Let’s start with a quick anatomy review. Your thyroid is a tiny butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your throat (1). Your thyroid gland is an endocrine gland that produces and releases hormones.
The thyroid hormones produced by your thyroid gland (thyroxine and triiodothyronine) exert an effect on all of your cells (2). As fewer levels of this hormone get made, your cellular processes and functions begin to slow down. Some of the tasks that your thyroid gland controls include but are not limited to:
- Heart rate
- Body weight
- Digestion
- Cholesterol levels
- Menstrual cycles
- Fertility
- …and so much more!
With all that your thyroid does, it is not difficult to see why you can experience a wide array of symptoms ranging from constipation to anxiety to weight gain and even insomnia when your levels begin to fluctuate.
Your thyroid gland does a lot and here are 5 more things to know about YOUR thyroid gland:
- Oral Contraceptives can reduce the efficacy of thyroid medication.
- You need a healthy liver for optimal thyroid conversion.
- Stress suppresses thyroid function and reduces the conversion of T4 to T3,
- T3 is about 5x stronger than T4.
- TSH is not the only way to assess thyroid health. You can have perfectly normal TSH levels but, sub-par conversion of T4 to T3. Other key thyroid markers include Reverse T3, thyroid antibodies, Free T4, and Free T3.
At our wellness center, a complete thyroid evaluation consists of the following lab markers:
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
- Free T4
- Free T3
- Reverse T3
- Thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin)
- Thyroxine Binding Globulin
- Cortisol
This comprehensive thyroid panel allows us to determine how hard your thyroid works, what your thyroid type is, and if your sluggish thyroid is due to Hashimoto’s.
If you have already done in-depth thyroid testing with a functional medicine practitioner, I suggest Organic Acid Testing. Organic Acid (OAT) Testing can assess your cellular health by looking at nutrient levels, toxin exposures, and digestive health, which are all related to the health of your thyroid.
Want to learn more about how we support patients with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s? Schedule your complimentary consultation to speak with one of our healthcare providers.
References:
- Thyroid gland: Overview – endocrine web. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid-nodules/thyroid-gland-controls-bodys-metabolism-how-it-works-symptoms-hyperthyroi
- U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Thyroid problems | hypothyroidism | hyperthyroidism. MedlinePlus. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/thyroiddiseases.html#:~:text=Your%20thyroid%20is%20a%20butterfly,how%20fast%20your%20heart%20beats.