Have you been told that your thyroid levels are “normal,” but you are experiencing symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, or cold intolerance? Maybe you are experiencing more than one of these symptoms, or maybe you are just feeling off. During our onboarding experience with our patients at Infinite Wellness, many express their frustrations with their symptoms, and no one explained why they were feeling so poor. One of the most common tests to evaluate thyroid function is TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone. However, relying solely on TSH often leaves patients without a clear understanding of what is happening with their thyroid health. While TSH is an important biomarker to understand, there is often much more to learn regarding a patient’s thyroid history, making this biomarker only one piece of the puzzle. This blog will help you understand why knowing your TSH number is insufficient to understand optimal health and well-being.
Why TSH Isn’t Enough
This is why Infinite Wellness goes beyond just measuring TSH levels:
- TSH Doesn’t Measure Thyroid Hormone Levels Directly
TSH isn’t a direct measure. It tells us what the pituitary gland is doing in response to thyroid hormone levels, but it doesn’t provide the actual data on the levels of T4 or T3 in the body. TSH levels are produced in the anterior pituitary gland. The hypothalamus (a structure in our brain) releases thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), which stimulates thyrotrophs to release TSH into the bloodstream. TSH then travels to the thyroid gland, where it binds to thyroid follicular cells to initiate the production and secretion of thyroid hormone. Some patients find that they have a TSH within normal ranges, but their T4 or T3 could be suboptimal.
- It Ignores the T4 to T3 Conversion
The conversion of T4, thyroxine—the inactive form of thyroid—to T3, triiodothyronine—the active form of thyroid—helps to ensure that we are making optimal thyroid hormone that our bodies can use daily. Some people have difficulty converting T4 to T3 due to stress, inflammation, or nutrient deficiencies, such as selenium or zinc. Running a TSH test alone doesn’t capture this important aspect of thyroid function, and while someone could have “normal” TSH, they could have suboptimal T3. We recommend running your Free T3 and Free T4 levels to understand the entire picture.
- Thyroid Antibodies and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
A common cause of thyroid dysfunction is autoimmune conditions, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves Disease. Even when TSH levels are within lab range, elevated thyroid antibodies (like thyroid peroxidase antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies) can signal that the immune system is attacking your thyroid. Without testing for antibodies, patients with autoimmune thyroid disease can be misdiagnosed or go untreated.
BONUS: Bioindividuality and Functional Ranges
As functional medicine practitioners at Infinite Wellness, we recognize that the lab “normal” ranges are often based on population averages rather than optimal health. A person may have TSH levels in the “normal” range but still feel far from their best.
When we work through bloodwork from our clients, we assess biomarkers using narrower and optimal ranges to assess thyroid function, paying close attention to how a patient feels, not just what the numbers say. This encourages the humility of health and wellness instead of molding you into a collection of individuals who are in an unwell state.
During our therapeutic assessment, we have the opportunity to ask the patient how the implementation of their care plan has been going. We are mindful of the previous symptoms that we have noted and look to see if there has been improvement through the lifestyle, dietary/nutrition, and supplement recommendations that they were guided by through their individualized care plan. Within about 8 weeks, you can retest your thyroid function to see how things are going and continue to make appropriate changes!
A Comprehensive Approach to Thyroid Testing
To get a full picture of thyroid health, at Infinite Wellness, we recommend a more comprehensive thyroid panel that includes:
- TSH
- Free T4
- Free T3
- Thyroid Antibodies (Thyroglobulin Antibodies, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies)
As we mentioned in our bonus tip, this approach allows us to uncover hidden imbalances that a TSH test alone might not show.
By identifying the root causes of thyroid dysfunction—whether autoimmune, poor T4 to T3 conversion, or other underlying issues—we help you create personalized treatment plans to address your unique needs.
Putting It All Together
Understanding the limitations of conventional thyroid testing and identifying more in-depth analyses can help you finally get the answers you have been looking for after months or even years of struggling with symptoms. At Infinite Wellness, we focus on providing patient-centered care that fosters optimal health and well-being for many years. With comprehensive labwork, we help patients understand the root cause of their thyroid-related concerns. The most unique part about each patient we work with is that each individual requires a bio-individualized approach to care that is unique from others.
As we hope you have seen, thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH, is just one component of thyroid health. If we focus on this biomarker alone, we could miss other crucial underlying imbalances or deficiencies contributing to an individual’s thyroid symptoms. By offering comprehensive testing and addressing root causes, we can help you achieve optimal thyroid function and feel your best. If you are ready to change your thyroid health, please schedule a free call with one of our providers!
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