Low-Carb Diets and Cycling

[Triskeliongirl]

Hey guys- I have struggled with my weight for years. I am hypothyroid, but I noticed that even with an amount of thyroid meds that gets my TSH pretty darn low, I feel sluggish, and sometimes go into these states where I feel cold and need to sleep. I finally tracked the problem down to a post-carb reaction. For example, today after having pasta for lunch, it happened. I measured my body temp with a basal body thermometer and it dropped to 96.3 and I literally passed out and had to take a nap until it passed. The only other odd thing on my labs is that my insulin is abnormally low, and may dad was a type I diabetic, so I think my body just doesn't make enough insulin to handle carbs. I have an appt. to see an endocrinologist, but that's not for a month. In the meantime I want to go on a pretty serious low carb diet, like in Dr. Berenstein's diabetes solution. I am actually planning to follow the Go-Diet cuz its just really easy. That means for most meals I'll eat about 4 ounces of protein and 2 cups low carb veggies, with 1 serving of low carb fruit per day (and probably eat eggs or plain yogurt for breakfast), and about 1-2 T olive oil per day. However, I can't imagine cycling without gatorade and a bolus of carbs in the middle of a 4 hour ride. How do you gals that low-carb diet manage your cycling. I am planning to restrict my carbs to veggies with the exeption of a pre-ride meal and mid-ride snack that will be carb rich, and still allow myself to drink gatorade ad lib during. But, any suggestions would be advisable.

[matagi]

Do you have a glucometer to check your blood sugar level? That would tell you if you are not handling carbs effectively, because your blood glucose would be high after a high carb meal and it would stay high. The way to check would be to measure your blood glucose before eating and then again exactly 2 hours after eating.

Hypothyroidism can affect blood sugar levels, so the two things could well be linked. Hopefully the endocrinologist will sort things out for you.

[Triskeliongirl]

Do you have a glucometer to check your blood sugar level? That would tell you if you are not handling carbs effectively, because your blood glucose would be high after a high carb meal and it would stay high. The way to check would be to measure your blood glucose before eating and then again exactly 2 hours after eating.

Hypothyroidism can affect blood sugar levels, so the two things could well be linked. Hopefully the endocrinologist will sort things out for you.

What I can tell you is that my fasting blood glucose is always marginally elevated, ~105 mg/dL while my fasting insulin is always marginally depressed 4.8~ulU/mL on my last lab. While my thyroid tests all look really good (I take 175ug synthroid daily), I still get those low thyroid like symptoms periodically, low body temp., sleepy, but today was the first day it happened so directly following a hi-carb meal. I did try to measure my blood glucose after the meal, but my glucometer needs new batteries. But does that matter, if eating carbs consistently makes me feel bad shouldn't I not eat them? Also, I cannot lose weight following a balanced low cal diet, so its another reason to give low carb a try. I was avoiding it cuz I worried about bonking, which is why I was so curious what other gals here do that follow low carb diets for weight loss but then cycle a lot. You are right though, I should try monitoring my blood glucose levels, so I will pick up some batteries later today. I am hoping to collect this kind of data to bring with me to the appt. with my endo, along with food and exercise logs.

[divingbiker]

I can't address the low carb diet question (I'm a vegan, so low carb doesn't work) but I am on a fairly unusual thyroid medication regimen that you might want to explore with your endocrinologist.

First, some background. I had my thyroid removed about 10 years ago. While I was on synthroid (T4) alone, I continued to have hypothyroid symptoms even though my TSH was maintained at 1 or lower. I did some research and found an article in the New England Journal of Medicine that said that some patients do better when they get both T4 and T3 supplementation, because their bodies aren't able to convert T4 into T3 efficiently. So my endocrinologist agreed to do a trial run, and lowered my T4 while adding T3. The T3 drug is called Cytomel, and lasts about 8 hours in your body. I take 5 mcg of Cytomel in the morning along with 125 mcg of synthroid, and another 5 mcg of Cytomel about 2pm. It has changed my life. I don't get sluggish or tired any more, and have no hypothyroid symptoms.

You can find many articles on the internet that debunk the T4/T3 combination, but it has worked for me. My endocrinologist has only prescribed T3 for one other person, but if someone comes in complaining that they still feel awful even though their TSH is "normal", he'll consider it. (Two of my coworkers (different doctor) also take Cytomel, but only once a day, which doesn't make any sense to me since it's only good for 8 hours.)

Of course, I still have a hard time losing weight despite having my thyroid regulated properly and eating a vegan diet, but I think that's more genetics than anything else...

[Triskeliongirl]

Thanks for the suggestions on cytomel. In fact, the reason I chose the endo I did is that he was listed on one of those thyroid websites as being open to cytomel, and he practices with the group my intenist wanted to refer me to anyway. He specializes in both thyroid and diabetes both, since I may have issues with both. I had read that NEJM article, as well as the some of the negative internet press, but I was intrigued by the idea that your core body temp is the best indicator of your thyroid function, not your tsh. But, then today it was amazing how my core temp. plummetted following a lunch of penne pesto, which makes me also want to try the low carb thing. I do plan to eat a lot of veggies, just low carb ones. I don't eat a lot of meat, and I do eat a lot of soy protein, but I do eat fish, chicken and eggs (i.e. lean proteins).

[divingbiker]

...I was intrigued by the idea that your core body temp is the best indicator of your thyroid function, not your tsh.

Can you point me to any info on this? Sounds interesting.

[matagi]

But does that matter, if eating carbs consistently makes me feel bad shouldn't I not eat them? Also, I cannot lose weight following a balanced low cal diet, so its another reason to give low carb a try. I was avoiding it cuz I worried about bonking, which is why I was so curious what other gals here do that follow low carb diets for weight loss but then cycle a lot. You are right though, I should try monitoring my blood glucose levels, so I will pick up some batteries later today. I am hoping to collect this kind of data to bring with me to the appt. with my endo, along with food and exercise logs.

My approach would be to try and work out WHY eating carbs produces the reaction you get - going on a low-carb diet merely treats the symptoms not the cause. So I would say this needs further investigation. Monitoring your blood glucose levels is a good start and may provide some clues. The other thing you might want to consider is choosing your carbs based on glycaemic index and having a low-GI meal and monitoring your blood glucose levels then comparing that to what happens when you have a high-GI meal.

The other thing I would suggest is that you may be one of those people whose TSH levels are affected by other factors and so your TSH results may not be a good guide to how effective your treatment is. How often do you get your T4/T3 levels measured and what do they show?

[Triskeliongirl]

My thyroid levels are usually monitored annually, and my TSH is usually between 1 and 1.5, although it dropped to 0.6 on my most recent test (of course without synthroid it would be MUCH higher).

On my last test my T4 was 10.2 mg/dL, my TU was 36% and my FT1 was 3.67. On another report done the same day, my T4 free direct was 1.5 ng/dL; triiodotyronine, free, serum was 3 pg/mL

but I don't have a good sense what these numbers mean. If you do I'd be interested in hearing. All my doctor said was that these were good numbers so if I was still not feeling well I needed to see an endocrinologist. My body temperature is generally in the low 97s, today it dropped to 96.3 after the pasta meal. I know that not feeling well correlates with the low body temperature.

[velogirl]

could you possibly be allergic to wheat? I found out I was allergic to wheat over a year ago. once I eliminated it from my diet I quit getting the starchy carb highs and lows.

ps -- I'm also on T3 and T4 after a total thyroidectomy. I just didn't feel "right" on T4 alone.

[poetcomic]

Hi everyone. I'm not so much eating low carbs as I am correctly carb balancing. Well, I'm trying to anyway! Going to the diabetes nutrition classes at the local hospital made a HUGE difference. I learned I had 2 major problems: not eating breakfast and not eating enough. Could've knocked me over with a feather re: not eating enough! (Of the right things, of course.)

I am just planning to get on my bike and know I will need to monitor my BS closely. I've already lowered my HgA1C from 7.4 to 5.8 by adding cinnamon to my diet.

I generally eat 14 carb units per day (1 unit = 15g of carbs). It's spread so that it's 3 units per meal (3x day) and 1-2 units per snack (3x day). I am following the color code system used in the glycemic index diet, which I prefer to look at as the GI eating plan, lol.

[Triskeliongirl]

Yes, blood tests revealed that while I do make insulin, my fasting levels are low, and my response to a high carb meal is both low and slow (I seem to lack a phase I insulin response). My insulin sensitivity is fine. So, while taking insulin or other meds is an option, the disadvantage of taking insulin is that its easy to overshoot and go hypoglycemic which is very dangerous. Hence, I am choosing to control it by diet. Of course a type I must take insulin. I was heavily influenced by what I read in Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, and recommend it to any diabetics reading this thread (he also recommends this diet for type 1's, which lets them take lower doses of insulin w fewer complications). While carbs *can* be a useful source of energy on the bike, substantial amounts of carbs are not an *essential* fuel. One can cycle on a mix of fat and glucose, and even train to run on a higher ratio of fat to glucose. By eating a diet not only low in carbs, but high in protein, one can convert the excess amino acids to glucose by gluconeogenesis and store them as glycogen, or use them directly as fuel. I never would have believed this could work as well as it does, until I did a hilly metric century on nothing more than turkey sausage for breakfast, hard boiled eggs on the bike, and a grilled chicken salad w iced coffee and cream at the rest stop. And my blood glucose measurements for the day were in the 70-120 range. Eating this way my A1C is 5, my cholesterol is low, in fact my endo said I have a healthier blood chemistry profile than most of his non-diabetic patients. And, I feel great too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Triskeliongirl]

I generally eat 14 carb units per day (1 unit = 15g of carbs). It's spread so that it's 3 units per meal (3x day) and 1-2 units per snack (3x day). I am following the color code system used in the glycemic index diet, which I prefer to look at as the GI eating plan, lol.

WOW that's a LOT of carbs. I eat more like 20-30 g per day (effective after subtracting fiber grams). Are you a type 1, 1.5 or 2? Do you measure your blood sugars frequently? What is your range? Do you take medication? If I ate like you I'd be over 200 A LOT. My goal is to always be in the 70-120 range.

[poetcomic]

WOW that's a LOT of carbs. I eat more like 20-30 g per day (effective after subtracting fiber grams). Are you a type 1, 1.5 or 2? Do you measure your blood sugars frequently? What is your range? Do you take medication? If I ate like you I'd be over 200 A LOT. My goal is to always be in the 70-120 range.

I'm type 2. Yes, I test frequently. I'm generally between 85-120. Before I started the cinnamon I was always in the 140-160 range. I am on 2 oral meds but if things look good on my next visit, I should be able to go off 1 of them and cut back the other. I was able to stop taking BP meds after I lost the first "bunch o' pounds."

BTW, my mother is also diabetic. She sought her doctor's advice about the cinnamon and when the dr said okay, mom went from 4 shots a day, glucophage, and avandia to 2 shots a day and no oral meds. It does not work for everyone from what both mom's doc and mine said.

Your mileage may vary.

[Torrilin]

Weird. Mom's sugar generally behaves best when she stays with low glycemic index foods. I can't really see a chemical reason why cinnamon would have an effect. Plus, is it US cinnamon, or EU cinnamon? They're chemically different (as well as biologically different... bark from two different trees). Is there a specific amount you're supposed to take?