I’ve decided to give supplements a go. I’ve never really used them properly before and have never really understood what the benefits are. I tried preworkout drinks in the past for fun, particularly X-Plode Hardcore, and loved the buzz and extra energy when training but hated the fact I went itchy and tingly with it so I stopped those. And since being diagnosed with Graves’ disease I’ve been really reluctant to try anything and cause the symptoms to get worse but I have been having protein meal replacement shakes for breakfast to try and increase my protein intake.
But when my thyroid function is to high or to low my recovery is shocking, my joints hurt, I get tired and I struggle maintaining my training routines. And how well I eat seems to make no difference. But over all I am aware my diet could do with more work. But I like cake.
So I did some research about supplements recommend for people with Graves’ and also tried to find out what I need to avoid or moderate. It took me a while and I’m still not convinced I’ve got all the information I need and as normal getting an appointment with my endocrinologist is impossible and getting in at the doctor’s is almost as hard. So if you have thyroid issues and are following this, please do your own research and discuss supplements with your doctor if you can. I am not an expert. I’m just trying to find things to help me!
So the first thing I found mentioned a lot was L-carnitine. Not only is it supposed to help control the production of T3 and T4 in people with hyperthyroidism, it’s also suggested it can help alleviate symptoms of fatigue! And I fatigue a lot.
Branch chain amino acids are another supplement I’ve decided to try. BCAAs aren’t safe for people who are being treated with a thyroid hormone for hypothyroidism but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that they can be harmful for people with Graves’. In fact they can assist with limiting muscle wastage, improve recovery and help prevent fatigue.
I read about a million supplement company review blogs and decide to look into Bio-synergy, a company that seemed to be highly recommend. They had a lot of options for both L-carnitine and BCAAs. I had to check through all ingredients and avoid products with iodine and selenium which need to be avoided by people with hyperthyroidism.
The skinny protein from Bio-synergy includes L-carnitine. And a lot of other supplements that are supposed to help with fat loss, and as I’m having issues with slowly gaining weight, that sounded great to me.
I also decided to give pre workout drinks another go and found one that includes BCAAs, The BCAA Powder,w which also includes caffeine and taurine to give you a boost.
I’m only on day three of trying these so I’m not yet sure how effective they are but the preworkout has definitely helped when training, tastes vile but I haven’t gone tingly or itchy yet. So far I’ve only tried it before Metafit, and for that it really helped me push it and work at a higher intensity for longer, and I intend to try it before a weights session over the next week. The skinny protein shakes are nice, not as thick as the myprotein shake I’m used to but it tastes pretty good and they seem to fill me up for longer than the myprotein ones.
I’ve not felt as tired or as achy since starting them but I’m not sure how much of that is in my head! So I guess time will tell. I’m not yet totally convinced of their benefits and I’d prefer to get everything I need from my diet. But I’m lazy and as I said before, I like cake, so fingers crossed these help keep me going until my thyroid function is actually under some sort of control.
AerialEmma 