The LifePrint blog
Thyroid panel
TSH on its own can miss early problems. This panel adds the active hormones and the antibody most often behind an underactive thyroid.
TSH explained: why it goes up when the thyroid slows down
TSH is the brain's signal to the thyroid, so it moves in the opposite direction to thyroid activity. Once you understand that feedback loop, most thyroid results start to make sense.
Read article →Free T4 and free T3: reading the active thyroid hormones
TSH tells you what the brain is asking for. Free T4 and free T3 tell you what the thyroid is actually delivering. Reading them together shows where a thyroid problem sits.
Read article →TPO antibodies and Hashimoto's thyroiditis
TPO antibodies are the marker of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. A positive result is common and does not always mean disease, but it does change what to watch for.
Read article →Subclinical hypothyroidism: the TSH grey zone and when it matters
A TSH between 4 and 10 mIU/L with a normal free T4 is common and often settles on its own. Whether it matters depends on repeat results, antibodies, age, symptoms and pregnancy plans.
Read article →An overactive thyroid: the signs and the blood results behind them
An overactive thyroid speeds everything up, from your heart to your metabolism. A low TSH is usually the first clue, and free T4 and free T3 show how significant it is.
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