Thyroid Hormone Testing
Blood and Saliva Testing for Thyroid
Professional hormone testing for health conditions provides invaluable information to ensure that we get to the cause of your undelying health concerns.
We offer the services of Blood, saliva and urine tests
If you suspect low thyroid function, but have had "normal" blood tests, you may want to take a second look. A TSH of greater than 2.5 is not normal.
Eight years ago, the American National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry narrowed the window of normal for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from 0.5-5 to 0.2-2.5mIU/L. Similar revisions by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) meant that 13 million people previously considered to be normal, could now become officially diagnosed with under-active thyroid. (1)
You should also consider the fact that TSH is lower if the blood test is taken later in the day, and if you were not fasting. (2) Your TSH reading may be artificially low if you are deficient in cortisol, an adrenal hormone.
Another very important test for thyroid is the blood test for thyroid antibodies. Thyroid antibodies can cause symptoms even when TSH is normal. In particular, they have been shown to have a role in fertility and miscarriage. (3,4)
Thyroid antibodies cause symptoms even when thyroid reading is normal
"...it raises the possibility that optimal doses of thyroid hormone will not completely ameliorate all symptoms" - Dr Emerson (editor of journal Thyroid)
New research has shown that Hashimoto's patients with high thyroid antibodies report more symptoms than patients with low thyroid antibodies, even if their thyroid function test is normal. In other words, thyroid replacement is not enough to ameliorate symptoms of autoimmune thyroid disease. (5)
Untreated thyroid disease leads to heart disease, muscle weakness, poor mental function, and an increased risk for cancer. Some experts believe that it may be responsible for 40% of unexplained cases of fatigue, depression, weight gain and infertility (6).
How do you know if you have a thyroid problem?
Symptoms of under-active thyroid include: fluid retention, hair loss, yellow skin on the palms, sensitivity to heat or cold, fatigue, poor mental function, slowed heart rate, irregular periods, very dry skin, constipation, high cholesterol, and more.
What tests might you need?
If thyroid disease is suspected, blood tests should not be limited to TSH. Other useful tests include thyroid antibodies, free T3, free T4 and reverse T3. Also DHEAS, serum vitamin D and urinary iodine.
Thyroid resistance syndrome (elevated reverse T3)
After 12 or more months on conventional thyroid treatment, T4 resistance can develop. The syndrome occurs when T4 is not adequately converted to its active form: T3. The conversion is easily disrupted, because it occurs in the liver, and requires many nutritional cofactors. Instead of being converted to T3, a large amount of T4 is converted to reverse T3, which is inactive thyroid hormone The high level of reverse T3 causes symptoms of under-active thyroid, despite a normal blood test for TSH, T3 and T4.
Impaired conversion of T4 to T3 can also be caused by the elevation of the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated reverse T3 can persist even once cortisol is normalised.
Do you react with anxiety and heart palpitations when you take thyroid medication?
The most common explanation for this an underlying problem with adrenal insufficiency (cortisol and DHEA deficiency). Corrent the adrenal problem, and then you should be able to tolerate thyroid medication.
Do you have Low Blood Pressure?
Many women with Low Blood Pressure Syndrome also have autoimmune thyroid disease.
Do you Have elevated Cholesterol?
Your thyroid could be the CAUSE of your elevated cholesterol
If you are like 90% of Americans, you are probably unaware of this link. According to a survey conducted by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, fewer than half of people diagnosed with high cholesterol had had their thyroid checked, and 90% of survey participants were unaware of the thyroid's impact on cholesterol. Thyroid hormone is necessary for the healthy metabolism of cholesterol.
Do you Suffer Recurrent Miscarriage?
Your thyroid could be the CAUSE of your miscarriages
Treatment
If the condition is autoimmune, you need to correct immune function.
Thyroid hormone supplements
Supplementation with the incorrect treatment can cause further damage and imbalances. For professional advice regarding thyroid issues, and to get your thyroid tested properly, please complete our online health and hormone assessment
References
(1) AACE Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice for the Evaluation and Treatment of Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism, Endocrine Practice, Vol. 8, No. 6, Nov/Dec 2002.
(2) Scobbo RR et al. TSH variability in normal individuals: the influence of time of sample collection. W V Med J. 2004;100:138-142
(3)Stagnaro-Green A et al.. A prospective study of lymphocyte-initiated immunosuppression in normal pregnancy: evidence of a T-cell etiology for postpartum thyroid dysfunction. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1992;74:645-653.
(4)Bussen, S et al. Increased prevalence of thyroid antibodies in euthyroid women with a history of recurrent in-vitro fertilization failure. Human Reproduction. 2000. 15(3): 545-548
(5) Ott, Johannes et al. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Affects Symptom Load and Quality of Life Unrelated to Hypothyroidism: A Prospective Case-Control Study in Women Undergoing Thyroidectomy for Benign Goiter.Thyroid, 2011; 21 (2): 161 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2010.0191
(6) Barnes, Broda. Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness. 1976
Thyroid Hormones | Reproductive Hormones | Adrenal Hormones | Metabolic Hormones | Menopausal Hormones
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