of hair and eyebrows; constipation; leg edema.

Low first a.m. oral temperature–An oral temperature immediately upon awakening can help you decide whether a thyroid question is present or not. Using a digital thermometer, take your oral temperature immediately upon arising. If it is consistently below 97.3 degrees F, then hypothyroidism is likely; the lower the temperature, the more likely and severe the thyroid dysfunction. However, note that disruptions of cortisol can do the same. (Contrary to some older discussions from the 1960s, axillary temperature should not be used due to excessive temperature variation.)

Iodine deficiency–Though it’s not even on most people’s radar, iodine deficiency is a common and under-diagnosed cause for inadequate thyroid hormone production. The thyroid requires iodine to manufacture thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, the “3” and “4” referring to the number of iodine atoms per thyroid hormone molecule. Iodine deficiency was a huge public health issue up to the last half of the 20th century, pretty much solved by the introduction of iodized salt. Now that salt overexposure in some populations has been fingered as a potential health problem, the FDA and other “official” providers of health advice tell us to reduce salt and sodium. But what about the iodine? Everyone forgot about the iodine.

Many people, including physicians, assume that iodine intake from diet is sufficient. Nope. Even the national federally-funded NHANES data have uncovered substantial deficiency in some demographic groups, such as women of childbearing age, using a relatively lax definition of iodine deficiency. I’m seeing iodine deficiency and even goiters (enlarged thyroid glands due to iodine deficiency) frequently. Beyond having a goiter, a low free T4 and highish TSH (e.g., 3.5 mIU) is suggestive of iodine deficiency.

Iodine is not optional; it is necessary for health, including breast health, oral/gastrointestinal health, and the health of a developing fetus. The RDA for non-lactating adults is 150 mcg per day, the quantity required to not have a goiter, but not necessarily ideal thyroid health. I’ve therefore been advising 500-1000 mcg per day from an iodine supplement, such as kelp tablets (dried seaweed), available at health food stores (not pharmacies). The only adverse effects of iodine arise in people who have inflammatory thyroid disease, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, unsuspected thyroid nodules, or longstanding and severe iodine deficiency. In most cases, very low doses of iodine, e.g., 50-100 mcg per day, can be introduced and increased gradually over months after wheat/grain elimination and vitamin D has been restored (factors that allow autoimmune thyroid inflammation to recede) . Ideally, this would be undertaken by your healthcare provider, but good luck finding one knowledgeable about iodine.

For most people, restoration of iodine usually develops over 3-6 months with gradual relief from hypothyroid symptoms (but only if iodine deficiency is the cause).

Ideal TSH–Notice I didn’t say “normal” or “reference range” TSH. I look for ideal TSH. Contrary to the values often cited as “normal” or “reference range” on laboratory values, ideal TSH is in the range of 1.5 mIU or less. This is the level at which thyroid dysfunction no longer contributes to stalled weight loss, as well as distortions of lipid (“cholesterol”) values and cardiovascular risk. The higher the TSH above 1.5, the greater the hypothyroidism.

Ideal free T3 and free T4–The upper half of the “reference range” quoted by your laboratory can serve as a reliable guide to desirable or ideal levels of these thyroid hormones. In particular, low free T3 levels are becoming a common problem and a frequent cause of stalled weight loss. It is not clear why T3 levels are impaired, but potential explanations include disturbed circadian variation of cortisol levels and exposure to organochemicals such as perchlorates (residues of synthetic fertilizer in your produce and water), triclosan in your antibacterial hand soap and hand sanitizer, and others. Unfortunately, the endocrinology community (which is woefully unhelpful with thyroid issues except in the most severe cases) sooner prescribe antidepressants than treat low T3 levels, which they regard as a non-issue. (I had low T3 personally with normal TSH and free T4, along with flagrant symptoms of hypothyroidism and a body temperature of 94.6 F, all corrected with thyroid hormones that included T3.)

Reverse T3–Less commonly, some people develop a T3 thyroid hormone mimic, reverse T3, or rT3, that blocks the activity of T3 in the body. In this situation, it is worth more seriously considering disrupted circadian cortisol variation and using higher doses of T3 thyroid hormone to overcome the blockade.

Should prescription thyroid hormone replacement be chosen, most people do best by including the T3 thyroid hormone, liothyronine, along with T4, levothyroxine. They can be taken separately or as a single tablet in desiccated thyroid gland preparations like Armour thyroid and Naturethroid. Alternatively, if you already take a T4 preparation like Synthroid or levothyroxine but have stalled weight loss or persistent symptoms of hypothyroidism, then adding T3 nearly always solves the problem.

Unfortunately, the biggest hurdle in obtaining helpful feedback on your thyroid is usually your doctor, who will declare your thyroid status normal usually by just looking only at TSH and seeing whether it is in the “reference range” quoted by the laboratory–if he/she even bothers to check it at all. Lately, the naturopath community has been very helpful to many people in my area eager to have their thyroid status intelligently assessed. As a last resort, you can purchase fingerstick test kits to obtain thyroid measures, such as the ZRT test kits you can purchase through Amazon and other online retailers.

Once properly corrected, the majority of people enjoy resumption of weight loss, not to mention feel happier, more energetic, with improved overall health, including reduced cardiovascular risk. Add that to the health and weight benefits of wheat elimination, and you can make substantial strides in regaining ideal health.

The post Thyroid Tune-up: Update appeared first on Dr. William Davis.