Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

Many patients with hypothyroidism struggle with high cholesterol due to how thyroid hormone regulates cholesterol metabolism. When thyroid hormone is low, cholesterol levels will increase. For this reason, many thyroid patients are placed on a statin to combat this high cholesterol. But is this necessary? Maybe in some situations, but definitely not all. Before you take a statin or another cholesterol-lowering medication, try these natural treatments first: 1. T3 containing thyroid medication like liothyronine or Cytomel. T3 is far more potent than levothyroxine at lowering cholesterol and can be considered if you are taking thyroid medication but still not seeing your numbers go down. 2. Eat to improve your thyroid. Instead of eating to lower cholesterol, eat to improve your thyroid. By boosting your thyroid with food you will get benefits on both your weight and cholesterol at the same time. 3. Glucomannan. Glucomannan is a soluble dietary fiber that may help lower cholesterol by up to 10%.