Rapid Weight Gain in Hypothyroidism? Here’s Why

It’s well known that your thyroid controls and regulates your weight through its impact on your metabolism. As a result, it’s actually very common that patients with hypothyroidism end up gaining weight. But what patients usually don’t understand is that if you gain weight from hypothyroidism, only about 10-15 pounds of that weight is directly from your thyroid. So why is it that some thyroid patients gain 30, 40, or even 50 pounds after their diagnosis? The cause for this extra weight gain has more to do with fluid than with actual fat! And because fluid levels can shift rapidly from day to day, they are often responsible for the wide shifts in weight that many thyroid patients experience. The 3 main causes of this rapid weight gain include: 1. Swelling, edema, and water weight. Hypothyroidism puts your body in a state where holding fluid is much more likely due to a condition called myxedema. This thyroid-specific condition results in the accumulation of GAGs and hyaluronic acid in your tissues which pulls in water from circulation resulting in swelling. 2. Constipation. Thyroid patients are also at risk for developing constipation and, if you aren’t having a bowel movement every day, you can start to gain a lot of extra weight from stool. 3. Menstrual problems (hormone-related weight gain) Your thyroid not only regulates your metabolism, but it also has an impact on the menstrual cycle and progesterone. Thyroid dysfunction causes a decline in progesterone which can lead to an imbalance in estrogen:progesterone and excess weight gain from fluid. If you think the weight gain from your thyroid is more related to fat mass instead of water weight then you’ll want to check out this information: https://www.restartmed.com/mistakes-hypothyroid-patients-make-when-trying-to-lose-weight/ Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges, foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease, and more): https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/ Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function: - Supplements that everyone with hypothyroidism needs: https://bit.ly/3tekPej - Supplement bundle to help reverse Hashimoto’s: https://bit.ly/3gSY9eJ - Supplements for those without a thyroid and for those after RAI: https://bit.ly/3tb36nZ - Supplements for active hyperthyroidism: https://bit.ly/3t70yHo See ALL of my specialized supplements including protein powders, thyroid supplements, and weight loss products here: https://www.restartmed.com/shop/ Want more from my blog? I have more than 400+ well-researched blog posts on thyroid management, hormone balancing, weight loss, and more. See all blog posts here: https://www.restartmed.com/blog/ Prefer to listen via podcast? Download all of my podcast episodes here: https://apple.co/3kNYTCS Disclaimer: Dr. Westin Childs received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic medicine in 2013. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Childs is no longer practicing medicine and does not hold an active medical license so he can focus on helping people through videos, blog posts, research, and supplement formulation. To read more about why he is no longer licensed please see this page: https://www.restartmed.com/what-happened-to-my-medical-license/ This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Childs and you. You should not make any changes to your medications or health regimens without first consulting a physician. If you have any questions please consult with your current primary care provider. Restart Medical LLC and Dr. Westin Childs are not liable or resp