Another Thyroid Thread.... (Redux)

[redrhodie]

I haven't followed this thread since thank goodness I don't have any thyroid issues, but thought you might be interested in this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...sj_share_tweet

Hope you're all doing well.

That is interesting. So far from my experience there hasn't been a performance enhancement from levothyroxine. I wish! I am still a slug.

[Grits]

"A spokesman for the IOC said that the organization's belief, based on existing evidence, is that thyroid hormone used to excess "might have an anorexic or stimulant effect," but that it's more likely to inhibit than enhance performance."

Yes, 100%. I can tell you from experience that medicating with thyroid hormone to excess does NOT enhance performance. I was on 50 mcg of levothyroxin and TSH levels were good and then went off BCP. I knew that I should get my levels retested since BCP can interfere with the absorption of the medication, but procrastinated. I started experiencing muscle fatigue and soreness. My legs would just give out on rides so I could not exert any effort and would just have to spin in. I also had rapid and irregular heart beat at times. When I finally did get tested, I was well into the hyperactive range as I had been being overmedicated since going off the BCP. Now 4 weeks since starting the lower dose, I can tell a huge difference in my stamina and lack of muscle soreness and fatigue. Maybe they mean enhance performance by playing around with levels within the "normal" range, which is broad, but if you get outside of it to either extreme, which I now have done, it definitely is not beneficial in any way.

[indysteel]

That's my experience, too, Grits. If I'm even just a little bit off in either direction, I don't perform at my best.

[OakLeaf]

I thought it was interesting not so much for the insinuations of doping, but for the hypothesis that endurance sports can induce hypothyroidism.

[redrhodie]

I thought it was interesting not so much for the insinuations of doping, but for the hypothesis that endurance sports can induce hypothyroidism.

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if cycling had a part in this for me. As much as I consider myself a slacker, I was pretty married to my 100 mile per week year round goal. I was suffering some symptoms that should have kept me off the bike to recover. I just ignored them; rode through them.