What is the thyroid? It is a small butterfly shaped gland that sits above the Adam’s apple in the neck. This hormonal gland plays a major role in metabolism, growth and body maturation. It releases a steady stream of hormones. It controls the body’s temperature. Most organs in our body have thyroid receptors that are affected by the levels of thyroid hormones. Every cell in the body needs thyroid hormone to function properly.
So it stands to reason that when our thyroid isn’t functioning well, it affects the rest of our body in many ways. Women are 10 x more likely than men to have thyroid conditions. This is due in large part to our hormones.
When we look into thyroid testing, generally the TSH is what is tested. This stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. This is a hormone produced by our Pituitary gland, so it is not even a thyroid hormone. The role of TSH is to tell the thyroid how much hormone it needs to produce. Now this does give us some valuable information, but it is only giving us a part of the full puzzle picture. To get the full thyroid picture, we need to have our full thyroid panel tested.
This includes getting our T4 levels tested. T4 is produced by our thyroid, and is in an inactive form.
We need to also get our T3 levels tested. T3 is also produced by our thyroid, and it is in an active form. Our T4 is converted into T3 by certain processes in the body so that it can be used by the body and so that it is able to get into our cells to be utilised.
We should also get our rT3, or our reverse T3. This tells us how much active T3 is available for use.
We should get our antibodies tested, being our TG and our TPO antibodies. If these are raised, it indicates an autoimmune condition.
When we get our thyroid tested, it should always be done first thing in the morning, as a fasting blood test. This gives us a good baseline of hormone levels.
Once we have all parts of the thyroid tested, we can determine a clear picture of what is going on with the thyroid. That way we can support it properly with what it needs.
One thing we are looking for is an indication of hypothyroidism. This is where the thyroid is underachieve, and there is not enough hormone being produced. The body slows down. Symptoms of this could include
Fatigue, low energy
Unexplained weight gain, unable to lose weight
Cold Intolerance
Sore muscles
Constipation
Pain, swelling in joints
Tingling sensations, cramps
Depression
Poor concentration, poor memory, brain fog
Irritability
Low libido
Infertility, period irregularity, heavy and painful periods
Brittle hair and nails
Dry, coarse skin
Basically, where everything slows down.
Or, the test could indicate hyperthyroidism. This is the opposite, where the thyroid is overactive, producing too much hormone, causing the body to speed up. Symptoms of this might include
Fast heart rate, palpitations, abnormal heart rhythms (please ensure you get your heart checked if you notice this)
Shortness of breath
Increased sensitivity to heat, sweating more
More frequent bowel movements, diarrhea
Fatigue
Trembling, shakiness
Itchy skin
Anxiety
Irritability
Insomnia
Increased menstrual cycle length
Infertility
Notice that some symptoms are the same for both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid. This is another reason why it is so important to get the full thyroid panel tested so we can get the full hormone picture of what is going on.
When we just get our TSH checked, it only tells us a small snippet of what is going on. Our TSH is the last thyroid marker that is affected when our thyroid is out of balance.
So many clients experience this. They are told that their thyroid is fine, but yet they are having so many symptoms indicating that it might actually not be. Further testing can either confirm or rule it out.
Last year, I signed up for a Practitioner thyroid training, that was a comprehensive training on all things thyroid. As a part of that, we were told that it would be a good idea to get our thyroid tested so that we could then go over our own results. So, I had my full thyroid panel done. When I got my results back, my TSH level was within normal range, but my some of my antibodies were raised indicating that I have Hashimoto’s, or autoimmune hypothyroidism. Armed with that knowledge, I could then go about supporting and nourishing my thyroid to prevent any damage occurring.
When we know how your thyroid is functioning, there is a lot we can do to support it. The essential nutrients that the thyroid needs to function well include selenium, iodine, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, inositol, tyrosine and iron. We would look at these, as well as addressing any issues with stress, toxicity, sleep, diet, lifestyle, movement and gut health.
If you feel that your thyroid is out of balance, please reach out. I would love to support you towards better thyroid function. You can click on this link to book a consultation http://kirstenfriddnaturopath.com.au/booking-page/ or send me a message.