by Dr. G. Pepper | Jan 1, 2012 | diet, diet and weight loss, fitness, general health & nutrition, health, nutrition, thyroid, weight gain, weight loss
My ebook Metabolism.com is now available; I think you will find it a great resource for many of the common problems members have asked me about over the past 15 years. Buy it now and use it for years to come. Don’t forget to check out the Weight Loss and Weight Gain Programs included for free!
Chapter 1: What Is Metabolism? 9
Turning Food into Energy 10
The Importance of Hormones 11
Role of Metabolism in Weight Loss or Gain 14
Is My Metabolism Healthy? 16
Chapter 2: What Makes Your Metabolism Fast or Slow? 17
The Role of the Thyroid 22
Chapter 3: How to Increase or Decrease Metabolism 25
Problems with Losing Weight 25
Problems with Gaining Weight 34
A Pleasurable Exercise Routine is a Must 39
Chapter 4: Fact vs. Fiction—Smoking and Weight Loss 41
Chapter 5: Thyroid Treatment 47
How Are T3 and T4 Regulated? 48
Types of Thyroid Diseases 49
Hyper- and Hypothyroidism 49
Thyroid Nodules 51
Is Your Thyroid Nodule Hot? 53
Thyroid Treatments 54
Using Thyroid Function Tests To Diagnose Disease 56
Hyperthyroidism Treatments 57
Hypothyroidism Treatments 58
T3 Plus T4 Combination Therapy 59
How to Talk to Your Endocrinologist 66
The Recent Shortage of Armour Thyroid 67
Chapter 6: Diabetes Treatment 73
The Bad News—Major Stumbles in the Treatment of Diabetes 74
The Call for Tight Glycemic Control 74
2010 Diabetes Treatment Guidelines Lack Credibility 76
Setbacks in Diabetes Drug Development 81
The Failure of Inhaled Insulin 86
Dangerous Commercial Weight Loss Programs 87
Perhaps the Biggest Stumble of Th em All 89
The Good News—What Really Works 90
Diet and Exercise 90
Weight Loss Surgery 94
Incretins 95
Chapter 7: Hormone Treatments 99
Hormone Replacement Therapy—Estrogen 101
Heart Health 101
Breast Cancer 103
Benefits of Estrogen: Brain Function and Blood Pressure 104
Testosterone Replacement for Men 106
Testosterone Replacement Options 107
Benefits of Testosterone Replacement 108
Potential Risks 109
Human Growth Hormone in Adults 111
Diagnosing Growth Hormone Deficiency 113
Benefits of Growth Hormone Supplementation 113
Adrenal Fatigue: Fact or Fiction? 115
Conclusion 117
The Birth Of Metabolism.com 119
My Path Into Endocrinology 121
Recent Contributors On Metabolism.com 125
Appendix 1: Personal Nutrition Profile 127
Appendix 2: Ultimate Weight Gain Program 145
Appendix 3: Food Journal 165
Relevant Studies
by Dr. G. Pepper | Aug 18, 2011 | diet and weight loss, general health & nutrition, hormones, metabolism, thyroid
Zach points out that most of the posts about thyroid treatment issues at metabolism.com are from women. That makes sense because autoimmune thyroid disease is approximately 10 times more common in women than men. But man or woman, thyroid hormone treatment is still the same and his success with Cytomel is something worth noting.
Zach writes:
Hi everyone. From what I can gather, most posters here are women, well I’m a guy with similar problems. I thought my story might be useful so that men don’t think it’s a women only problem. I gained a hypothyroid diagnosis at the age of 25 due to Hashimodo’s. There was no direct cause, it runs heavily in my family. For a year, or two, maybe even three (it’s hard to tell due to widespread symptoms), I was feeling nervous, bad memory, attention problems, sleep problems, low appetite, and easily fatigued from a normal 8 hour work day. I assumed my lifestyle choices were causing these symptoms so didn’t go to the doctor for years.
Finally when I was diagnosed I was put on levothyroxine. The very first day I took it I felt IMMENSLY better. However, months down the road the symptoms gradually built up again. Every time my dose was raised, I would feel better for about 2 days, but the symptoms would gradually return. My endo decided to drop my T4 dosage and put me on a combo T4/T3 (T4 was dropped by 50 mcg and one quarter of the drop was added in as T3, so 12.5 mcg of T3). This is the first day I’ve tried it, and instantly the morning of starting on T4/T3 my body aches have almost disappeared and I am feeling much less sleepy at my desk during work.
by Dr. G. Pepper | Feb 27, 2010 | fitness, general health & nutrition, hormones, metabolism, thyroid
Mary…you’ve made my day! I am glad you found my suggestion about “how to talk to your endocrinologist”, helpful. I am absolutely serious about approaching your physician in this way, since it makes them aware valid new information is available explaining why some people need t3 to recover from symptoms of hypothyroidism. This approach is much more likely to elicit a sympathetic response from a physician than quoting from a book by a non-physician or using the more general “I read it on the internet” statement.
Here is what Mary had to say to metabolism.com:
Dr Pepper, thank you so much for this article. I love the last part of where you give us the perfect phrases to say to our doctor. I have been suffering with hypothyroidism for 14 years now (10 years undiagnosed, 4 years insufficiently treated). Over these years I have come to know quite a bit about my condition and can speak with my doctor using the correct terminology most of the time, but not always (I have to get through the brain fog). Your phrases are just what I need to say to my doctor since I believe I have a conversion problem. I will enjoy presenting the study to him an talking to him about polymorphism and deiodinase! 🙂 Some people tell me I should have changes doctors along time ago. My doctor may have given up on me but I will not give up on him. I am determined to educate him. He did recently admit to me that he doesn’t know much about the thyroid. I fail to understand why the vast majority of General Practitioners don’t get up to speed on this subject since so many of their patients are suffering from thyroid problems. My doctor has wasted time and money giving me anti-depressants and appetite suppressants (Reductil) and sending me to a counsellor. Thanks again for helping.
