Low libido - subclinical hypothyroidism? Iodine deficiency?

[Trt909]

Hello, is it possible have low libido and poor erection due to low iodine? And I also have symptoms as hypothyroidism (hair loss, dry skin, cold intolerance, poor memory and concentration)?

My blood results:

TSH varies from 3.7 to 1.98 (0.350 - 4.94)
Ant TG: <15 (0 - 115)
FT4: 12.45 (9.01 - 19.05)
FT3: 3.66 (2.43 - 6.01)
ATPO: 0.00 (0.00 - 5.61)
TG: 23.90 (3.5 - 77)

Iodine 39.79 (40 - 80)

 

[sexualathlete]

Maybe but unlikely and it doesn't seem like you have hypothyroidism. t3 and t4 in range and iodine barely out of range. It's probably something else. What about other hormones? Did you test them?

 

[MarcoFL]

I really doubt it! I am 60 almost undetectable Iodine and no problems with erections!! I do take a fair amount of L citrilline however. every time I try iodine I feel real sick on it.

 

[Keepfit1]

Hello, is it possible have low libido and poor erection due to low iodine? And I also have symptoms as hypothyroidism (hair loss, dry skin, cold intolerance, poor memory and concentration)?

My blood results:

TSH varies from 3.7 to 1.98 (0.350 - 4.94)
Ant TG: <15 (0 - 115)
FT4: 12.45 (9.01 - 19.05)
FT3: 3.66 (2.43 - 6.01)
ATPO: 0.00 (0.00 - 5.61)
TG: 23.90 (3.5 - 77)

Iodine 39.79 (40 - 80)

Your thyroid is in range but not optimal at all, Ft3 and Ft4 should be in upper quartile,TSH is too high, careful if supplementing iodine as easy to overdo it which then suppresses thyroid, low libido can be thyroid but maybe check other hormones also, thyroid meds usually have iodine in them

 

[VacationMan]

Your thyroid numbers do -not- indicate any thyroid issues. Yeah, your TSH is a bit on the high side, but it's still in range. Can thyroid issues trigger libido issues too? Yes! In your case though, I seriously doubt it.

In my case, I have Hashimotos. At one point, FT4 and FT3 were in the dirt and TSH was around 27. It took me almost 5 years and 4 docs to finally get it all under control. Now my FT4/FT3 are in the upper high of in range and my TSH is at a comfortable 0.8. This was a major contributor to my "issues". Once I had that settled, THEN I could focus on TRT (I'm 60 by the way). Once I had this under control, libido issues subsided.

Oh, and TRT can also be over-done! I've found that I feel my best when I keep free-T in the upper 1/3 of in range and my E2 is around 25-ish.

I've tried iodine in the past too. Was using Lugol's Solution. I'd add a few drops to some orange juice in the morning. Boy howdy, that brings on some good energy...but it can be over-done! I found that if I took too much iodine, I would get stuffy. I had energy but still felt like sxit. Now? Just 4 to 5 drops of Lugol's in some orange juice a few times of week seems to work best for me. Iodine can and will affect thyroid function.

 

[Gman86]

Your thyroid numbers do -not- indicate any thyroid issues. Yeah, your TSH is a bit on the high side, but it's still in range. Can thyroid issues trigger libido issues too? Yes! In your case though, I seriously doubt it.

In my case, I have Hashimotos. At one point, FT4 and FT3 were in the dirt and TSH was around 27. It took me almost 5 years and 4 docs to finally get it all under control. Now my FT4/FT3 are in the upper high of in range and my TSH is at a comfortable 0.8. This was a major contributor to my "issues". Once I had that settled, THEN I could focus on TRT (I'm 60 by the way). Once I had this under control, libido issues subsided.

Oh, and TRT can also be over-done! I've found that I feel my best when I keep free-T in the upper 1/3 of in range and my E2 is around 25-ish.

I've tried iodine in the past too. Was using Lugol's Solution. I'd add a few drops to some orange juice in the morning. Boy howdy, that brings on some good energy...but it can be over-done! I found that if I took too much iodine, I would get stuffy. I had energy but still felt like sxit. Now? Just 4 to 5 drops of Lugol's in some orange juice a few times of week seems to work best for me. Iodine can and will affect thyroid function.

U using 2% lugol’s solution? Any way u can ball park how many drops u do each week, like roughly?

And what else did u do to dial in ur thyroid?

 

[VacationMan]

Yes, it's 2% Lugol's solution. I'm using between 3 and 5 drops in a glass of orange juice about 2 to 3 times per week...mostly when I wake up feeling sluggish (lack of energy). Sometimes I go a week or so and don't feel the need for it.

Dialing in my thyroid was a 5-year adventure. To recap it as briefly as possible:

Started down the path of NDT drugs. Gotcha here is that you cannot alter the mix of T4 and T3 with NDT. You get what you get and that's what you get. NDT drugs did -not- work for me - they helped, but never could get things "right". I'd either get too much T4 and not enough T3, or vice-versa.

Talked my doc into started all over again. We started with synthetic T4 drugs only (generic Synthroid). We managed to get FT4 in the upper range, but since I have Hashimotos I also suffered from elevated RT3. My body wasn't converting enough T4 to T3. At this time, I was taking 88mcg of generic Synthroid alone. FT3 was still low and my TSH was still high. We added generic Cytomel to the mix (T3 drug) and this helped.

Over time, we adjusted Cytomel dose until FT3 was in the upper side of the range. Even so, my TSH was still elevated. So we upped the dose of T4 to 100mcg. I was also taking 10mcg of T3. Every time we adjusted dose, we had to run with it for 6 to 8 weeks before running blood work again (thyroid drugs take some time before the desired effect is achieved).

Ended up with a mixture of 100mcg of T4 and 20mcg of T3. Only then was FT4 and FT3 in the upper range and TSH at a comfortable 0.8. Yet I still have elevated RT3 to contend with, so I'm in discussions with the doc about titrating T3 dose up to compensate for elevated RT3. In essence, I'll need to run above range on FT3 in order to combat the excessive RT3 in my system.

Getting thyroid medications adjusted is a time consuming process. For me, I had to go through 5-years and 4 docs to get things where I am today. It was only the 4th doc that knew what he was doing and was willing to adjust dosing of both drugs. If I had it to do all over again, I'd make a b-line to the nearest endocrinologist to address this and -then- transition to my PCP once drug dosage optimization is reached.

Oh...one more thing: If you don't "feel" right and your doc says "You're fine": Kick that doc to the curb immediately! That's a lesson I learned throughout all of this.

 

[Gman86]

Yes, it's 2% Lugol's solution. I'm using between 3 and 5 drops in a glass of orange juice about 2 to 3 times per week...mostly when I wake up feeling sluggish (lack of energy). Sometimes I go a week or so and don't feel the need for it.

Dialing in my thyroid was a 5-year adventure. To recap it as briefly as possible:

Started down the path of NDT drugs. Gotcha here is that you cannot alter the mix of T4 and T3 with NDT. You get what you get and that's what you get. NDT drugs did -not- work for me - they helped, but never could get things "right". I'd either get too much T4 and not enough T3, or vice-versa.

Talked my doc into started all over again. We started with synthetic T4 drugs only (generic Synthroid). We managed to get FT4 in the upper range, but since I have Hashimotos I also suffered from elevated RT3. My body wasn't converting enough T4 to T3. At this time, I was taking 88mcg of generic Synthroid alone. FT3 was still low and my TSH was still high. We added generic Cytomel to the mix (T3 drug) and this helped.

Over time, we adjusted Cytomel dose until FT3 was in the upper side of the range. Even so, my TSH was still elevated. So we upped the dose of T4 to 100mcg. I was also taking 10mcg of T3. Every time we adjusted dose, we had to run with it for 6 to 8 weeks before running blood work again (thyroid drugs take some time before the desired effect is achieved).

Ended up with a mixture of 100mcg of T4 and 20mcg of T3. Only then was FT4 and FT3 in the upper range and TSH at a comfortable 0.8. Yet I still have elevated RT3 to contend with, so I'm in discussions with the doc about titrating T3 dose up to compensate for elevated RT3. In essence, I'll need to run above range on FT3 in order to combat the excessive RT3 in my system.

Getting thyroid medications adjusted is a time consuming process. For me, I had to go through 5-years and 4 docs to get things where I am today. It was only the 4th doc that knew what he was doing and was willing to adjust dosing of both drugs. If I had it to do all over again, I'd make a b-line to the nearest endocrinologist to address this and -then- transition to my PCP once drug dosage optimization is reached.

Oh...one more thing: If you don't "feel" right and your doc says "You're fine": Kick that doc to the curb immediately! That's a lesson I learned throughout all of this.

Thank u so much for the detailed reply, extremely helpful and informative!