Got a few questions 1) TSH/ Osteoporosis 2) doe... - Thyroid UK

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Got a few questions 1) TSH/ Osteoporosis 2) does long-term T4 treatment affect your liver 3) are you unable to absorb B12 if thyroidless

Tina_i_am profile image
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1) Has anyone got links, to research articles, about the long-term impact of having a low TSH? My GP is always saying my TSH is too low, its kept this way by a hospital specialist, and then mutters about osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation and even death. But I'm sure some of these outcomes have been called into question with new research.

2) I read a brief statement that lifelong treatment of T4 can lead to liver problems? Anyone else read or understood this?

3) Another brief statement I read was that if you don't have a thyroid, I've had a thyroidectomy, then you can't absorb vitamin B12. Anyone else read or understood this?

Hope this was okay to ask three questions in one post. I didn't want to bombard the group with multiple questions from me. Many thanks for any information that you may have.

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Tina_i_am
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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Tina

1) I am in the process of trying to collect some articles about this. Haven't got very far yet but I have this one saved, not digested it yet so you'll have to read and see what it says

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

2) I read a brief statement that lifelong treatment of T4 can lead to liver problems? Anyone else read or understood this?

I have been taking Levo for 43+ years. For the last 2-3 years I've been having regular quarterly liver function tests because of another medication I take for something else, and this medication has a possible side effect of affecting the liver. All my tests have come back normal, they have barely changed and are very similar now to a liver function test I had back in 2002 for whatever reason at that time. So long term Levo hasn't affected my liver at all, but of course we are all different.

3) Sorry, can't answer this.

Don't worry about asking questions, that's the only way we learn :)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You need to test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin regularly

Many people need to supplement some or all these most of the time in order for levels to remain optimal

Post your results and ranges if you have them

Many patients after thyroidectomy benefit from small dose of T3 if FT3 remains low

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many otherwise we need high FT4 and suppressed TSH in order to have high enough FT3. Note especially his comments on current inadequate treatment following thyroidectomy

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

Just dosing according to TSH is completely inadequate

Most important tests are FT4 and FT3

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

trelemorele profile image
trelemorele

I've read about levothyroxine causing liver problems and I personally believe it's has a lot of truth to.it especially as levothyroxine is metabolized and suppose to convert into t3 in the liver.

I've have alp raised a lot over the range since on levothyroxine, I dropped quite a lot also since moving onto t3 only.

holyshedballs profile image
holyshedballs

Try ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... for no additional risk of AF

Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62

attempt number two to respond re B12

There are a number of ways that having an underactive thyroid could lead to problems absorbing vitamins and minerals. Research doesn't seem to have got to the point where all the relevant factors have been identified and how they might relate to specific individuals (eg genetic and environmental/life-style factors).

Generally the first mineral/vitamin to show up as deficient is iron.

There are some quite strong links between hashimotos and autoimmune gastritis.

This does not mean that you can say that all individuals will be affected just that there is a higher likelihood of an inidividual with thyroid problems going on to develop gastric issues.

Some relevant articles

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

functionalps.com/blog/2010/...

humanbean profile image
humanbean

Regarding atrial fibrillation :

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

The results section has this to say :

Higher FT4 levels were associated with higher risks of AF (HR 1.63, 95% confidence interval, 1.19–2.22), when comparing those in the highest quartile to those in lowest quartile. Absolute 10-year risks increased with higher FT4 in participants ≤65 y from 1–9% and from 6–12% in subjects ≥ 65 y. Discrimination of the prediction model improved when adding FT4 to the simple model (c-statistic, 0.722 vs 0.729; P = .039). TSH levels were not associated with AF.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

Regarding osteoporosis :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

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