Help - high - Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibody - Thyroid UK

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Help - high - Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibody

SteveT3 profile image
11 Replies

Hi

I had a private general health blood test as a checkup. My thyroid results are ok but I have a very high level of - Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibody. Its supposed yo be below 115 but my score is

237.

I do have mild symptoms of underactive thyroid, ie freezing cold hands, low heart rate - typically 46 (but I run a lot), and my typical oral temperature is 35c and in cold weather 34c. I have high cholesterol also, despite eating well.

I have no other symptoms. My tsh, t4, t3 are in range but t3 at low end. Any ideas thankyou.

Updates of other tests: (6 hrs fasting, taken 1130am)

- Tsh 4.16 (0.5 - 5.5)

- T4 15.6 (11.9 - 21.6)

- T3 3.88 (3.1 - 6.8)

- Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody 18.5 (below 115)

- Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) 12 (below 34)

- folate 10.2 (3.8 - 26.8)

- vit D 124 (25-375)

- B12 512 (197 - 771)

-Ferritin 59.19 (20- 300)

-Iron 21.8 (5.8 -34.5)

(Note I have been supplementing 10,000iu 4-5 times a week for the last year, and if I don't my vitamin D drops)

So typically it would be low otherwise.

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SteveT3
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11 Replies
Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator

Welcome to the forum SteveT3 (as I think it’s your first post!)

So we can offer better advice, can you share blood test results (with ranges in brackets) for:

TSH

FT3

FT4

When medics say ‘normal’ or ‘within range’ this may not be optimal.

Have you any results for key vitamins (ferritin, folate, vitamins D and B12)? Having these optimal will support your thyroid health.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Please add actual results

Plus any vitamin results you already have

Majority of Hashimoto’s patients will have high TPO and TG antibodies or just high TPO antibodies. But significant minority only have high TG antibodies

NHS currently doesn’t recognise only high TG antibodies as causing of a problem

However research suggests that high TG antibodies can cause “symptom burden”

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/303....

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

See detailed reply by SeasideSusie

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

SteveT3 profile image
SteveT3 in reply toSlowDragon

That's incredibly insightful. I've updated my test results. I'll chase my doctor anyway, but any tips are helpful.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toSteveT3

FT4: 15.6 pmol/l (Range 11.9 - 21.6)

Ft4 only 38.14% through range

FT3: 3.88 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Ft3 only 21.08% through range

So your thyroid is struggling

ferritin on low side and likely dropping

Look at increasing iron rich foods in your diet

B12 and folate

Look at taking a daily vitamin B complex

Low folate

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)

Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay

Other options

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

Igennus B complex popular option too. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg)

Vitamin D

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Request GP arrange ultrasound scan of thyroid

Or get one privately

SteveT3 profile image
SteveT3 in reply toSlowDragon

Thankyou so much for your advice.

Only problem with folate, whenever I take it, as methyl folate Or b6 I get brain zap and cannot sleep. Even at a small dose of 25mcg. I can take it once a week but more than that i cannotsleep. It keeps waking me up. Like a spark plug of a car engine. It took me a while to figure it out. Its consistent. I am not even taking it as folic acid. Note: also taking individually or as a b complex has the same effect. Interestingly b2 gives me headaches. All the other b vitamins are fine.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toSteveT3

Did you always take early morning, immediately after breakfast with food

Perhaps try cutting Igennus tablet and start with just 1/4 tablet

That “wired” feeling should subside after week or so

SteveT3 profile image
SteveT3 in reply toSlowDragon

It doesn't matter when I take it, morning or night. I think its cumulative and my body is struggling to process it. Its not a case of being 'wired', but not being able to sleep and then my day is non functional.

Pastelart profile image
Pastelart

I believe that nutritional yeast is a good source of folate

SteveT3 profile image
SteveT3

gives me ibs sadly

SteveT3 profile image
SteveT3

Ok an update. I shared my results with then nhs doctor and they did some blood tests. My tsh has balanced out from 4 to 2.31 (0.34 - 5.6) mui/L

but it shows

TPO ANTIBODY

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODY 11.0 iu/mL [0.0 - 9.0]; Above high reference limit

SteveT3 profile image
SteveT3

This is an update on my post.

This morning my temperature was 36.08c.

That's an impressive improvement from my typical 34 - 35c. I have been eating more regularly the last few weeks. Every 3hrs roughly and eating more porridge, magnesium oxide for improved transit. See my other post on this exacerbating muscle cramps.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In anycase my hemorroids have improved too.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I am considering that my 'undiagnosed hypothyroidism' maybe true but that its barely subclinical and made worse by gaving gilberts syndrome. Where I have impaired glucuronidation thus making my t3 conversion worse.

I was reading this today:

blog.cytoplan.co.uk/improvi....

"T4 is converted into the more active T3 by the deiodinase system (D1, D2, D3) mainly in the liver, gut, brain, skeletal muscle and the thyroid gland itself.

T4 circulates through to the liver where 60% of it is converted into T3 through the glucuronidation and sulphation pathways during phase II of detoxification"

When both my body temperature had gone so low, my hemorroids had exacerbated and my tpo score increased, I was doing diy on my house for 2 weeks and eating about every 7 hrs. This fasting 'unintended' can worsen gilberts syndrome and thus glucuronidation. I didn't realise it would worsen it this much.

Of note: I wasn't running during this time. So no regular lymph movement which also normally would have helped my liver.

I recognise I am still undiagnosed and it may take putting myself through a fasting period to get poorer results for my next thyroid test, but for now I just need a breather from the tension I was in.

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