PowerLifterJoe
New member
Lately, I’ve been noticing that more and more bodybuilding cycles are including T3/T4 as a standard part of cutting regimens. This isn’t to tell anyone how to manage their own cycles, but rather to share some of my personal experience, especially as it relates to thyroid medications and their effects.
In my teens and twenties, martial arts was my life. I started training at the age of 5 and by 20, I had the honor of representing my country in competitions. Balancing university studies with a rigorous training schedule was challenging, but the real struggle for me was making weight for the competition. I was coached by someone who was almost obsessively fit—someone who lived at 6-7% body fat and avoided any form of junk food. I, on the other hand, was always a bit heavier and typically carried about 12-14% body fat. I competed in the 95kg weight class (around 210lbs), though outside of competition I weighed 220-230lbs. I hated the process of cutting weight, especially having to drop 10-20lbs before each competition. It took a heavy toll on me, both mentally and physically, but it was the weight class I was best suited to.
Looking for a solution to this constant struggle, I began researching “chemical assistance.” At the time, I was finishing my biochemistry degree and had spent a year working in the industry, gaining exposure to endocrine medications. I decided to try levothyroxine (T4) for weight management. It was inexpensive, effective, and seemed relatively safe at the time. I started at 22 years old and it worked wonders. I could lose the weight I needed in just 4 weeks with a low dose of T4 (around 50mcg), without having to endure the usual 8-week misery of diet and cardio. This allowed me to eat clean, but without being obsessive about it.
I used T4 for the next several years, carefully monitoring my doses, and keeping things controlled. By the time I was 28, I had won a major martial arts competition—the pinnacle of my career. Unfortunately, that would also mark the end of my competitive journey. Over the years, I had naturally gained muscle and my weight was creeping up, making it harder to stay in the 95kg weight class. To maintain that weight, I had to come in extremely lean—around 6% body fat, which is not ideal for either health or performance. After the competition, I stopped using T4, but my weight continued to drop drastically despite eating more and reducing cardio. Within three months, I was 8kg lighter than my usual competitive weight, and I had lost a significant amount of muscle.
It wasn’t just the weight loss that was concerning—my health took a serious downturn. I started experiencing shakiness, constant mild headaches, breathlessness, and extreme mood swings. When I went to the doctor, my resting heart rate was 105 BPM. The doctor ran tests and found that my T4 levels were sky-high, far above the normal range. At that point, I had developed hyperthyroidism, likely caused by prolonged use of T4. I was prescribed carbimazole and referred to an endocrinologist.
Despite treatment, my condition worsened. My weight continued to plummet, and I looked extremely unhealthy. Eventually, I was diagnosed with a heart murmur and had to undergo a procedure where my heart was stopped and restarted. At the age of 30, I had a total thyroidectomy and now take T4 medication for the rest of my life.
While I’m doing better now, the effects of this experience are long-lasting. I still struggle with overheating, even in winter, and have to manage regular blood tests and medication. Any new health issue is immediately attributed to my thyroid condition. It has had a significant and ongoing impact on my life.
I hope my story can serve as a cautionary tale for anyone considering the use of thyroid medications for weight management. While they may seem like an easy solution, the long-term effects can be devastating. Cardio and diet might seem like hard work, but they are far safer and more sustainable in the long run.
Thanks for reading!
In my teens and twenties, martial arts was my life. I started training at the age of 5 and by 20, I had the honor of representing my country in competitions. Balancing university studies with a rigorous training schedule was challenging, but the real struggle for me was making weight for the competition. I was coached by someone who was almost obsessively fit—someone who lived at 6-7% body fat and avoided any form of junk food. I, on the other hand, was always a bit heavier and typically carried about 12-14% body fat. I competed in the 95kg weight class (around 210lbs), though outside of competition I weighed 220-230lbs. I hated the process of cutting weight, especially having to drop 10-20lbs before each competition. It took a heavy toll on me, both mentally and physically, but it was the weight class I was best suited to.
Looking for a solution to this constant struggle, I began researching “chemical assistance.” At the time, I was finishing my biochemistry degree and had spent a year working in the industry, gaining exposure to endocrine medications. I decided to try levothyroxine (T4) for weight management. It was inexpensive, effective, and seemed relatively safe at the time. I started at 22 years old and it worked wonders. I could lose the weight I needed in just 4 weeks with a low dose of T4 (around 50mcg), without having to endure the usual 8-week misery of diet and cardio. This allowed me to eat clean, but without being obsessive about it.
I used T4 for the next several years, carefully monitoring my doses, and keeping things controlled. By the time I was 28, I had won a major martial arts competition—the pinnacle of my career. Unfortunately, that would also mark the end of my competitive journey. Over the years, I had naturally gained muscle and my weight was creeping up, making it harder to stay in the 95kg weight class. To maintain that weight, I had to come in extremely lean—around 6% body fat, which is not ideal for either health or performance. After the competition, I stopped using T4, but my weight continued to drop drastically despite eating more and reducing cardio. Within three months, I was 8kg lighter than my usual competitive weight, and I had lost a significant amount of muscle.
It wasn’t just the weight loss that was concerning—my health took a serious downturn. I started experiencing shakiness, constant mild headaches, breathlessness, and extreme mood swings. When I went to the doctor, my resting heart rate was 105 BPM. The doctor ran tests and found that my T4 levels were sky-high, far above the normal range. At that point, I had developed hyperthyroidism, likely caused by prolonged use of T4. I was prescribed carbimazole and referred to an endocrinologist.
Despite treatment, my condition worsened. My weight continued to plummet, and I looked extremely unhealthy. Eventually, I was diagnosed with a heart murmur and had to undergo a procedure where my heart was stopped and restarted. At the age of 30, I had a total thyroidectomy and now take T4 medication for the rest of my life.
While I’m doing better now, the effects of this experience are long-lasting. I still struggle with overheating, even in winter, and have to manage regular blood tests and medication. Any new health issue is immediately attributed to my thyroid condition. It has had a significant and ongoing impact on my life.
I hope my story can serve as a cautionary tale for anyone considering the use of thyroid medications for weight management. While they may seem like an easy solution, the long-term effects can be devastating. Cardio and diet might seem like hard work, but they are far safer and more sustainable in the long run.
Thanks for reading!