Download So Your Thyroid Tested Normal, HUH?

Signs Your Thyroid Might be on the Fritz – Even if You’re On
Medication
By PATTI BARTSCH, PH.D. | Published: MAY 20, 2014 | Edit
Are you always cold?
The thyroid is an endocrine (hormone-secreting) gland that is in charge of multiple bodily functions. The
entire blood supply of the body passes through the thyroid every 17 minutes. In the grand scheme of things,
it’s a pretty important little gland. Sadly, it’s also one that fails on an alarmingly frequent level. The #4 most
prescribed drug in the U.S. is for thyroid dysfunction.
Body Clues: I have many clients who have come into my office with many, if not all, of the physical signs of
thyroid malfunction – even if they are currently taking thyroid medication and their blood tests are
“normal”. Here are some signs that your thyroid MAY be on the fritz.
 Cold hands and feet
 Dry skin
 Scalloping along the sides of the tongue
 The outer third of the eyebrows is thin or missing
 Dry hair or hair loss
 Insomnia
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Puffy neck and/or ankles
Trouble focusing
Weight Issues
Heart palpitations
Constipation
Prone to yeast/candida infections (systemic or local – athletes foot, thrush, vaginal yeast
infections, etc.)
 Weak, brittle nails
Newsflash: since such a vast number of Americans have thyroid issues, you probably don’t want to be
“normal”. In some cases, even though there seems to be plenty of thyroid hormones floating around, your
body may not be using them properly.
Holistically: In order to address thyroid issues, one should look beyond the blood and look at the person. Do
they have many of the signs listed above? Consider things like diet (cholesterol is used to synthesize many
hormones, so some vegans may struggle with hormone synthesis), mineral intake (zinc, selenium, and iodine
play large roles in thyroid function), digestion, and of key importance – adrenal function.
Options: Going it alone can sometimes cause more harm than good. It is important to work with someone
who has knowledge in the subject. There are nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic products to support the
endocrine system and lifestyle changes can make a big difference too.
If the list above sounds like you, consider consulting with a wellness professional to work on determining the
cause and creating an action plan that works for you.
So Your Thyroid Tested Normal, HUH?
By PATTI BARTSCH, PH.D. | Published: DECEMBER 27, 2014 | Edit
Something made you decide to get your thyroid checked. Maybe your hands and feet were always
freezing and your face and tongue felt puffy. Perhaps your eyebrows and hair were thinning. Were you
fatigued and/or having trouble losing weight or sleeping? Were constipation or infertility an issue? The list of
signs that your thyroid may be out of balance is a long one and thyroid disorders are skyrocketing. Did you
have blood tests for your thyroid and your doctor told you that your test(s) were in the “normal” range? Here’s
what you should know:
The “normal” range for thyroid testing isn’t based on a healthy population, it’sbased on the bell curve of
people who are having their thyroid tested. Who has their thyroid tested? Probably people who suspect
their thyroid isn’t working optimally. So the test range, aside from varying from state to state, is skewed.
Most docs will only test TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which is actually not made by the thyroid, it’s
made by the pituitary based on signals from the hypothalamus. If your hypothalamus detects low levels of T4
(inactive form of thyroid hormone) it tells your pituitary to tell your thyroid to make more T4. Then, T4 has to be
converted to T3 – the active form of Thyroid Hormone. You can have plenty of T4 and have a conversion
problem which makes your inventory of functional T3 insufficient. But if your TSH level comes back in the
“normal” range, your doc most likely won’t look any further – often your insurance company won’t let them.
In most states, the “normal” TSH range is 0.5-5.0. In the holistic world we feel better if it is lower than 1.5,
ideally 1.0 or lower. Here is a list of where you may want to be when it comes to thyroid blood testing:
 TSH: 1.0 to 3.0
 Free T3: Top 25% of reference range
 Free T4: Middle or slightly above the middle of the reference range
 Reverse T3 (RT3): Low end of the reference range
 Thyroid Antibodies: Within range
If your tests come back and you are not within these ranges, you may want topursue some natural thyroid
support and possibly the help of a wellness practitioner. Some options to consider include glandular
supplements (pills containing dried thyroid tissue of animals), homeopathy, iodine, tyrosine, zinc, selenium,
and herbs like bladderwrack, bacopa, withania, bugleweed, and others.
Aside from blood tests, you can get a pretty good idea about how your thyroid is functioning simply by
monitoring your basal body temperature.
Even if your doc or your insurance company says you’re normal. If you are demonstrating signs of low thyroid
function, seek another opinion.