The thyroid gland is a small piece of tissue near the front of the neck, which secretes various hormones. The thyroid hormones govern metabolism, or the body’s energy production. Poor thyroid function be caused by and can contribute to stress. Stress inhibits thyroid hormone production and utilization, and the stress systems tend to take over to compensate for low thyroid function. Thyroid function is vital for maintaining gut health, too. Thyroid hormones govern the growth and proliferation of the cells in the gut, and promote gut motility, support the immune system, and enhance digestive enzyme and stomach acid secretion. Low thyroid function is common in aging and several chronic and age related diseases, as energy metabolism is what fundamentally maintains the structure and function of every cell, tissue and organ system in the body.
Typically, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is measured and a diagnosis of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism is made from there. However, thyroid hormone production, transport, and utilization is difficult to capture with TSH alone. This panel provides a more comprehensive screening for thyroid health, gleaning more information on the specifics of whole body thyroid hormone status, which can help better guide a plan of action.
Includes the following biomarkers:
- T3 Reverse (RT3), LC/MS/MS
- T3 Total
- T3 Uptake
- T3, Free
- T4 (Thyroxine), Total
- T4, Free
- Thyroid Peroxidase
- Thyroglobulin Antibodies
- TSH
