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Posts tagged ‘free T3’

Tricky Thyroid Tests: Is there something wrong with my thyroid in spite of “normal” tests?

Overview of the thyroid system (See Wikipedia:...

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Suffering from fatigue, constipation, weight gain, depression, brain fog, cold intolerance, hair loss, irregular menstrual periods, low libido and perhaps a host of other unexplained symptoms? Had tests for thyroid and results come back normal? Could it be that the “thyroid tests” only consisted of TSH (a pituitary hormone) and T4? Let’s say that “all” the thyroid tests were done and everything came back “normal”, is it still possible to have some underlying thyroid issues? Have you been tested for free T3, thyroid antibodies or reverse T3? Is there a family history of thyroid problems? Any history of sub-normal body temperatures (average body temperature less than 98.6)? Are you “freezing” all the time? Do you ever get a fever when you’re fighting off an infection? If any of the above questions got you thinking “could I possibly have thyroid issues?”, then you may be right. It’s always helpful to listen to your body (or intuition) coz in this society, we are brainwashed to think that medical authorities know our body more than we know it ourselves (although in certain instances, we need “expert’s”  opinions).

Back to making a diagnosis of thyroid issues. Free T3 is the metabolically active form of thyroid hormone. If it’s “low normal” and if a person has concomitant low thyroid symptoms, then it will be helpful to support the thyroid. In a holistic practice, one may start with nutritional support of the thyroid and if that doesn’t work, a trial of actual thyroid hormone could be used. The use of animal glandulars with both T3 and T4 such as Armour thyroid is preferable since some people who use synthetic T4 alone may not be able to convert it to T3 due to nutritional deficiencies including that of the mineral selenium. By the way, it’s also important to address adrenal dysfunction if a person has thyroid issues in the first place. In Chinese medicine, these are considered yin yang organs and are supposed to support each other. Substances that help the adrenals are called adaptogens and include rhodiola, ashwaghanda, ginseng, cordyceps and holy basil. Nutrients such as vitamin C and pantothenic acid also support adrenal function.

Anyway, for those with auto-immune type of thyroid conditions, it would be helpful to test for food sensitivity as well. Sometimes, getting off offending foods could resolve the thyroid issue. Interesting, huh?

Why is it that we’re seeing a lot of thyroid problems nowadays? The thyroid is one of the most vascular organs in the body. Toxins that we’re exposed to on a daily basis usually affect our thyroid. Some of these toxins are so ubiquitous in the environment that it’s sometimes difficult to avoid them. Some could be avoided entirely though (such as water that’s been purified with halides such as chlorine, bromine or fluoride). They all compete with iodine in the formation of thyroid hormone. Stress also affects thyroid function (elevated cortisol preventing the conversion of T4 to T3). Nutritional deficiencies also plays a major factor in the prevalence of thyroid disorders nowadays.

 

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New Year’s Resolutions

Here we go again making new year’s resolutions. Among the
most common resolutions include losing weight, stopping unhealthy
habits such as smoking or drinking, and starting an exercise
program. Whatever a person’s new year’s resolution is, it is
important to be patient and give ourselves a break when things
don’t go as planned. Anyway, I’d like to discuss the issue of
addictions, whether it’s smoking, drinking, gambling, you name it.
Oftentimes, these addictions are brought about by nutritional
imbalances. To put it simply, people oftentimes crave certain
things because they lack nutrients such as vitamins, minerals,
amino acids, essential fatty acids, and trace elements.
Fortunately, there are tests available that could tell us exactly
what we’re lacking. These tests could be done through the blood,
hair, and the urine. Of course, these tests are not mainstream yet,
so your conventionally-trained doctor may not be aware of these
tests. However, a simple CBC and serum chemistry can tell us what’s
going on with a person nutritionally, although indirectly. A CBC
for instance, can tell if there’s iron, B12 or folic acid
deficiency. High blood sugar could be due to lack of vitamin B1 or
thiamine. Low creatinine could be due to protein insufficiency or
impaired digestion. Low uric acid could be due to copper or
molybdenum deficiencies. Low CO2 can also be due to a lack of
vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency. Low albumin could be due to a
need for more vitamin C. Low AST/SGOT and low ALT/SGPT could be due
to vitamin B6 deficiency. Low GGTP could be due to B6 or Magnesium
deficiency. High total/free T-3 could be due to iodine deficiency
while low total /free T-3 could be due to selenium deficiency. Low
total/free T-4 could be due to iodine deficiency. In summary,
“normal” tests don’t really mean anything because it’s mostly based
on statistics. Low normal or high normal mean something, especially
if a person is symptomatic. It goes back to individualizing
treatment or a more personalized medicine.

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