Normal TSH but Thyroid Hormone Imbalances in CFS

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Rosie
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Normal TSH but Thyroid Hormone Imbalances in CFS

Post by Rosie »

Issues with the thyroid come up fairly frequently in this forum. A recent article in Science News illustrates the importance of testing for all the thyroid hormones, not just TSH, to access thyroid function. Most doctors just order TSH. The article looks at thyroid function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but has lessons for us too.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 084337.htm
Remarkably, the CFS patients had lower serum levels of certain key thyroid hormones such as triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), but normal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone.

These CFS patients, however, had relatively higher levels of another thyroid hormone called "reverse T3" or rT3. This appeared to be due to a shift in hormone production, where the body preferred to convert T4 to rT3 instead of producing T3. The low T3 levels found in CFS patients coupled with this switchover to rT3 could mean that T3 levels are severely reduced in tissue.
Rosie
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
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