I'm really hoping that there is someone on here who can help me understand my grandson's test results. He is in his late 20's and has a lifelong phobia of needles and Doctors. He has been feeling ill for some time but is now very depressed and finding it almost impossible to go to work.
I and my daughter both have underactive thyroids and some of his symptoms do point to that but because of his fear of needles we are unable to get him to a Doctor for tests.
He has done a 24hr saliva and urine test with pulse health screening and we've just had the results back with the following:-
"Please find the results of your recent Adrenal - Thyroid Profile attached.
Your salivary cortisol levels are elevated for the middle part of the day in reaction to stress, whether that be physical as in an illness, mental or emotional. When the body responds in this way, it can result in adrenal fatigue because the adrenal glands cannot sustain a stress response long-term.
The other hormone tested, DHEA, which is a precursor for many of the sex hormones, also appears to be high. Causes of this can be metabolic syndrome or hypoglycaemia which is a pre-diabetic condition but with diet and lifestyle changes, it is possible to prevent this from developing further.
As the adrenal glands are showing these signs of stress, you may find the website of a US doctor to be helpful - adrenalfatigue.org. It provides some useful advice with diet and lifestyle to support the adrenal glands. The only part I disagree with on food choices is consuming soy products as they can interfere with thyroid function, although non-GM fermented soy products are generally safe.
The other part of your test checked for Free T3 (Tri-iodorothyronine), which is the active form of thyroid hormone. Your level is above the normal range which may suggest that the receptor cells may be blocked so cannot make use of active T3."
Results Reference range
cortisol - sample 1 -5.49 (wakening) 2.68 -9.30
sample 2 - 5.08 0.75-2.93
sample 3 - 2.12 0.36-1.88
sample 4 - <0.19 (before sleep) <=0.94
DHEA : Cortisol Ratio 0.40 H 0.05-0.32
URINE T3 RESULTS
T3 - Triiodothyronine (RIA)
Analyte Result Units Normal Range
3.47 H nmol/24h
0.61-3.38
In this profile, Sample 1 (Post awakening) cortisol level is within the reference range. Because cortisol levels are
typically at their peak shortly after awakening, morning cortisol may be a good indicator of peak adrenal gland
function. Morning cortisol levels within reference range suggest a component of normal adrenal function with regard to
peak circadian activity.
Sample 2 cortisol level is above the reference range. Mid-day cortisol levels may be a good indication of adaptive
adrenal gland function since they represent the adrenal glands' response to the demands of the first few hours of the
day. High mid-day cortisol levels suggest a degree of adrenal hyperfunction with hyper-reactive adaptive response,
most commonly to stress. Other possible causes of high salivary cortisol include heavy exercise, pregnancy,
hypoglycaemia, smoking, obesity, depression, alcoholism, and if significantly elevated, adrenal hyperplasia or
Cushing's syndrome.
Sample 3 cortisol level is above the reference range. Afternoon cortisol levels may be a good indication of glycaemic
control exerted by the adrenal gland since they represent a postprandial sample. High afternoon levels suggest a
degree of adrenal hyperfunction with increased adrenal assistance in glycaemic control. Other possible causes of
high salivary cortisol include stress, heavy exercise, pregnancy, smoking, obesity, depression, alcoholism, or if
significantly elevated, adrenal hyperplasia and Cushing's syndrome.
Sample 4 cortisol level is within the reference range. Late-night cortisol levels may be a good indication of baseline
adrenal gland function since they typically represent the lowest level during the day. Normal late-night cortisol levels
suggest normal adrenal function with regard to baseline circadian activity.
DHEA is within the reference range. Proper levels contribute to the ideal metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and
fats, including efficient glycaemic control.
An increased secretion of DHEA relative to cortisol can represent a normal response to acute stress. Elevation of the
DHEA: cortisol ratio may be associated with exogenous DHEA administration, acne, panic disorders and polycystic
ovary syndrome.
Free T3 (FT3) is measured to be above the reference range. FT3 measures the biologically active fraction of total T3,
the majority of which is bound by protein carriers in the serum and is therefore inactive. T3 is 3-5 times as
physiologically active as T4, and 80% of the circulating T3 is from the peripheral conversion of T4 predominately in
the liver and kidney.
sorry about the long post, I'm really hoping that someone on here can put this into plain English for me and hopefully suggest any way of helping him get back to normal as we are all very worried for him.
I know that from my own experiences - over the years I was irrational about Dentists - flying - walking over bridges and so on. Have been much better since treatment. We are irrational when the brain cannot process information and make good decisions on the run. We all seem to suffer to a greater or lesser degree. Some people hate spiders and flies - which to me being brought up on a farm is completely irrational - but of course to others it is not !
Need help with test results
Need help with test results
TEST RESULT HELP NEEDED
Test results help needed to interpret 
Help with Coeliac test results needed
