High TSH Levels
A TSH reading above 4.0 mIU/L is considered high (elevated).High TSH levels typically indicates an underactive thyroid gland, which produces too little thyroid hormone. This is known medically as hypothyroidism.
Common causes of hypothyroidism include an autoimmune disease (known as Hashimoto’s disease), radiation treatment, or surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
Replacing thyroid hormone and altering your diet are crucial for the safe and effective treatment of an underactive thyroid.
Summary: High TSH levels for the average adult are 4.2 mIU/L and over. This reading typically indicates an underactive thyroid.
Low TSH levels
A TSH reading below 0.4 mIU/L is considered low.Low TSH levels typically indicates an overractive thyroid gland, which produces too much thyroid hormone. This is known medically as hyperthyroidism.
It can be caused by an autoimmune disease (known as Graves’ disease), goiter, excessive iodine in the body, or an overdose of synthetic thyroid hormone.
Initial hyperthyroidism treatment can involve anti‑thyroid medications and radioactive iodine to slow down thyroid hormone production. Most respond well to hyperthyroidism medications and are treated successfully.
Summary: Low TSH levels for the average adult are less than 0.2 mIU/L. This reading typically indicates an overractive thyroid.
The Problem With Relying on TSH
TSH is the most well-studied marker for judging thyroid health and function.It has been the gold standard test for decades, and is considered the most sensitive and accurate indicator by most endocrinologists and other doctors.
However, more recent research indicates our systematic reliance on TSH is missing the mark. This leaves a lot of hypothyroid cases either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.
Some clinical studies have found that both T3 and TSH levels can decline at the same time, particularly in obese individuals that lose weight (4, 5).
That means T3 levels can be low, yet TSH will remain in the normal range.
Certain medications, such as metformin, are also known to independently lower TSH levels in diabetics and PCOS patients with thyroid issues (6).
These variables are just the tip of the iceberg, but highlight why TSH is not completely reliable on its own. Considering the pituitary gland (which produces TSH) is unique in its function, it makes sense that some metabolic processes and outside stressors can influence TSH activity.
This is something to discuss with your doctor if your TSH readings are high-normal, yet you still feel seriously unwell.
Summary: Several external stressors are known to influence TSH levels, independently of thyroid hormone levels. This means TSH on it’s own is not always a reliable indicator of thyroid health.
TSH Tests at Home
It’s not uncommon for doctors to skip over TSH testing if they do not believe there is a thyroid issue.Fortunately, there is reliable way to measure TSH yourself with a home-testing kit. It’s FDA approved to be as accurate as a blood draw test, and results are sent direct to you by email or phone call.
Click here to take a look on Amazon (aff link).
Have a read of the interesting reviews, as there’s the occasional comment that results are slow to get back.
Additional Tests For Thyroid Health
Given the potential inaccuracies with TSH on its own, comprehensive screening of thyroid health should ideally include these 6 tests:- TSH
- Free T3
- Free T4
- Reverse T3
- Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies
- Thyroglobulin Antibodies
No comments:
Post a Comment