Basic Thyroid Panel
THESE 3 TESTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS PANEL:
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
- T3 Free
- T4 Free
WHAT DOES THE THYROID GLAND DO?
The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating how your body uses energy through the production of hormones critical to proper cell and system functioning.
There are three main hormones in the thyroid system that should be balanced:
- TSH: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is the most important of the hormones in the thyroid system, this stimulates or acts on the thyroid gland, telling it how much of the actual thyroid hormones need to be made.
- T3 Free: Free T3 measures the amount of active thyroid hormone (T3) available for your body to use. T3 helps control how your body uses energy, including your metabolism and how many organs function.
- T4 Free: Free T4 measures the amount of thyroid hormone (T4) available in your blood. T4 is mostly a “storage” form that your body converts into the active hormone T3 and helps support normal metabolism.
A thyroid hormone panel screens for thyroid function and can help diagnose potential thyroid disease by examining your body’s production, levels, or usage of the different thyroid hormones. There are two types of thyroid and thyroid hormone-related disorders:
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) – symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, a short attention span, and numbness or cold intolerance.
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) – symptoms may include weight loss, persistent vomiting, increased blood pressure, hair loss, or a persistently fast heart rate.
WHY DO I NEED THIS TEST?
If there is a thyroid level imbalance in your body, you may be more susceptible to everything from osteoporosis and heart disease to infertility and fatigue.
Thyroid disorders are more common in women and they often occur with changes in other hormone levels, such as with pregnancy or with older age.