Thyroid Lab Results – HealthyWomen

Your thyroid is a gland in your neck that’s managed by the pituitary gland. It makes hormones that play a task in regulating essential features like:

• Physique temperature

• Digestion

• Coronary heart price

• Temper

To examine how your thyroid is working, your healthcare supplier (HCP) can order the next blood exams:

• TSH

• T4

• T3

• Thyroid antibodies

What’s TSH? 

TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is a hormone that:

• Is made by the pituitary gland, which is within the mind

• Tells your thyroid how a lot thyroid hormone to make

What do TSH check outcomes imply?

• Low TSH ranges happen when your thyroid is overactive

• To get the thyroid to decelerate, the pituitary gland stops making TSH

• That is known as hyperthyroidism

• Graves’ illness is the most typical reason behind hyperthyroidism

• Excessive TSH ranges happen when your thyroid is underactive

• To stimulate the thyroid to make extra T4, the pituitary gland makes additional TSH

• That is known as hypothyroidism

• Hashimoto’s disease is the most typical reason behind hypothyroidism

A TSH check can’t diagnose the underlying reason behind a thyroid downside.

What’s T4?

T4 is thyroxine, one of many important hormones produced by the thyroid.

T4 exams are often completed together with a TSH check. 

T4 is measured with:

A free T4 check

A complete T4 check, which measures free T4 and certain T4

What do T4 check outcomes imply?

Low ranges of T4 could also be an indication of:

• Hypothyroidism

• Hashimoto’s illness

• Different thyroid illnesses

Excessive ranges of T4 could also be an indication of:

What’s T3?

T3 is triiodothyronine, one of many important hormones produced by the thyroid.

T3 exams are used to:

• Diagnose hyperthyroidism when you’ve got signs 

• Diagnose issues together with your pituitary gland

• Monitor remedy for thyroid illness

This check isn’t often used to diagnose hypothyroidism.

What do T3 check outcomes imply?

What are thyroid antibodies?

• In case your TSH, T3 or T4 are irregular, a thyroid antibody check checks to see if antibodies could also be attacking your thyroid.

What do antibody thyroid check outcomes imply?

• Destructive = If no thyroid antibodies are discovered, you almost certainly would not have an autoimmune thyroid illness.

• Constructive =  You could have an autoimmune thyroid illness.

Thyroid check values

Though these ranges fluctuate by lab, typical thyroid check ranges for adults are: 

Speak to your healthcare supplier 

Collectively, these check outcomes present how properly your thyroid is working. Ask your HCP that will help you perceive what your outcomes imply. 

This academic useful resource was created with help from Immunovant, a HealthyWomen Company Advisory Council member.