Can a low-carb diet change your thyroid hormones?
Effects of modified Atkins diet on thyroid function in adult patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
A study looked at whether a low-carb diet called the modified Atkins diet affects thyroid hormones in adults with hard-to-treat epilepsy.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
A study looked at whether a low-carb diet called the modified Atkins diet affects thyroid hormones in adults with hard-to-treat epilepsy.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 532 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Molteberg E, Thorsby PM, Kverneland M, Iversen PO, Selmer KK, Nakken KO, Taubøll E
Related Content
Claims (4)
In adults with epilepsy that does not respond to medication, a 12-week modified Atkins diet was linked to a decrease in T3 and fT3 hormone levels, an increase in fT4, and no change in TSH or rT3, indicating a measurable shift in thyroid hormone levels.
In adults with drug-resistant epilepsy following the modified Atkins diet, changes in thyroid hormone levels do not relate to changes in seizure frequency, the type of seizure medication taken, or how ketotic the body becomes.
Adults with pharmacoresistant epilepsy who follow the modified Atkins diet experience a modest decrease in thyroid hormone levels, particularly if they already have low thyroid hormone levels or are taking antiseizure medications that reduce thyroid function.
Lowering carbohydrate intake decreases thyroid hormone levels in the blood and eliminates symptoms of hyperthyroidism.