ZRT Thyroid Hormone Testing

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Hi EveryOne,

I just checked and ZRT has Free T4 and Free T3 spot tests for $60.00 each.

About Thyroid Hormones and Testing

http://www.bloodspottest.com/thyroid_test.html

More than 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with thyroid disease, and

another 13 million people are estimated to have undiagnosed thyroid problems

in the U.S. alone. A February, 2000 research study found that the estimated

number of people with undiagnosed thyroid disease may be 10 percent – a

level that is double to what was previously thought.

Hypothyroidism, or low thyroid, is a very common condition. It is estimated

that 3 to 5% of the population has some form of hypothyroidism. Women are at

greatest risk, developing thyroid problems seven times more often than men.

Low thyroid increases with age and in fact, hypothyroidism is most common in

women during the menopausal years; approximately 26% of women in or near

menopause are diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

Notes: In a recent study among patients taking thyroid medication, only 60%

were within the normal range for TSH. The fact that 40% of patients, a

number that translates to millions of Americans, are already taking thyroid

hormone and being treated by a doctor but are still not within the expected

normal TSH range is of great concern. Not only does this show the need for

more frequent monitoring and adjustment of dosages -- versus the standard

recommendation of maximum yearly testing – but may in fact suggest that

there are serious inadequacies in the current therapies, which primarily

rely on synthetic thyroid hormone replacement known as levothyroxine

(brandnames Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothyroid, Eltroxin). The inadequacy of

the standard therapy in relieving symptoms is addressed in the February 11,

1999 New England Journal of Medicine landmark T3 Thyroid Drug Study which

found that the majority of patients studied felt better on a combination of

two drugs, including levothyroxine (T4) and T3, and NOT solely

levothyroxine/T4 (i.e., Synthroid or Levoxyl) alone. The addition of T3 was

found to help relieve depression, brain fog, fatigue and other symptoms.

The thyroid gland produces 2 hormones: T4 (80%) and T3 (20%). Each thyroid

hormone is made up of a tyrosine (protein) surrounded by four (T4) or three

(T3) iodines. T4 is the “inactive,” while T3 is the “active” component.

Thyroid hormones set metabolic activity and are thus responsible for the

speed at which every enzyme action in the body takes place. When the thyroid

gland produces T4, it is taken up by every cell in the body, and converted

into T3 which produces activity within the cell. When thyroid hormones are

transported in the blood they are “bound” to a protein, Thyroid Binding

Globulin (TBG), that temporarily holds them inactive. This protein may be

manipulated by many illnesses and medications. Therefore, the measurement of

the unbound, “free” levels of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones as conducted in

blood spot testing at ZRT Laboratory is the most accurate.

Functional Thyroid Deficiency when free T3, free T4, and TSH are within normal

range but symptoms (particularly a low basal temperature) are consistent with a

hypothyroid state, a functional thyroid deficiency may exist. In this case,

adequate thyroid is present but the tissues fail to respond. This functional

thyroid deficiency or “thyroid resistance” is often caused by autoimmune

thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s), which can be identified using Thyroid Peroxidase

Antibody – TPO testing—available as part of the blood spot thyroid panel at ZRT

Laboratory. Other causes of functional thyroid deficiency are estrogen dominance

(excessive estrogens in the absence of adequate progesterone), low anabolic

steroids (testosterone and DHEAS), and/or adrenal imbalance (low or high

cortisol). If thyroid resistance is suspected (i.e. thyroid tests are normal but

symptoms indicate hypothyroidism), saliva testing) for estradiol, progesterone,

testosterone, DHEAS and am/pm cortisol is strongly recommended. For more

information visit www.salivatest.com