Optimal vs Normal Thyroid Levels for All Lab Tests & Ages

[OMI100]

I see a LOT folks asking basic question reference thyroid labs.
Here is an article that does a great job of distilling it down.
https://www.restartmed.com/normal-thyroid-levels/
Other interesting articles here also.
I also like:
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/optimal-labs.html
Again, other interesting articles here also.
SUGGEST MAKING THIS A STICKY!!!!!!

 

[Sean Mosher]

Great stuff.
Thank you for posting!

 

[DragonBits]

I see a LOT folks asking basic question reference thyroid labs.
Here is an article that does a great job of distilling it down.
https://www.restartmed.com/normal-thyroid-levels/
Other interesting articles here also.
I also like:
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/optimal-labs.html
Again, other interesting articles here also.
SUGGEST MAKING THIS A STICKY!!!!!!

If your TSH does go up, and my up I mean from 2 >3, and your thyroid responds by increasing T4 from 1>1.5 and your T3 goes up from 2.7 >3.8, both T4 and T3 is considered optimal while TSH is not.

But at the end of this, isn't this a good thing and how it's supposed to work? As long as T4, t2 are optimal, do we need to worry about the rest?


Another thing, when they say TSH is high, they generally mean much higher than 4.5, though they seldom give a level as to what an article means by "high or low:" anything (not just TSH), it's left up to the readers imagination what they mean.

 

[captain]

It says you can be hypo if pulse below 70 or sometimes, over 90 beats per minute. What causes the over 90 beats per minute with hypo?

 

[DragonBits]

It says you can be hypo if pulse below 70 or sometimes, over 90 beats per minute. What causes the over 90 beats per minute with hypo?

The average resting heart rate is 66 to 72 beats per minute (bpm). A well-trained endurance athlete has a resting heart rate of 40 bpm. Miguel Indurain, a five-time Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medalist in 1996, recorded a resting heart rate of 28 bpm.

Not a good measure. A rapid heart rate is a sign of something wrong, but a slow heart rate can mean many things, many of them good.


https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/08/0820_040820_olympics_athletes_2.html

 

[OMI100]

If your TSH does go up, and my up I mean from 2 >3, and your thyroid responds by increasing T4 from 1>1.5 and your T3 goes up from 2.7 >3.8, both T4 and T3 is considered optimal while TSH is not.
But at the end of this, isn't this a good thing and how it's supposed to work? As long as T4, t2 are optimal, do we need to worry about the rest?
Another thing, when they say TSH is high, they generally mean much higher than 4.5, though they seldom give a level as to what an article means by "high or low:" anything (not just TSH), it's left up to the readers imagination what they mean.

Not sure what you are asking reference TSH.
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/tsh.html
https://www.restartmed.com/tsh-levels/
"Another thing, when they say TSH is high, they generally mean much higher than 4.5, though they seldom give a level as to what an article means by "high or low:" anything (not just TSH), it's left up to the readers imagination what they mean."
The first reference (restardmed) does have 2 tables that answers those question in a very basic way.

 

[Vettester Chris]

If your TSH does go up, and my up I mean from 2 >3, and your thyroid responds by increasing T4 from 1>1.5 and your T3 goes up from 2.7 >3.8, both T4 and T3 is considered optimal while TSH is not.

But at the end of this, isn't this a good thing and how it's supposed to work? As long as T4, t2 are optimal, do we need to worry about the rest?


Another thing, when they say TSH is high, they generally mean much higher than 4.5, though they seldom give a level as to what an article means by "high or low:" anything (not just TSH), it's left up to the readers imagination what they mean.

It's a matter of factoring the entire picture, then making the assessment. The "entire" picture will factor how TSH relates with not only FT4 and FT3, but RT3, antibodies, and impacting variables like iron & ferritin, cortisol, electrolytes, D3, etc. Sometimes the elevated TSH variable falls into a Sub-clinical class diagnosis, which can sometimes be iodine and/or selenium related, possible nutrient deficiencies that effect T4 conversion and the well being of thyroid hormone in general.

 

[1Draw]

I see a LOT folks asking basic question reference thyroid labs.
Here is an article that does a great job of distilling it down.
https://www.restartmed.com/normal-thyroid-levels/
Other interesting articles here also.
I also like:
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/optimal-labs.html
Again, other interesting articles here also.
SUGGEST MAKING THIS A STICKY!!!!!!

Agreed Orrin... Good post. Too many men think its all about low T when it also could be the thyroid causing the symptoms. Another good link to go with what you already have is this one -

https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-symptoms-men/

Thought I would also add that I just completed my 90 day follow up blood test with Defy and all they included on the test for thyroid is FT3, FT4 and Reverse T3. Don't think the TSH means a lot if you test what is actually being produced and active in your body by the thyroid.

 

[Vince]

I see a LOT folks asking basic question reference thyroid labs.
Here is an article that does a great job of distilling it down.
https://www.restartmed.com/normal-thyroid-levels/
Other interesting articles here also.
I also like:
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/optimal-labs.html
Again, other interesting articles here also.
SUGGEST MAKING THIS A STICKY!!!!!!

I love all these articles on learning how to properly treat your thyroid issues. You got your sticky.

 

[DragonBits]

Not sure what you are asking reference TSH.
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/tsh.html
https://www.restartmed.com/tsh-levels/
"Another thing, when they say TSH is high, they generally mean much higher than 4.5, though they seldom give a level as to what an article means by "high or low:" anything (not just TSH), it's left up to the readers imagination what they mean."
The first reference (restardmed) does have 2 tables that answers those question in a very basic way.

One is just an annoyance with many papers, articles that say high or low something is bad, but they don't say how high or how low is significant. Many blood tests will show out of range and then a doctor will say, well, that doesn't really matter, it's only a little out of range, let's monitor it and see what it says next year. A personal example is my potassium levels, 40% of my blood tests flag potassium as being high, up to 5.7 (range 3.5-5.2). Doctors all tend to ignore that.

And lab tests flag high, but they also have flags called Alert and Critical when levels are dangerously high or low. How high or low can thyroid levels go before a doctor considers it to be a critical health situation?

Another example, liver enzyme SGOT (0-37)/SGPT(0-40), taking some supplements can raise SGOT/SGPT to 48/57 IU/Lwhich is 30-40% over range, BUT if you have something like hepatitis, those same enzymes can be over 2000-3000 IU/L. How high can those liver enzymes go before they rush you to a hospital?


Without knowing how high or how low levels can go when you have a clinically serious problem, it's difficult to determine how much attention we should pay to out or range, or in the case here, in the lower or upper part of a range.

As regards TSH, say for example TSH level is 3 mIU/L, but your T4, T3, FT3, FT4 and Rt3 are all solidly in the "optimal range", then should you attempt to "treat" the TSH level? An opinion is that optimal TSH is 2.5 mIU/L or less.

Though I agree, one has to look at the total picture, and each hormone doesn't have to be "optimal". But it still begs the question, in my example above, does a TSH of 3 mIL/L have any predictive value?


Assuming of course you aren't taking any thyroid medications that would have affected TSH.

 

[OMI100]

I love all these articles on learning how to properly treat your thyroid issues. You got your sticky.

TY
Basic info that is easy to read and understand

 

[OMI100]

"As regards TSH, say for example TSH level is 3 mIU/L, but your T4, T3, FT3, FT4 and Rt3 are all solidly in the "optimal range", then should you attempt to "treat" the TSH level? An opinion is that optimal TSH is 2.5 mIU/L or less.
Though I agree, one has to look at the total picture, and each hormone doesn't have to be "optimal". But it still begs the question, in my example above, does a TSH of 3 mIL/L have any predictive value?"
I think it all depends on where one stands on the TSH issue, and what one is taught and if any "symptoms" are present.
The TSH can be used as an indicator to signal a need to look deeper.
Is it a one time reading?
Is the TSH slowly rising over time?
What else is going on?
As mentioned above the TSH levels can fluctuate and Chris hit the nail on the head.
I would guess that there is even a lot of disagreement if one can be classified as "subclinical hypothyroid" in your example above.
That now gets into the discussion of "ranges" VS "optimal" VS "symptoms".
If "symptoms" are present it may take a bit of detective work to drill down and see what is going on.
Not an easy answer, and it well may depend on the skill of the DR. to sort it all out.
Here is an interesting article on this subject:
https://www.restartmed.com/subclinical-hypothyroidism/

 

[OMI100]

"Thought I would also add that I just completed my 90 day follow up blood test with Defy and all they included on the test for thyroid is FT3, FT4 and Reverse T3. Don't think the TSH means a lot if you test what is actually being produced and active in your body by the thyroid. "
if one is on thyroid meds, it will depend on what type.
I am on NDT and it suppresses my TSH to ZERO....
Well 0.006

 

[DragonBits]

"Thought I would also add that I just completed my 90 day follow up blood test with Defy and all they included on the test for thyroid is FT3, FT4 and Reverse T3. Don't think the TSH means a lot if you test what is actually being produced and active in your body by the thyroid. "
if one is on thyroid meds, it will depend on what type.
I am on NDT and it suppresses my TSH to ZERO....
Well 0.006

I have read NDT will suppress TSH.


So does anyone know if you stop taking NDT, does your thyroid go back to normal immediately, or do you have to wean off of NDT, or is there some sort of restart protocol?

 

[OMI100]

I have read NDT will suppress TSH.
So does anyone know if you stop taking NDT, does your thyroid go back to normal immediately, or do you have to wean off of NDT, or is there some sort of restart protocol?

Having a "suppressed" TSH while on NDT is NOT a bad thing.
Remember that TSH IS NOT a thyroid hormone.
One would rely on the other labs (FT3, FT4, RT3, ETC.).
There are a LOT of variables and each person is different.
If one is on NDT, that would mean that the thyroid is not functioning normally, thus stopping NDT cold turkey would not be a good thing.
Switching to other forms of thyroid meds would require consultation with your DR.
Spend some time here:
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/
and here:
https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/
and here:
https://hypothyroidmom.com/
A LOT of good basic info that is easy to read and understand.

 

[DragonBits]

Having a "suppressed" TSH while on NDT is NOT a bad thing.
Remember that TSH IS NOT a thyroid hormone.
One would rely on the other labs (FT3, FT4, RT3, ETC.).
There are a LOT of variables and each person is different.
If one is on NDT, that would mean that the thyroid is not functioning normally, thus stopping NDT cold turkey would not be a good thing.
Switching to other forms of thyroid meds would require consultation with your DR.
Spend some time here:
http://www.tiredthyroid.com/
and here:
https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/
and here:
https://hypothyroidmom.com/
A LOT of good basic info that is easy to read and understand.

I know all that, suppressed TSH is a little like suppressed LH when you take exogenous testosterone. Same principal.


Many people have a functioning thyroid, meaning their levels of FT3, Ft4, Rt3 are within range, but their thyroid levels aren't "optimal", they take various thyroid medications to bring these levels up.


If they quit take their meds, how can they are return to their old levels of thyroid hormone? I don't actually expect you have an answer, and I doubt any easy to read blog would spell those things out. I don't think what I am asking about is really "basic" info.


If I were to give something like levothyroxine and or liothyronine a try, could I decide to quit them and my levels will return to where they are now, or is this a one way decision?


ciao.

 

[Kirk001]

If they quit take their meds, how can they are return to their old levels of thyroid hormone? ... If I were to give something like levothyroxine and or liothyronine a try, could I decide to quit them and my levels will return to where they are now, or is this a one way decision?

I'm also interested in finding the answer to this question

 

[OMI100]

See if this helps answer your questions:
https://www.restartmed.com/side-effects-of-stopping-thyroid-medication/

 

[Kirk001]

See if this helps answer your questions:
https://www.restartmed.com/side-effects-of-stopping-thyroid-medication/

Thanks So it seems like thyroid meds and testosterone and suppression of natural production work about the same... With both if you were to taper off and stop your exogenous supply, your natural production should increase to wherever it would have been at that point if you had never supplemented/replaced. But this can take some time to happen, and of course your natual production maxes out at sub-optimal levels, which is the reason for supplementation in the first place.