Question for Erik or anyone that has an answer.

[donnajo]

This ties into the leptin , depression thread.......I was thinking today........(I know it could be dangerous for me to actually think. :lol:)..........and a light bulb went on.


I remember when you dropped me to low carbs and I about bit the head off of everyone around me including you Erik. Don't carbs also trigger of hormones such as seritonin and feel good type things(laugh at myself) ...Cuz I remember we had to redo my diet and put them back for the safety of everyone around me......Do you think that could be a factor...

Maybe the whole dieting, leptin , seritonin, low carb was a bad combo for me on top of a hypothyroid. If so this would really be an important factor in how I go about dieting, KWIM?

Or am I just full of shit? :lol:

[Espi]

Nope. Carbs do put me asleep quickly though.. this is because carbs raise the tryptophan level which has to do with serotonin & sleep but also with feeling happy.

There's a reason why so many low-carbers find themselves addicted to chocolate or cocoa while they weren't huge choc/cocoa users before.
Before discovering the virtues of cocoa and full spectrum daylight, I was on St. John's Wort (a natural SSRI) most days. And now I've raised carb intake in general, I don't feel depressed anymore.

I still need to target carbs and only take them during & after workouts and at night, as like I said before, they make me very sleepy. Ideal sleep aid actually. Even before a WO they can put me asleep quickly.

[donnajo]

Espi, Do you think St. John's wart would be beneficial? Would it be ok to take if you are taking an AD. I would like to get where I don't have to take an AD anymore. But right now it is helping so I am staying on it. Took a few to find the one that worked for me also. FYI

[Inatic]

This ties into the leptin , depression thread.......I was thinking today........(I know it could be dangerous for me to actually think. :lol:)..........and a light bulb went on.


I remember when you dropped me to low carbs and I about bit the head off of everyone around me including you Erik. Don't carbs also trigger of hormones such as seritonin and feel good type things(laugh at myself) ...Cuz I remember we had to redo my diet and put them back for the safety of everyone around me......Do you think that could be a factor...

Maybe the whole dieting, leptin , seritonin, low carb was a bad combo for me on top of a hypothyroid. If so this would really be an important factor in how I go about dieting, KWIM?

Or am I just full of shit? :lol:

one of my plans went very low carb, i was fine for about two weeks, then i crashed. Then it hit me hard but not as in bitchy grouchy. Just really weak and my recovery was crap. We also changed mine out and i felt much better.

My personal opinion is that those of us hypoT are more sensitive to these changes than others.

Espi, your also on thyroid medication now ;)

[donnajo]

Oh, I turned into a bitch. I had to apologize to Erik because I ripped him one in an e-mail. I went ballistic when he told me my week off from training was no to lo carb. After going pretty lo I could not handle it. Poor Erik.

But , the funny thing is I did the week and it was not too bad. But when we went back to training the carbs got upped. To spare everyone. :lol:

[smuggie]

Espi, Do you think St. John's wart would be beneficial? Would it be ok to take if you are taking an AD. I would like to get where I don't have to take an AD anymore. But right now it is helping so I am staying on it. Took a few to find the one that worked for me also. FYI
No, you shouldn't take an AD and St. John's Wort at the same time.

St. John's Wort is fine for mild to moderate depression only. If you suffer from severe depression you're a candidate for a prescription AD med.

If you're feeling good on the AD you're on now don't mess with things.

[Ana]

What's a quetion? :lol:

I couldn't resist, y'all pick on me all the time

[Erik]

This ties into the leptin , depression thread.......I was thinking today........(I know it could be dangerous for me to actually think. :lol:)..........and a light bulb went on.

I remember when you dropped me to low carbs and I about bit the head off of everyone around me including you Erik. Don't carbs also trigger of hormones such as seritonin and feel good type things(laugh at myself) ...Cuz I remember we had to redo my diet and put them back for the safety of everyone around me......Do you think that could be a factor...

Maybe the whole dieting, leptin , seritonin, low carb was a bad combo for me on top of a hypothyroid. If so this would really be an important factor in how I go about dieting, KWIM?

Or am I just full of shit? :lol:

Well, as talked about in the food addiction there, some studies have shown that there are people who carry a different gene in their brains and naturally have fewer dopamine receptors than those with the other version of the gene in question.

So people with fewer dopamine receptors may use substances to satisfy the deficit. Just as alcohol and cocaine increase the level of brain dopamine, so do carbs.

People eat carbs to 'feel good' by bringing the brain into a temporary balance. Such foods increase the level of brain chemicals - dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, etc.

So you can see how things like naturally lower neurotransmitter levels, low leptin levels as a consequence of falling bodyfat and low calories, and low carb intake, can all tie into an overall lower level of dopamine, serotonin, etc.

I guess it could increase the chances of experiencing depressive symptoms.

[Fitwolf]

It's a bummer that carbs have calories :shrug:

[smuggie]

It's a bummer that carbs have calories :shrug:
:console:

[Alicrmt]

It's a bummer that carbs have calories :shrug:

:lol:

:funny: but true

[donnajo]

So, from what Erik said. Wine is medicinal for me. :grin:


Edit. Tomorrow I will answer that seriously. I am imbibing now. Thanks for the response Erik. I will read it tomorrow more seriously. :lol:

[donnajo]

What's a quetion? :lol:

I couldn't resist, y'all pick on me all the time

I think it is a good question.

[donnajo]

Well, as talked about in the food addiction there, some studies have shown that there are people who carry a different gene in their brains and naturally have few dopamine receptors than those with the other version of the gene in question.

So people with fewer dopamine receptors may use substances to satisfy the deficit. Just as alcohol and cocaine increase the level of brain dopamine, so do carbs.

People eat carbs to 'feel good' by bringing the brain into a temporary balance. Such foods increase the level of brain chemicals - dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, etc.

So you can see how things like naturally lower neurotransmitter levels, low leptin levels as a consequence of falling bodyfat and low calories, and low carb intake, can all tie into an overall lower level of dopamine, serotonin, etc.

I guess it could increase the chances of experiencing depressive symptoms.
Well, now that I am sober and can read this. :lol: Ok, I think I definitely need a certain amount of carbs before I turn into a moody bitch. What is interesting about this is that. .....So if it is calories in and calories out....it is probably best to find the ratio that best fits you individually. I know that sounds obvious. But, this proves how general diets like Atkins and such could be detrimental. KWIM.

[Alicrmt]

Donna, all I know is that when I followed an Atkins/ CKD type diet, I was a miserable, depressed, moody bitch. I wanted to cry all the time.

My SIL actually worked for a psychiatrist at the time and told me to start taking B12 (or B6 :scratch:) can't remember which it was - actually I think it was the 6..... Anyway, the psych she worked for ALWAYS reccommended those to his patients prior to starting them on AD meds.

It actually worked too....whether it was placebo or not, I don't know :shrug: but it made a world of difference.

[Ana]

Donna, all I know is that when I followed an Atkins/ CKD type diet, I was a miserable, depressed, moody bitch. I wanted to cry all the time.

My SIL actually worked for a psychiatrist at the time and told me to start taking B12 (or B6 :scratch:) can't remember which it was - actually I think it was the 6..... Anyway, the psych she worked for ALWAYS reccommended those to his patients prior to starting them on AD meds.

It actually worked too....whether it was placebo or not, I don't know :shrug: but it made a world of difference.
I think it's B12. I started taking those every month and it's helped me tremendously, with moods and energy

[Espi]

Yes, taking methyl-B12 lozenges helped immensely with mood. That and taking a B-complex with sulbutiamine (Fortega) helped even more. Sulbutiamine seems to have improved the capacity to deal with carbs.

Interesting tidbit: I'm on Cytomel (T3) now and mood has improved even more. I also feel that I need more carbs now than before. There was a time in which I could eat very low carb and be OKish.. OKish since indeed I was on SJW nearly permanently and was totally a zombie outside the gym.
SJW is contraindicated when you're already using another SSRI and also can mess with contraceptive hormones as it makes the liver detoxification enzymes work faster.


With the Cytomel, my need for B12-supplementation has also gone down substantially.
For the record: my conversion is apparently not very good. TSH was normal and so was T4, but (total) T3 was below range, probably due to food sensitivities. I'd not expected that supplementing with Cytomel would make such a difference, but it is.
I've calmed down much more (hence why I need less B12) and am in a much better mood (though the gloomy weather has me eating too much chocolate again).

[donnajo]

So, basically , let me see if I got this. If I take B12, St. John's wart, my AD, eat chocolate, and plenty of carbs I should be estremely happy. Right? :lol3: Just kidding.

[donnajo]

Donna, all I know is that when I followed an Atkins/ CKD type diet, I was a miserable, depressed, moody bitch. I wanted to cry all the time.

My SIL actually worked for a psychiatrist at the time and told me to start taking B12 (or B6 :scratch:) can't remember which it was - actually I think it was the 6..... Anyway, the psych she worked for ALWAYS reccommended those to his patients prior to starting them on AD meds.

It actually worked too....whether it was placebo or not, I don't know :shrug: but it made a world of difference.

Interesting. I gues it can't hurt to try. Although I am feeling pretty good right now.

[Inatic]

So, basically , let me see if I got this. If I take B12, St. John's wart, my AD, eat chocolate, and plenty of carbs I should be estremely happy. Right? :lol3: Just kidding.

i would take anything other than what you are already on and get tested properly.

You can have your b12 levels tested. there is a normal range and an optimal range.

[donnajo]

i would take anything other than what you are already on and get tested properly.

You can have your b12 levels tested. there is a normal range and an optimal range.

I did not know you could have b12 levels tested.

Hey, Ileen, can you give me a list of questions that I need to ask the new doctor in January. That would be very helpful. Thanks.

[Inatic]

at www.stopthethyroidmadness.com i think they actually have a question sheet. might check there. i'll think of some tho.

[Espi]

For light to mild depression you can use everything that is known to help, without resorting to actual 'drugs' . St. John's Wort can do a very good job in alleviating depression, and apparently from what I hear/read, so does SAMe. I've read about people who could stop using Zoloft and now exclusively rely on SAMe.
But ADs aren't the solution if you're having a thyroid problem. Good thyroid medication will help most of all.

[Alicrmt]

So, basically , let me see if I got this. If I take B12, St. John's wart, my AD, eat chocolate, and plenty of carbs I should be estremely happy. Right? :lol3: Just kidding.

You forgot about drinking wine :lol:

[mackie]

What's a quetion? :lol:

I couldn't resist, y'all pick on me all the time
:lol: