Having Thyroid Symptoms But Your Lab Tests Are Normal? Here’s Why!

Dr. Debbie, ND

Do you have thyroid symptoms but your lab tests come back normal? Here’s a possible cause.

Based on thyroid hormone blood levels alone, it is estimated that approximately 10% of the population may have hypothyroidism. Some clinicians feel this is a poor measurement tool, and that by using multiple criteria, including history, signs and symptoms and basal body temperature, a more accurate estimate would be between 15 – 40% of the population.

Why the discrepancy? It might not be your thyroid gland that is the problem, but your bodies ability to convert T4 to T3 (the more active form) in the peripheral tissues. This theory, put forth by Dr. Denis Wilson reasons that many types of stress, from pregnancy, to mental stress or trauma to low calorie diets cause the peripheral tissue to slow down the conversion of T4 to T3, in an attempt to conserve energy and slow the metabolism. Numerous other factors are most likely also at play. From environmental pollutants, to diets low in iodine or too high in goitrogenic foods (broccoli, cabbage and kale to name a few) as well as genetics.

To make an accurate diagnosis of hypothyroidism, a complete physical, blood chemistry including at least TSH, T4, free T3, cholesterol, blood glucose and triglycerides should be taken. If one of your parents or siblings has hypothyroidism and you experiencing symptoms, most likely you have a deficiency of thyroid hormone, at least intracellularly.

What should your ideal thyroid hormones be?

Again, it is essential to look at the entire picture and not rely on lab findings alone, but ideally T4 should be above 6 (4.5 – 12.5 is the range) and TSH below 3. Basal body temperature, Achilles reflex and symptom picture should all be evaluated. Other diagnostic tests to consider include auto-antibodies, where the antibodies attack the thyroid gland in diseases such as Hashimotos, thyroididitis or Graves Disease.

There is also a possible link with viruses, particularly Epstein Barr Virus and thyroid disease, such that testing for EBV may shed some additional light on the issue.

If you are feeling symptoms of a sluggish thyroid, call us, we can help.