Ever since I started eating a healthy high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb lifestyle on January 1, 2004, I’d never had my thyroid panel checked at all. I don’t know why other than I wasn’t that worried about it because I knew nutritionally-speaking that my diet of choice was far superior to anything else I had ever done and I just didn’t see it as a concern. Then one of my forum readers posted a thread earlier this year entitled “Do low carb diets worsen hypothyroidism?” that got me thinking about getting tested for the first time. And so I took the plunge in September 2011 and had a full thyroid panel run along with some other tests that revealed some rather intriguing results. Here’s what those tests found:
This may be a little difficult to read, but basically all the thyroid numbers are right in the “normal” range. Of course, we know from my previous podcast interviews with Dr. Datis Kharrazian, Janie Bowthorpe and Dr. Joni Labbe that people can still be exhibiting issues associated with thyroid when all the results come back fine like mine did (read Dr. Kharrazian’s book Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? for the definitive publication on this topic). Even still, TSH, T4, T3 Uptake, Free T4, T3, and Free Thyroxine are all completely normal. But did you see towards the bottom of those results some of the sex hormone results? Specifically, check out the FSH levels–19.1 which is nearly double of the high range of “normal.” YIKES!
FSH is a term I’m quite familiar with from the in-vitro fertilization and embryo adoption process Christine and I went through the past few years trying to have a baby. It stands for follicle stimulating hormone and it’s supposed to be elevated in women trying to get pregnant. But it’s not good for guys. My understanding is that high FSH levels are part of the reason why we have had trouble conceiving a child (Christine also has some issues with her egg quality) but elevated FSH can even impact other hormones that regulate fat metabolism as well. And in case anyone thinks it’s a secret, I’ve had some problems with losing weight the past couple of years despite eating low-carb and even a very clean real foods-based Paleo low-carb diet for the past several months. I make no bones about this fact and have shared as much publicly here on my blog as well as in person on The Low-Carb Cruise and at the Ancestral Health Symposium.
Something odd is going on possibly hormonally or metabolically and I have another round of tests currently underway trying to figure out what the heck is going on that goes well beyond what foods I’m putting in my mouth and how many hours I’m spending in the gym. It gets so nauseating to hear people say idiotic statements like “Just eat less calories and increase your exercise.” If only it were THAT simple. Thankfully I’m working with a medical doctor who is one of the best in the world at figuring out difficult health issues like this and he has several theories about what could be going on with me that run the gamut from common hormonal issues to even a rare genetic problem. We’ll know more soon when the tests he is running come back. I’ll be sure to report what we find out if it is something that will benefit others who are also frustrated like I have been.
As it stands today, I weigh 285 pounds on my 6’3″ body frame and most of the weight has happened in the abdominal area of my body. My legs are very muscular as they always have been and I’ve built a lot of muscle in my upper body this year, especially my arms and chest, thanks to a concerted effort to “get stronger” as my friend Fred Hahn often implores people to do. But that darn belly is driving me nuts. I’ve worked too hard to get my health and weight in order for the pounds to be creeping up on me like this. It has seemed to level out at the current weight for the past six months, but I need to get to the bottom of this lest it turns into something more serious than weight gain. That’s why I’m working aggressively with a physician I know and trust to grab this tiger by the tail and do something about it to nip this thing in the bud.
The silver lining in all of this is my lipid panel is still spectacular, I have a heart scan score of zero, my blood sugar is remaining fairly steady, and I’m staying active often as I approach the age of 40 next month. Life has been incredibly good to me and I certainly am in a lot better position with my weight and health eating a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet than what I was eating that led me to 400+ pounds and three prescription medications. I’m certainly not going back there again for the rest of my life because it’s just not worth it. Perhaps you find yourself in a similar situation of disappointment and discouragement in your low-carb journey. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
I’m a big believer in accentuating the positive and not letting the day-to-day struggles and concerns rob me of the joy I am able to have because of the miracle that livin’ la vida low-carb has made in me. No, it’s not the be-all, end-all wonder diet that will solve all of your ills–but it does deal with a lot of issues that far too many people are having to struggle with. If you’re thinking of throwing in the towel on your low-carb way of life or are skeptical if it is even worth it anymore, let me encourage you to step back and take a deep breath. Evaluate every aspect of your health and well-being and not just what the number on the scale says. What comprises you is so much more than an arbitrary number that tells you how much you weigh. What makes you special is the fact that you are a fighter who will persevere through difficulties with a cheerful and expectant spirit knowing that NOTHING will stand in the way of your success. I know what that feels like because I’m living it at this very moment. But be encouraged my friends–better days are coming for us all if you never give up!
Sure, there will be the negative naysayers who will laugh and scoff at your strident dedication to low-carb when you go through a rough patch. But let them have their giggles and make their flimsy points about how cutting your carbs is useless citing you as an example of the failure of low-carb diets. You know better because you’ve come so far in your journey. I’m amazed at how easily people forget that although I have gained some of my weight back, I’ve still kept off over 125 pounds for the past seven years! That’s what I call long-term success, baby. If low-carb isn’t what is helping keep that number from approaching 400+ pounds again, then what is? We all know the answer to that question.
The next step for me in this process is to keep investigating, researching, and persisting on getting to the bottom of the issue at hand. If I ever do figure this thing out, then boy will I ever have a story to tell. I’m confident that is exactly what will happen someday soon and we will all benefit from the lessons I have learned going through this process. If you’re struggling, DON’T GIVE UP! I believe in you and know that you are worth every ounce of effort that it takes to reach your weight and health goals. You are what drives me to get up in the morning to blog, conduct podcast interviews, and share so boldly on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and even in the real world about the life-changing impact of livin’ la vida low-carb. Never lose that fire in your belly–who knows, it may start melting some of the fat that’s in there! Feel free to share your comments about my struggles or to share where you are in your low-carb journey right now. Just keepin’ it real!
