body temp - what's normal, what's low?

[jaykay]

Hi, I read somewhere else on this board that measuring body temp was a good way of tracking your metabolism. So, I thought I would, to see if I was upping mine. Well - my morning temp is 97.1, which seems low to me - and it only went up to 97.8 when I'd been doing moderate cardio for 30 minutes.
Then I read that low body temp can suggest hypothyroid. So - what is low? I thought someone in this section would know, if anyone would.
Thanks, Jay

[Jeanner]

Hi-

You should track your temps 4 X'S per day. You should reach at least 98.6once throughout the latter part of your day. Also be aware that low-carb eating in itself will affect the conversion of T4 to T3 which is the part of thyroid that weighs heavily on metabolism, energy and temps etc. Good Luck!

[Thyroid_M]

Jay,

You are right - low body temperature is a signal that you have a low thyroid. Low body temperature doesn't CAUSE you to have a slow thyroid, rather, it is an effect of a slow thyroid. The slower your thyroid, the slower your metabolism and the lower your internal energy will be - hence, lower temperatures.

Anything consistently below a 98.0 is a signal of hypothyroidism. In fact, this is a better indicator of hypothyroidism than any single blood test. Our society is so used to one test giving us the answer - most doctors still view thyroid disease this way - but a body temperature is actually much better diagnosically.

If you are consistently documenting your temperature below 98, then you probably have a thyroid issue. Please drop me an e-mail and I will gladly send you the information you will need to find a doctor to address this situation.

[jaykay]

Hi Margaret, thanks for the info, I've e-mailed you too.
It never occurred to me that my thyroid might be a bit low. It would certainly explain why I put on weight so easily and find it so hard to lose it, even though I exercise well and always have. It might also explain why I'm often so tired and struggle to keep up with D at times - I thought I was anaemic.
The trick now will be to find a doctor who will listen - here, you get assigned to whichever doctor at the practice is free, there is no way of sounding them out over issues first. Most British doctors are also of the very 'no-nonsense' type, ok with heart attacks and broken legs, but anything vaguer and you're just being neurotic!
I dread talking to them about this sort of stuff. Any advice really welcome. Thanks for your help, Jay :wave:

[Thyroid_M]

Jaykay -

I responded to you via e-mail with instructions on locating assistance in this area of health. I didn't notice, however, that you were located in the UK. I do not know whether the site I referred you to to locate a doctor [www.thyroid.about.com] includes international locales . . . if you end up getting stumped in that area, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW. I will help you in any way that I can seek treatment.

In the meantime, the rest of the information that I sent to you should get you pointed in the right direction. Please keep me posted!

[khala]

Bill W. had started a post on the benefits of coconut oil re body temperature.

First of all, the most important thing is to get a proper diagnosis. While coconut oil has worked to increase my body temperature and has provided other symptomatic relief, such as hair regrowth, and significant reduction in arthritis, and improved sleep, I doubt that using coconut oil in absence of thyroid replacement would provide any relief. I have been taking coconut oil since late January and have noticed gradual improvement in the above areas. At one point I was unable to use the coconut oil for a period of 6 days, and in that short a period of time my arthritis returned, and disappeared very quickly once I resumed taking it.

Hope this helps.

Rhea

[pittypat]

Women who are ovulating and tracking their body temps need to remember that body temps are lower before ovulation and higher after ovulation. That's one of the principles of NFP- Natural Family Planning. If you're not in a situation where pregnancy is a possiblity, it's easy to overlook where you are in your cycle. This has probably been discussed at length on the PCOS board, but I'm new here, and have not had a lot of time to look at both boards. Since I was "blessed" with the dastardly duo of thyroid problem AND PCOS, I have a lot of reading to do! :wave: