Medichecks results - early signs of hypothyroidism?

[kefirdrinker98]

Hi everyone,

I've just received my advanced well woman blood results from medichecks and everything was fine apart from elevated TSH.

TSH - 4.78

Free T3 - 5.08

Free Thyroxine (T4) - 15.4

The doctor's notes suggested that this can be an early sign that I am developing an underactive thyroid, or already have subclinical hypothyroidism if I have symptoms. I've had problematic skin since puberty and generally consider myself to have lower energy than the average person but thankfully my weight, mood and hair are all fine. He suggested that I check my thyroid antibodies but I can't afford that just now - it's something I'll aim to do in a couple of months. I guess my question is, in the meantime, is there any kind of supplement or regimen that you would recommend to lower my TSH?

Thank you!

Edit: For the bigger picture, Vitamin D is 78.5 nmol/L

B12 is 83.2 pmol/L

Folate is 14.5 nmol/L

Ferritin - 41.2 ug/L

[Hidden]

Can you include ranges kefir pls?

[greygoose]

Lowering your TSH is not the problem or the aim. The TSH is not causing any symptoms, it's just a chemical messenger from the pituitary to the thyroid to tell it to make more or less hormone. The problem is when the thyroid cannot respond accordingly. And, it looks like yours can't, and there's not much you can do about that.

TSH is just an indicator that there is a problem. If there were no problem, it would be around 1. A TSH over 2 indicates that your thyroid is struggling. And when it reaches 3, you are technically hypo.

That said, you cannot base a diagnosis on one test. There are so many external factors that affect the TSH that it's not 100% reliable. If, for example, at the time of the blood draw, you had some sort of infection, that could raise the TSH. So, a second test is needed, about three months later, to check if it is still raised, or if it has gone back to 'normal'. So, you don't just need to check your antibodies - although you do need to - but repeat the whole thing.

Your ferritin looks very low. Are you vegetarian or vegan?

[userotc]

Re: is there any kind of supplement or regimen that you would recommend to lower my TSH?, please see the link below including natural remedies. Whilst (as indicated in the link), there is much debate on the classification of sub-clinical hypothyroidism, you may indeed be.

draxe.com/health/subclinica...