Thyroid hormone (TH) is one of the body’s most important hormones when it comes to weight loss. Among other important functions, it converts the food that you eat into heat and energy. Learning how to naturally increase thyroid levels can help you jump-start your weight loss program.
Thyroid hormone is comprised of two major parts – Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3). T4 is the most abundant form of thyroid hormone in the body. It makes up nearly 80% of the thyroid hormone that is released. T4 is converted in the brain, thyroid, bloodstream, and other body tissues to the more active form of thyroid hormone – T3.
T3 is the real thyroid hormone that we are after to increase. People with thyroid disorders usually have one of two problems. They either don’t produce enough T4, or they lack the efficiency of converting T4 into the more effective T3. Whether you are prescribed T4 or T3 depends on which of these two problems you have.
T3 directly boosts metabolism in those little cell powerhouses called mitochondria. It regulates fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism. I talked about mitochondria and what they are in You Need Muscle to Burn Fat.
You can treat (not cure) hypothyroidism through medication. But do we really want medication? Is there a way to increase T3 levels naturally? Of course there is.
The number one way to increase thyroid levels is to make sure you are eating a good diet. And taking that one step further, by making sure you’re getting enough calories.
When we start dieting, many people immediately cut their calories, but the problem is, they usually lower them too much. This large decrease in calories triggers some of your body’s strongest evolutionary functions. When it doesn’t think it’s getting enough food, it lowers its metabolism in order to more efficiently use the energy (food) it is receiving. I wrote about calories and how many you should be getting in Why am I Not Losing Weight? One of the easiest ways your body can lower its metabolism is by reducing the amount of thyroid hormone it produces. Since thyroid hormone is responsible for fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism, it stands to reason that lowering this hormone would slow down the metabolism of these macronutrients. Once your thyroid production starts going downhill, you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle to lose weight.
In addition to getting enough calories, you need to make sure the calories you’re eating are nutrient dense. Thyroid function is impaired if you aren’t feeding your body what it needs to produce it. Iodine, zinc, selenium, and other minerals are required in the production of thyroid hormone. If you are having trouble getting it from food, a vitamin/mineral supplement would be beneficial. However, try to get you nutrients from solid food. Food contains other elements that help in the assimilation of these nutrients.
Another effective way to increase thyroid levels is through exercise. Studies have shown that the heart rate you exercise at is directly related to the amount of thyroid hormone in your bloodstream. High intensity exercise and resistance training should be staples in your fitness program. The following chart shows the relationship between maximum heart rate and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) values.
So whether you believe you have a low thyroid output, or you’re just trying to prevent yourself from having one, proper diet and exercise can help you increase thyroid levels. Medication will treat the symptoms, but to find a cure, you first need to fix your fitness program so that your are treating your body like the machine that it is.
About Coach Calorie
Never heard that exercising could boost my thyroxine levels
wish I had years ago by my doctors
Been eating health for 6 weeks and losing a pound one week and putting half on the next. Getting nowhere fast.
Decided to hit the gym every day for at least an hour and a half, makes total sense how I lost 4lb this week no stopping me now just ordered myself a mountain bike
I can’t believe I didn’t know that TSH increases with greater exercise intensity. That gives me more motivation to get my heart rate up to 175 during my cardio.
It seems that all the important hormones benefit from higher intensity.
Wow, good for you! This is one of the few articles/posts regarding thyroid issues that I have actually felt was accurate. I have a PhD in thyroid…not literally of course but close… I had my thyroid removed 5 years ago and I gained 30 pounds rather quickly without any change in intake or activity. My body went completely crazy in every sense of the word and it took me several years just to stabilize my levels afterward.
Frankly, it is one mighty important gland that people don’t know much about. I have been a nurse for over 20 years and didn’t really realize just how important of a gland it really is. The truth is, the hormones it releases act on every cell in the body and that unfortunately can make life mighty tough for those with thyroid problems. Tis’ too late for me to save mine but for anyone else out there, I encourage you to do anything to maintain good thyroid function and hopefully avoid the major difficulties I have. Great post!
Thanks Jeannette. Sorry to hear you had your thyroid removed. I’m assuming you’re on T4 or T3. But yes, thyroid is very important for metabolic function.
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it is so funny that int he past 2 weeks I have read 4 different articles on the thyroid. I had no idea that exercise would increase my thyroid levels. I always thought that lowering my caloric intake would help my metabolism, wow was I doing things wrong. Whenever I do start to lose weight I plateau very quickly and I’m wondering if perhaps my thyroid hormone levels are to blame for this?? Thank you for this post, I have bookmarked it..
Hey Deb, it’s definitely a possibility. When we start dieting we usually drastically increase our activity while at the same time slash our calorie intake. This can send a lot of negative signals to your body. Eat as many calories as possible and still lose weight. That should be your ultimate goal. Thanks for stopping by!
All of the years I spent trying to lose weight unsuccessfully and only learned 3 months ago that my thyroid quit functioning a long time ago. I’ve been on thyroxine for these 3 months but at a very low dose with no improvement yet. I urge anyone who’s been trying hard to lose weight for a long time with no luck to get their thyroid function checked. I bet some of my other health problems were caused by being hypothyroid as well. Thanks for the great post!
Thyroid is definitely a big one, and can affect much more than just your body weight.
I can’t believe I did not know all of this, I’m going to talk to my doctor about it more, I’ve been on medication for years for my thyroid problem.
Let me know what he/she says Janene. I’m always curious to hear what doctors have to say.
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I have been taking levothyroxine for 5 years after I had the IDD therapy. Ever since I have been gaining approx. 10 lbs a month and swelling uncontrollably. I just found out that I am allergic to the medication and I may need to have my thyroid removed now? (makes no sense to me) Anyway, I have decided to see what I can do on my own and I started exercising 5 times a week (at least 45 minutes of pure sweat exercise) and eating healthier.
5 weeks later, I lost 16 lbs, 4 inches and I haven’t taken ONE single pill yet. I am very tired and it is extremely hard to get motivated but it seems to be working. I do still have the pitted Edema though
I have a doctor’s appointment Tuesday. For months now, I’ve had symptoms something is off. I am already taking Thyroid meds…but the achiness, tiredness and insensitivity to hot or cold.
I began keeping a 3x daily temperature journal about a week ago, so I can take that data to the doc. What I’ve found surprised me. First is that my temp runs between 95.3 and 97.4 regularly. If I do something, some innocuous activity as simple are changing the linens, my temp will drop into the 95′s after. From what I’ve read about this and with what you said, I think it may be because my body is trying to compensate and working overtime in other areas via the anomaly in my thyroid.
We’ll see soon enough.
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I’m curious to hear what your Dr has to say Wendy
yes i have low thyroid problems and it is hard to lose weight. im on medication ,but doesnt seem to help. hopefully the in fo i read here will give me some pointers. im going to try them. also thyroid problems affects a lot of stuff in your body. watch for the signs and get help. please read the post .lots of good advice.
Your thyroid affects more than just your metabolism. Good point Darlene.
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I am all for non-medicated solutions. I try to share different natural remedies with family but no one listens.
I had no idea exercise increased thyroid hormone levels. That is quite useful information.
Any idea what normal T3 and etc thyroid levels should be? Had mine done about 6 months ago, again in Dec as I have so many symptoms which apparently lie with thyroid levels, I was sent a letter with the results then a paragraph from a doctor saying “these are not a concern” but wondering if they are ‘just about normal’ or are well within the healthy range, am I boarderline healthy?
(If its any help; FHS 4.9, LH 4.8, oestradiol 114, prolactn 81, testosterone 0.6)
Jen, normal is going to depend on the lab that did your bloodwork. I would call your doctor and ask them what the levels were and what the normal ranges are. They should gladly give you these results. You could also go there and ask for a copy of your blood work. It’s yours anyways.
Thanks for this article! I’ve had my thyroid tested and although it’s normal, it’s very low which I’ve always thought contributed to my weight problems. If I can boost my thyroid, it would help with my weight loss!!
PS – I always get copies of my bloodwork every time it’s done and they’ll print the normal values there on the results so you can see. I also like doing this so I can see how my bloodwork changes over time (especially now, since I see a couple different doctors and a nutritionist and often the results don’t get shared among the lot of them).
I wish they printed the normal levels on my letters! I just get a list of 4 sets of numbers following codes for which they refer to. I ended up online trying to understand what each meant and where my levels sat within that. I got my results only because I got a CC copy with the original sent to my doctor, had I not had this letter I’d not have a clue what the test said. It would be great of all tests were sent with the normal levels attached as well as your own results! I’d lose count of all the blood tests I’ve had where I never hear again about them unless I make an appointment to do so and make guesses at when the tests are in because I’m not even told that.
I have been taking Synthroid for years and it hasn’t made a bi of difference. To lose weight, I have to still diet and/or exercise. Don’t believe anyone who says these meds will make you thin. NOT TRUE.
I have to be honest I was a little disappointed by this article. I mean I was hoping for a little more. How to increase thyroid function: eat well and exercise. Well, that is a good thing for everyone to do regardless but what about the ones who do that and still have a sluggish thyroid? I am all for natural cures and I was hoping you would have listed best foods and vitamins to take besides just reminding us taht good food and exercise is the key to most health issues.
Diet and Exercise for a Healthy Lifestyle is my site’s slogan. I explained how eating affects thyroid function. I explained how exercise affects thyroid function. If diet and exercise is not enough, go to your doctor and look for hormone replacement therapy (ie T4 – thyroid hormone). Sorry to disappoint you Melissa, but no food in and of itself is going to increase thyroid function to any measurable extent. If you want that kind of gimmicky information, you’d be better served reading Women’s Health Magazine.
Eat up a lot of food that’s basically rich in iodine and watch your diet very carefully and enrolled yourself on activity or any kind of class that boost your thyroid hormone. As will as determined your course of self determination to get well from graves disease and then take a look at your lifestyle and change it if it’s advised.
This is very interesting. I have taken Synthroid for years and can always tell when my dose is off based on my weight fluctuations! Thanks for the information!
Relieved to come across this article…i was getting no where with other items i had read. I have disrupted my thyroid hormone levels after battling with anorexia since I was 13. Now I am well (in the head) but my body is resisting any weight loss and i am overweight as my metabolism has lowered over the years to ‘protect’ me. I am hoping that supplementation of the aforementioned (selenium etc) will help…any product in particular you can recommend? I exercise loads and eat very healthily… suggestions welcome. Doctors tend to stay clear of scenarios such as mine … Thanks
Hi Melissa, if you are hypothyroid and a Dr refuses to help you, I would go to a different doctor. If it were me, I wouldn’t take thyroid medication until I knew for sure I couldn’t fix the problem with diet and exercise.
Any daily multivitamin should get you plenty of selenium. However, I would try to get in the majority of my nutrients from food. Food has many other nutrients that help in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Nuts and many meats are high in selenium.
Thyroid conditions are often seen by doctors as some kind of like… scam? A lot of doctors believe these don’t exist, and it wasn’t until I talked to my endocrinologist that I finally got it fixed.
Melissa you should talk to one directly, and see if he will not put you on Synthroid (assuming you need it) it helped a lot for me, though I’ve had to go on a 1100 calorie/day diet to keep from gaining any weight.
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Higher levels of TSH correspond to LOWER LEVELS OF THYROID HORMONE IN YOUR BODY. therefore if your TSH levels increase as your heart rate increases, the amount of active thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) would be decreasing! Higher levels of TSH=HYPOthyroid.
Lisa, you make an interesting point. However, what you failed to explain is that higher levels of TSH lead to increased levels of T3 and T4. Instead of looking at what is correlated, you should be looking at cause/effect.
Your thyroid hormones are regulated as part of a negative feedback loop. High TSH levels do not cause low T3 levels. Low T3 levels cause a release of TSH, which in turns signals a release of T4/T3.
The fact that exercise intensity and TSH values are correlated means that your body is signaling for a release of T4/T3 as intensity rises.
Exercise increases metabolic demand. Your thyroid is responsible for the metabolism of macronutrients.
Hi I would like to say I have a low thyroid . Mine was diagnosed by a trichologist as I was loosing alot of hair mainly at the back of my head which the thyroid gland controls . A clinical test was done sent away to a lab the findings came back low thyroid it has been corrected and I maintain it by a correct balance of supplements to support my body and needs as well a dietary plan they advise . I exercise alot Also I have purchased a vibration platform that I use every 2 nd day to stimulate all of the body I Also take coconut oil as it nourishes the body as well supports low thyroid by maintaining body temperature. I arnt one for medication as your body operates firsty by the food you put in it and how well you look after your body any concerns you have I would seek out a hair Anaylist Trichologist you can do it on line as well you will be amazed by the body results and how they cam correct it . With all this in mind you will loose weight . It’s better to do it natural than keep on medication . Research foods , herbs. Oils , good, & bad as some are blockages even thou they are good for you . Hope this heaps anyone in doubt of how to help and maintain low thyroid . Cheers Marlene