Des Linden reveals she had "thyroid" problem before 2018 Boston Marathon win

Just like all these bicyclists who had asthma.

I totally believe this is legit. When i read the RW article it was like someone finally validated what i experienced in my early 30s (though not as bad) and was subsequently diagnosed with this.

For me, i know it was genetic. But the number of runners with it makes me wonder if the intensity of the training screws up the immune system.

NIH estimates 5% of US population is hypothyroid with 5% undiagnosed on top of that

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hypothyroidism in Context: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

Hypothyroidism affects up to 5% of the general population, with a further estimated 5% being undiagnosed. Over 99% of affected patients suffer from primary hypothyroidism. Worldwide, environmental iodine deficiency is the mos...

Link:www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6...

Tooth Ugg Eels!!!

This.

I have also wondered if the crazy training and mileage decimates the thyroid.

Hypothyroidism in children directly correlates to poor growth and poor weight gain. These are also two of the most common features of elite runner's bodies.

I will never buy her trash book but let me get this straight.
The woman who was outraged about super shoes and thyroid meds wins the Boston Marathon on thyroid meds and wearing super shoes?

Makes sense.

You've made a list of extreme athletes who claimed problems with the thyroid, which regulates metabolic processes and whose function is susceptible to extreme stress.

You've reached a conclusion, but perhaps the cause/effect relationship doesn't run the way you think?

Ray Peat vindicated once again

What a hypocrite/ lost some respect for her.

Live by the sword die by the sword

Why she would think this is good for her brand to admit is a bit head scratching.

But then again she is good at running, not much for brains.

Even amongst the general population, the percentage of people with thyroid issues is much higher than most realize. It's very common. Thyroid replacement medication is the #4 most prescribed medication...

Does she just state that she had a generic "thyroid issue" without further details? Seems odd to vaguely just throw the thyroid out there but not go into details about whether it's primary, autoimmune, etc.

If that is the case around 5% or runners should be on thyroid medication and another 5% should be but don't know it. There is no scientific reason why professional runners should suffer at a higher rate than the general population.

Ever since the cycling TUE leak I stopped trusting athletes that happen to have rare conditions that allow them to take otherwise banned medication that can, in any way, can improve performance.

So what is she lying about? Is she lying that she got her blood tested and the results showed that her thyroid levels were so low that if she did not start taking medication that she could go into a coma?

It is quite interesting that the comments imply that she should have just said no to treatment. Do you know that at some point if this goes untreated it leads to high cholesterol and eventually congestive heart failure?

If you were diagnosed as being anemic, would you not take iron supplements?

It's not like she traveled across the country. you are implying that she got a doctor at an urgent care center to provide fake test results so she could go on thyroid meds.

Here are 7 professional runners who we know of who have hypothyroidism.

Linden
Rupp
Kennedy
Hall
Goucher
Ward
Salazar

If 5% of the population has hypothyroidism and there are 140 professional runners, 7 runners is 5% of professional runners.

There are more than 140 professional runners.

Well, she wants to sell books but also I appreciate that she’s transparent about it. I presume most runners are on some grey area stuff and don’t stress about it. If the doping agencies are ok with it, not sure I have the time or energy to rail against it.

I have a borderline thyroid issue that we’re monitoring, and while I love running and other forms of fitness, I’m pretty sure they don’t help my thyroid at all. Is anything we do now, whether it’s excessive running, or alternatively sitting at a desk all day, or eating processed foods, natural at all? Sometimes I’m surprised people aren’t even more screwed up.