“What do my thyroid test results mean?”

This is a question often asked by many thyroid patients. We know that these blood tests are a measure of thyroid hormone production and that they provide a diagnosis of your thyroid function
Have you ever had your doctor diagnose you with hypothyroidism and then show you the test results saying your TSH levels are way above where they should be so you have hypothyroidism an underactive thyroid? Now you are slightly confused because above is under and under is above. The next thing you know the doctor is telling you about this t4 and t3 with numbers associated to those as well only this time there’s something in the thyroid test results where under is underactive. This can become confusing at a time when you are being told that you have a thyroid disorder. Hopefully the following will help you to understand how these thyroid test results measure thyroid hormone levels and what the diagnosis means.

Thyroid Test Results – What is TSH?

TSH is a thyroid stimulating hormone that is secreted out of the pituitary gland. TSH stimulates or signals the thyroid gland to release t4 and t3 hormone. When your thyroid isn’t releasing enough t4 and t3 the pituitary gland releases higher levels of TSH as an effort to get the thyroid gland to produce more t4 and t3. This is why your doctor will diagnose you with hypothyroidism when your TSH levels are higher than normal.

The pituitary works in reverse where hyperthyroidism or an over active thyroid is present. Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland is releasing too much t4 and t3. When that happens the pituitary gland releases less TSH in effort to slow down the thyroid glands production of t4 and t3.

Thyroid Blood Test Results

Now let’s take a look at thyroid tests, thyroid test results and how they apply to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism

The TSH thyroid test normal range is 0.5 – 5.5

Total t4 thyroid test normal range is   4.5 – 12.5

Free t4 thyroid test normal range is     0.7 – 2.0

Total t3 thyroid test normal range is    80 – 220

Free t3 thyroid test normal range is     2.3 – 4.2

*The differences between total t3 and total t4 and free t3 and free t4 is that things like proteins and medications can alter total t3 and total t4 hormone levels giving them inconsistent unreliable totals while free t3 and free t4 hormone levels are not altered by these things so they give more accurate thyroid test results.

With this in mind we can now look at how these test results help your physician diagnose your thyroid disease.

If your:

Thyroid test results – Pituitary gland Issue:

Total t4 = below normal – less than 4.5 and TSH = below normal less than 0.5 – There could be an issue with your pituitary.

Thyroid test results – Hyperthyroidism Issue:

TSH = below normal less than 0.5 – You may have hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid condition

Thyroid test results – Hypothyroidism Issue:

TSH = above normal more than 5.5 – You may have hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Total t4 = below normal – less than 4.5 and TSH = above normal more than 5.5 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition.

Free t4 = below normal – less than 0.7 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Total t3 = below normal – less than 80 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Free t3 = below normal – less than 2.3 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

*A lump or swelling in the front of your neck could indicate thyroid cancer and your doctor should send you for an ultrasound of your thyroid and other thyroid cancer tests available.

Hopefully this post on thyroid test results will better help thyroid patients understand what the doctors are talking about when they discuss your thyroid test results with you from this point forward.

The Connection Between Iodine and Thyroid Hormone Production

In previous posts we talked about how goitrogens affect the iodine and thyroid hormone production in our bodies, now I’m going to talk about iodine intake, how it works with, how it affects the thyroid and whether you should be taking iodine supplements for hypothyroidism.

Iodine and Your Thyroid

You might be asking; what does iodine have to do with hypothyroidism and thyroid dysfunction? Well iodine plays a major role in the overall function of the thyroid and its production of thyroid hormone. It’s for this reason that the bodies iodine intake needs to maintain a healthy balance.

Iodine is the key component in thyroid hormone production. There are two hormones produced by the thyroid gland T3 and T4. The numbers 3 and 4 are the actual number of iodine atoms found in each thyroid hormone molecule.

Just too briefly explain the complex manner of how T3 and T4 hormones are used by our bodies I’ll try to summarize it in laymen’s terms. The cells in our bodies use T3 thyroid hormone for gene control. However the majority of thyroid hormone that the thyroid gland produces is T4. The bulk of the T3 and T4 hormones stick to proteins that are produced by the liver, the remainder of the hormones actually make it into the bodies cells where T4 is converted to T3 by the cells deiodinase enzymes and use it to control the cells genes.

Iodine and Thyroid Hormone Production – Iodine deficiency

When there isn’t enough of iodine in a person’s diet the thyroid gland can’t produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s demands. This is when goiter develops because the thyroid gland enlarges as it works harder and harder to try to meet those demands. I’ve seen instances where the recommended daily allowance of iodine intake can range anywhere from 90 on up to 290 micrograms per day depending on age and whether you are pregnant or nursing. Pregnant women require around 220 and nursing women may require around 290 micrograms of iodine per day.

Thyroid dysfunction caused by iodine deficiency in the United States is very rare because in this country our salt as well as many of the foods that we eat contain iodine. The lack of iodine is more common in countries around the world that don’t have iodized table salt or readily available sea food and kelp.

Iodine Supplements for Hypothyroidism – Iodine excess?

More common in the United States are issues where excessive iodine intake is prominent. As I stated above, in the United States there may be more than enough iodine in our daily diets to fulfill the iodine needs of our thyroids. With this being the case in the United States there may be no need for iodine supplements for hypothyroidism treatment. As a matter of fact taking iodine supplements could be detrimental to your thyroid health. If you suspect that you may be have an issue with iodine deficiency you should have blood work done to confirm it.

When there is excessive iodine intake in the human body the thyroid gland starts to overproduce thyroid hormone and when this happens the bodies autoimmune system starts to attack and shut down the thyroid gland to a point where it actually causes hypothyroidism if you have an underlying potential for hypothyroidism such as a family history of this disease. On the other side of the coin if you are pre-disposed to either Grave’s disease of nodular goiter then too much iodine can cause hyperthyroidism. A healthy thyroid gland handles excessive iodine intake by controlling how much iodine it takes in and last with Hashimoto’s too much iodine intake will cause your thyroid gland to slow down thyroid hormone production even more than it already is.

So again when you are looking to provide yourself with a healthy hypothyroidism diet much like with goitrogens and everything else that you include in your diet, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance of foods that contain iodine. Always consult your doctor to treat your thyroid disease then look into the diet and exercise program that works best for you. If a lack of iodine is discovered through proper testing then you may need an iodine supplement.

None the less, there is an important link between iodine and thyroid hormone production but this is only part of the story.

Hypothyroidism Treatment – Start at the Beginning

There are many causes for hypothyroidism. the most common cause being auto immune diseases such as hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Prior to any hypothyroidism treatment it must be determined what is causing your low thyroid condition.

I will once again start by restating the initial common symptoms and signs of an underactive thyroid.

Common symptoms of hypothyroidism:

• Fatigue which can at times causes you to be lethargic because all you want to do is sleep.
• Unexplained weight gain and difficulty losing weight
• Constipation
• Sluggishness
• Depression
• Memory loss, loss of mental cognition or difficulty concentrating (this is huge)
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Pale, dry skin
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
• Muscle weakness
• Heavier than normal menstrual periods
• Abnormal periods in general
• Brittle fingernails and hair or hair loss

The myth about hypothyroidism and weight gain:

Yes, when you have hypothyroidism you do gain weight however obesity is not one of the medical conditions caused by hypothyroidism.

On average, with proper hypothyroidism treatment, and if your hypothyroidism is brought under control and properly maintained, then you really shouldn’t gain more than 10 to 15 pounds. If you do gain more than this then you should probably re-examine your eating and exercise habits and figure out where the rest of the weight gain is coming from.

Doctors and Hypothyroidism Treatments

More than likely a primary care doctor will be the one that will initially test patients with hypothyroidism for and discover your hypothyroidism. From that point forward it’s usually the best idea to be treated by an endocrinologist because they generally specialize in treating thyroid disease and can recommend the best hypothyroidism treatment by properly measuring your hormone deficiency.

Check-ups

In order to determine what’s causing your thyroid dysfunction your endocrinologist will conduct blood tests to check your thyroid hormones and they should then conduct a physical examination as well.

During the physical examination the doctor will check the typical vitals, run through the list of symptoms with you asking if you are currently experiencing any of them and last move on to checking your fingernails, your hands and feet for possible bloating then they should feel around on the thyroid gland, with their fingers, checking for any abnormalities.

If they find any suspicious abnormalities on your thyroid gland then they should send you for an ultrasound in order to rule out the possibilities of nodules, goiter, thyroid cancer or any other thyroid disorders.

At first your check-ups should happen every 6-8 weeks until your medication is regulated and after that every 6-12 months for the rest of your life if you have permanent hypothyroidism.

Thyroid Medication

Once you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism your doctor will prescribe a hormone replacement medication. Your medication is not something to fear. If you properly take your medication, it will help you to get back to functioning normally and is the main factor in any hypothyroidism treatment. One of the more commonly prescribed medications is levothyroxine.

The thing that you have to become and remain aware of is the fact that this medicine is a thyroid hormone replacement medication. It is a synthetic hormone meant to replace what the body is lacking in normal thyroid hormone production. Simply put it’s meant for when your thyroid gland can no longer produce enough thyroid hormone to function on a normal level.

When thyroid medication is not taken as directed it is then that it can cause problems with your health. It is not a diet pill and should never be thought of or treated as if it were.

Thyroid Dysfunction: Is Not Always an Issue With the Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is not the only gland that can cause hypothyroidism, it can also be caused by issues with the pituitary gland. Again your endocrinologist would be able to figure out if this is the case and set you up with an appropriate hypothyroidism treatment.

Hypothyroidism Treatment – Treat Your Thyroid Disorder First

Before you start to consider what to do about a hypothyroidism diet there is something that you need to do or all of the diets out there just aren’t going to work. Focus on receiving some proper hypothyroidism treatment.

See your doctor, have your thyroid or tsh levels checked. If you do in fact have thyroid problems, your doctor will start you on a thyroid medication such as Synthroid which is a synthetic hormone. The next step is that the doctor should be checking your thyroid levels every four to six weeks until your body is receiving the proper amount of thyroid hormone that it needs in order for you to function properly. This is a progressive process and an extremely important process as well. Once your thyroid levels are in proper working order you should be re-checked every six to twelve months.

One of the last things that you should ever do if you believe that you are experiencing thyroid symptoms is to try to self treat your potential thyroid disease. You could cause yourself some serious health issues if you try this.

Your doctor will determine your initial need for thyroid treatment based on various potential health conditions that you may have, as well as on your age and any other medications that you may currently be on, that could adversely affect your thyroid medicine. From there he/she will increase or decrease your thyroid medication accordingly until your thyroid levels are as close to normal as they can be.

Supplements Can Be Harmful While Treating Hypothyroidism

You should also be aware that kelp supplements can actually be harmful to the thyroid if a person is susceptible to thyroid disease or thyroid disorders, such as a family history of it. The levels of iodine found in kelp supplements is quite a bit above the recommended daily allowance and if you are pre-disposed to possible thyroid disorders the excessive exposure to the iodine can actually trigger your thyroid disease. This is not good! Besides in the United States iodine is very much available and consumed in so many of our common foods. Never self medicate let your doctor provide you with a good medical hypothyroidism treatment.

Choosing a Doctor to receive Hypothyroidism Treatments

So you might be asking; just how does a person choose a doctor who can properly handle your hypothyroidism treatment. The answer is simple. You want to start with your primary care physician. They can run your initial exam where they should check the front of your neck for the possibility of an enlarged thyroid or goiter as well as conducting blood tests, testing your tsh, t4 and t3 thyroid levels.

Should the results of these tests show that you do in fact suffer from some form of thyroid disease then the next step that you want to take is to have your primary care physician recommend you to a reputable endocrinologist.

An endocrinologist specializes in the endocrine system of your body so they can provide you with a more in-depth diagnosis of your thyroid symptoms and advise you on how to properly treat different areas of your body that have been affected by your lack of metabolism and hypothyroidism.

On a personal note, I highly recommend that you do get an endocrinologist and that you not let your primary care physician talk you out of doing so, especially if you want the best possible hypothyroidism treatment that you can get. Also keep in mind that there are some endocrinologists out there that do specialize in thyroid disease and hypothyroidism treatment.