Thyroid Blood Work Flashcards
What is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)
TSH regulates the thyroid gland, influencing the production of
thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) that play a crucial role in metabolism, energy balance, and overall well-being. Functional medicine uses TSH to assess thyroid function, typically using
other markers to make a comprehensive assessment
What is low value TSH
Low TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels may indicate hypothyroidism or an overactive thyroid, where the thyroid gland produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormones, potentially causing symptoms like weight loss, rapid heart rate, anxiety, and heat intolerance. Low TSH and low T4 can indicate hypothyroid function caused by pituitary stress
What is high value TSH
High TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels typically indicate an underactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), where the pituitary gland produces more TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland to release more thyroid hormones due to their insufficient levels in the blood
What is Free T3 (Triiodothyronine)
Free T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone, crucial for
metabolism, energy production, and overall cellular function
What is low value Free T3
Low triiodothyronine (T3) levels may indicate hypothyroidism or decreased thyroid function, where the thyroid gland does not produce enough T3 hormone, leading to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, depression, and cold intolerance
What is high value Free T3
High triiodothyronine (T3) levels may indicate hyperthyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland is overactive and produces excess thyroid
hormones, leading to symptoms like rapid heart rate, weight loss, anxiety, and increased metabolism
What is Free T4 (Thyroxine)
Free T4 is the circulating levels of unbound thyroxine, an essential thyroid hormone involved in metabolism, growth, and energy regulation
What is low value Free T4
Low thyroxine (T4) levels suggest hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, weight
gain, cold intolerance, and slowed metabolism, and it may be due to autoimmune conditions, iodine deficiency, or certain medications
What is high value Free T4
High thyroxine (T4) levels may indicate hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid function, which can result from conditions such as Graves’ disease, thyroiditis, or
excessive thyroid hormone replacement, leading to symptoms like weight loss, increased heart rate, anxiety, and heat intolerance
What is Thyroxine (T4) Total
T4 is a thyroid hormone produced by the thyroid gland and plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism, growth, and energy expenditure. It serves as
a precursor to the active thyroid hormone T3. Totally, T4 helps regulate TSH production.
In functional medicine, assessing T4 levels provides valuable insights into thyroid health
and metabolic balance. Levels outside the functional ranges may suggest thyroid dysfunction
What is low value total thyroxine (T4)
Low total thyroxine (T4) levels suggest hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland is underactive, potentially due to conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, iodine
deficiency, or pituitary dysfunction, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance
What is high value total thyroxine (T4)
High total thyroxine (T4) levels may indicate hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid gland produces excessive thyroid hormones, potentially leading to symptoms like rapid heartbeat, weight loss, nervousness, and increased metabolism, or it could
result from thyroid hormone replacement therapy or certain medications
What is Reverse T3 (rT3)
Reverse T3 can indicate thyroid dysfunction or stress
response, as elevated levels may interfere with T3 activity and metabolism. Reverse T3 is a metabolite of T4 that is produced then T4 is converted to its inactive form. High levels of rT3 can decrease the effectiveness of Free T3 by competing with it for binding sites on thyroid hormone receptors
What is low value Reverse T3 (rT3)
Not typically clinically relevant
What is high value Reverse T3 (rT3)
High levels may indicate thyroid dysfunction of a stress response
What is T3 Uptake
T3 uptake is a measure of the unbound binding sites on
thyroid-binding proteins in the blood. While it doesn’t directly measure T3 levels, it provides insights into thyroid hormone binding capacity and may indirectly reflect thyroid hormone availability
What is low value T3 Uptake
Low T3 uptake indicates reduced binding of triiodothyronine (T3) to thyroid-binding proteins, which can suggest conditions such as hypothyroidism,
protein malnutrition, liver disease, or the presence of certain medications that affect thyroid hormone binding and transport in the blood
What is high value T3 Uptake
High T3 uptake levels may indicate hyperthyroidism or reduced levels of thyroid-binding proteins, suggesting that more thyroid hormone is unbound and
available in the bloodstream, which can lead to symptoms like increased metabolism, weight loss, and anxiety
What is Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb)
TPOAb is a marker of autoimmune thyroid conditions,
particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. In functional medicine, testing for TPO antibodies helps
assess autoimmune thyroid conditions, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease
What is low value TPOAb
Low levels of Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb) typically suggest a lower likelihood of autoimmune thyroid disorders, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or
Graves’ disease, indicating that the immune system is not actively attacking the thyroid gland
What is high value TPOAb
High levels of Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb) indicate an autoimmune response against the thyroid gland, often associated with conditions like
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease, suggesting thyroid inflammation and potential dysfunction
What is Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb)
TgAb measures the presence of antibodies against
thyroglobulin, a protein, produced by the thyroid gland and involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones. It is another marker of autoimmune thyroid disorders, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease
What is low value TgAb
Low thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) levels generally indicate an absence of autoimmune activity against the thyroid, suggesting that autoimmune
thyroid diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease are unlikely
What is high value TgAb
High levels of Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb) suggest an
autoimmune response against the thyroid gland, commonly associated with conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease, indicating potential thyroid inflammation and dysfunction
