The Atkins Diet is a high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrate weight-loss plan. It works by replacing foods that quickly enter the bloodstream and accumulate in cells as stored sugar or fat with foods that enter the bloodstream more slowly and hence help dieters feel satiated. Hypothyroidism slows the thyroid gland. If untreated, this underactivity slows metabolism and leads to weight gain. Those with hypothyroidism can counteract this by dieting.
The Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet consists of several weight-loss phases, the first of which restricts carbohydrate intake to less than 20 g daily. During later phases, dieters can consume up to 100 g of carbohydrate daily. Though contemporary proponents of the diet recommend eating healthy fats, the plan does not limit protein and fat intake. Nor does it restrict calories. Because protein and fat break down more slowly than carbohydrates, however, dieters tend to eat less than they otherwise would.
Ketosis
Only carbohydrates and protein can convert into any significant amount of glucose, or blood sugar. So if carbohydrates are severely restricted, and protein intake covers only what's necessary for body maintenance, blood-glucose levels drop. While most cells in the body thrive on protein and fat as energy sources, the brain can only use glucose or ketone bodies, a byproduct of fat metabolism. So when the Atkins Diet works as it should, the body will burn fat to provide energy for the brain. This leads to fat loss.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland works either more slowly or not at all. The condition is commonly the result of treating the more dangerous condition, hyperthyroidism. When the thyroid gland works more slowly, metabolism becomes sluggish. If this condition goes untreated, overweight or obesity may be the result. Daily hormone supplements, however, may help to prevent weight gain.
The Atkins Diet and Hypothyroidism
A diet can supplement hormone treatment. In less-severe cases of hypothyroidism, a strict diet may replace hormone treatment altogether. Anyone who chooses diet in place of hormone treatment must follow a diet for the rest of his life. But conventional diets that restrict calories or fat can be difficult to observe over a long time. Because the Atkins Diet does not restrict calories, it may be a wiser choice for those with hypothyroidism, especially if they replace unhealthy saturated fats with fats from fatty fish, nuts and vegetables and consume a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice and vegetables.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Atkins Diet: What's behind the claims?
- Michael R. Eades, M.D.: Metabolism and Ketosis
- Mayo Clinic: Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid(
- Diabetes Care; Comparative Study of the Effects of a 1-Year Dietary Intervention of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet Versus a Low-Fat Diet on Weight and Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes; Nichola J. Davis, et al.; July 2009
- Science Daily: Hypothyroidism
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