Have You Ever Had Your Thyroid Looked At?
The truth is, the current way the thyroid is being conventionally tested in Canada isn’t ideal. It misses a lot of thyroid conditions and can lead people down a confusing path. Also, thyroid conditions can show up in a wide variety of ways. This can make catching it challenging, especially earlier on.
For example, the symptoms of low thyroid can include depression or low mood. Often, a thyroid issue gets treated as if it’s depression and to an extent, it might help. But, if the root cause of the concerns isn’t addressed you will be fighting an uphill battle.
This is where more thorough labs investigations come in. Often, I run additional bloodwork with people to assess their thyroid better and rule out other causes.
If you suspect your thyroid might be causing your symptoms, you will want the following questions answered.
- Are they running more labs than just TSH?
TSH is the test that most people get for their thyroid. When it’s too or high or low it’s used to diagnose hyper or hypothyroidism. The issue is, some people can have a normal TSH and still have a thyroid issue. So, if the only thing tested is TSH, you’re going to miss a lot of people with thyroid issues.
In fact, scientists found that ONLY 24% of low thyroid patients actually had raised TSH levels.
One reason for this is that TSH responds to our environment and can fluctuate throughout the day. Also, certain thyroid conditions, like Hashimoto’s, can cause TSH swings. So, without more information, a snapshot of TSH isn’t always going to cut it.
A thyroid workup should at least include the thyroid antibodies and the free T3 and T4 hormones.
2. Are the contributing factors being considered?
Your thyroid is important for the function of your entire body. It’s also influenced by a lot of things, including:
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- Your adrenal health (the organ responsible for our stress response). The higher your stress, the worse your thyroid health. In some cases, stress is the real root cause of your thyroid issues.
- Your brain health. Your thyroid needs cues from the brain to do anything. Therefore, conditions that affect the brain (ie concussion) can then affect the thyroid.
- Your sex hormones. Hormones like estrogen and testosterone influence your thyroid. Imbalances in one can lead to imbalances in another.
- Your nutrition status. How much we eat and the type of foods we eat definitely influence our thyroid. Furthermore, nutritional deficiencies, such as selenium or zinc, can affect the thyroid’s function.
- Your medications. There are many common drugs that can suppress your thyroid or stimulate it.
- Your blood sugars. Your insulin and glucose levels affect your thyroid. This is a very important and overlooked cause of low thyroid function.
What Can You Do About It?
Well, the first step is to be in charge and make sure you know how your doctor is looking into your health. In the case of suspected thyroid concerns, I would aim to have both of the questions above answered.
If you feel your concerns aren’t being met, your might need to seek out another opinion. When it comes to your health, you want to be sure your care is thorough and sometimes you need to push for that.
Disclaimer
Information can be empowering, but we all have unique health profiles and needs. The health-related information contained in this article is general in nature. It should not be used as a substitute for a visit with a licensed naturopathic doctor. The advice in this article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
References
- Kharrazian, D. (2010). Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?: When My Lab Tests are
Normal. Morgan James Pub.. - Dayan, C. M. (2001). Interpretation of thyroid function tests. The Lancet, 357(9256),
619-624. - Tuzcu, A., BAHCECI, M., GOKALP, D., TUZUN, Y., & GUNES, K. (2005). Subclinical hypothyroidism may be associated with elevated high-sensitive c-reactive protein (low grade inflammation) and fasting hyperinsulinemia. Endocrine journal, 52(1), 89-94.