How To Reduce Thyroid Hormone Levels

Persistently Elevated Tsh Despite Thyroid Hormone Replacement

Poor compliance is the most common reason for continued elevation of the TSH level in patients receiving presumably adequate thyroid hormone replacement. Patients who do not regularly take their replacement medication and then try to âcatch upâ just before a physician visit may restore their free T4 levels to normal but continue to have an elevated TSH level.

Very rarely, patients have tissue-level unresponsiveness to thyroid hormone. This condition reflects a mutation in the gene that controls a receptor for T3, rendering it unable to bind with the hormone. The genetic mutation has been identified in only 300 families.22 In these patients, adequate amounts of thyroid hormone are produced but are ineffective. Consequently, the TSH level remains elevated, and the patients continue to have symptoms of hypothyroidism. These patients should be referred to an endocrinologist for further evaluation and management.

What Can Cause Hyperthyroidism

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ at the base of your neck. It is located just below your Adams apple. Several reasons can cause an overactive thyroid. The most common cause being Graves disease. It is an autoimmune disease that stimulates your immune system to form antibodies. These antibodies stimulate your thyroid to become overactive and secret excessive amounts of hormones.

Other causes may include:

• Genetic factor as it tends to run in families
• Inflammation of the thyroid
• Benign tumour of the thyroid or pituitary gland
• An increased amount of tetraiodothyronine in your diet

How To Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Ultimately, consistency and commitment are key. How to balance your hormones, naturally, is all-encompassing. Here are the Cliffs Notes: Focus on an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet, remove endocrine disruptors, incorporate stress relief habits, and take the necessary steps to get your gut health on track. Finding a balance with exercise is important, too. If youre feeling overwhelmed, start small. Begin with daily meditation practice. Next week, take a stab at a 3-day hormone-balancing meal plan. One step at a time.

Donât Miss: How Can I Boost Testosterone

Also Check: Fine Needle Aspiration Of Thyroid

Boost Your Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for thyroid health. It helps to regulate the production of thyroid hormones and plays a role in immune function. Many people are deficient in vitamin D, so its a good idea to get your levels checked by a doctor and take a supplement if necessary.

A natural way to absorb vitamin D is through exposure to sunlight. Just 10 to 15 minutes out in the sun each day can help boost your vitamin D levels. Overall, sun exposure is not only beneficial to your mood, but to your thyroid as well!

Read Also: How Do I Get My Thyroid Tested

Drugs And Medical Treatments That Reduce Thyroid Levels

Lithium

A drug used to treat bipolar disorder, has multiple effects on thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion. Many people treated with lithium go on to develop hypothyroidism and some develop a goiter. Most people develop subclinical hypothyroidism, but a small percentage experience overt hypothyroidism.

Amiodarone

Is used to treat abnormal heart rhythms, contains high levels of iodine and can induce hyper- or hypothyroidism, particularly in people with existing thyroid problems.

Other Drugs

Drugs used for treating epilepsy, such as phenytoin and carbamazepine, can reduce thyroid hormone levels. Interferons and interleukins, which are used to treat hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions, can induce either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Some drugs used in cancer chemotherapy, such as sunitinib or imatinib , can also cause or worsen hypothyroidism.

Radiation Therapy

High-dose radiation for cancers of the head or neck and for Hodgkin disease can cause hypothyroidism up to 10 years after treatment.

Read Also: Only Natural Pet Feline Thyroid Wellness

Tsh Can Be Higher If You Dont Eat A Meal Right Before The Lab Test

Caution: Longer term fasting or calorie restriction can LOWER your TSH . Therefore, this tip is NOT about fasting or reducing calories on a chronic basis.

This is only about the timing of a single meal in relationship to a blood test.

In 2014, Nair and team did a study on postprandial state and TSH levels. The experiment was simple:

• First, Phlebotomy was performed after an 8-12 hour overnight fast between 7:30-8:30 am for free T4 and TSH measurements.
• Then, the patients returned 2 hours after breakfast for their samples to be rechecked between 10:30-11:00 am on the same day.

Before and during the experiment, nobody was taking thyroid hormones.

Results: TSH was significantly higher before breakfast. TSH was significantly lower after breakfast. Their T4 levels were unchanged.

Among the people tested, there were three subgroups. Before the experiment, Group A had normal TSH and FT4 levels, Group B had high TSH but normal T4. Group C had overt hypothyroidism, high TSH and low T4.

Averages:

• Group A: pre-breakfast TSH 2.42, post-breakfast TSH 1.79
• Group B: Pre-breakfast TSH 7.53, post-breakfast TSH 5.35
• Group C: Pre-breakfast TSH 66.93, post-breakfast TSH 61.22

Is this effect simply caused by the TSH circadian rhythm? Maybe. They should have tested other meals, not just breakfast, because TSH can have a steep decline between 6am and 12pm in people not taking thyroid medication.

TIP: Delay breakfast until after your early morning lab test to increase chances of a higher TSH.

Screening Recommendations For Hypothyroidism

Professional organizations differ widely on hypothyroidism screening recommendations. Most do not recommend widespread routine screening for healthy nonpregnant adults who have no symptoms. The US preventive service concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the thyroid screening in nonpregnant, asymptomatic adults.

The American Thyroid Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommend considering screening for hypothyroidism in patients older than 60 years. They also recommend “aggressive case finding” in women who are planning pregnancy and in persons who are at increased risk for hypothyroidism, such as those with personal or familial history of autoimmune disease.

Screening in Pregnant Women

Current guidelines recommend screening women before or during pregnancy based on their symptoms or medical history. Factors that indicate screening is necessary include:

• History of thyroid disease, goiter, type 1 diabetes or other autoimmune illnesses
• History of miscarriages
• History of head and neck radiation or surgery

Women with these factors should have their thyroid checked before pregnancy, or within the first weeks of pregnancy, and should be retested during each trimester.

Screening in Infants

• Iodized salt and other iodine fortified foods

Additionally, many multivitamin or other supplements also contain the RDA of iodine.

Also Check: Thyroid Medication Over The Counter Walmart

Consider Supplementsafter Talking To A Healthcare Provider

You’ve probably heard that there’s a connection between thyroid health and iodine, which is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones.

“Worldwide, iodine deficiency is one of the causes of an enlarged thyroid gland and hypothyroidism,” said Dr. Gupta. “However, iodine deficiency is rare in developed countries due to supplementation in table salt and certain foods such as dairy and bread.”

In other words, you’re probably already getting enough iodine in your diet as is. Too much iodine can trigger hyperthyroidism in susceptible individuals. Thus, Dr. Gupta didn’t recommend taking iodine pills without consulting a healthcare provider.

On the other hand, if you suspect your thyroid may need a boost, speak to a healthcare provider about taking selenium or vitamin D, both of which have been linked to improved thyroid health.

“Clinical research shows that taking 200 mcg daily of the mineral selenium can reduce anti-thyroid antibodies,” said Dr. Gupta. “Alternatively, you can get the mineral by eating one to two Brazil nuts each day.”

As for vitamin D, some research suggests it could be important in aiding the immune system.”Severe deficiency of vitamin D may be associated with autoimmune disease, so have your physician check your vitamin D levels and advise you about supplementation if the level is below normal,” said Dr. Gupta.

F Combination Treatment With T3 And T4 In Children With Coh

In children with CoH, a high serum TSH may persist in about 10% of patients treated with l-T4 despite normal serum T4. This has been explained as due to either undertreatment or an abnormal maturation of T4 feedback control of TSH secretion. One study reported a prevalence of pituitary thyroid hormone resistance in about 43% of infants during the first year of life with an improvement toward 10% of cases during adolescence, suggesting that thyroid hormone resistance may improve with age . Overtreatment with high l-T4 doses to normalize serum TSH may be contraindicated in this condition because of risk of induction of deleterious effects on growth and school performance. Combined treatment with l-T3 and l-T4 in a ratio of 4:1 was performed in 10 children aged over 5 years in an attempt to normalize T3 levels in the central nervous system and improve serum TSH. Normalization of serum TSH levels was achieved in about 7 months in children who were switched to combination treatment, although they had higher serum T3 levels and lower serum T4 levels than patients on treatment with l-T4 alone .

Also Check: What Is Thyroid Antibodies Test

What Does My Thyroid Do

Located at the front of your neck, the thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland. Glands are organs that can be found all over your body. Some of your glands create and release hormones substances that help your body function and grow. The thyroid gland plays a big part in many of your bodys main functions, including:

• Regulating your body temperature.
• Controlling your heart rate.
• Controlling your metabolism .

When your thyroid gland is working correctly, your body is in balance, and all of your systems function properly. If your thyroid stops working the way its meant to creating too much or too little thyroid hormones it can impact your entire body.

Are There Any Risks To Hyperthyroidism Treatments

With most treatments, there are also risks of side effects. Its important to talk to your healthcare provider and weigh all of the advantages and disadvantages before deciding on a treatment plan. Some of these risks include:

After treatment, youll most likely need to take replacement thyroid hormone for the rest of your life. This is because some of these treatments especially surgery reduce your thyroid hormone levels to very low levels or eliminate this hormone by removing your thyroid. Youll need to reintroduce the thyroid hormones back into your system by taking regular medication.

Don’t Miss: How To Check For Thyroid Nodules

How Does Eating Diet And Nutrition Affect Hyperthyroidism

Your thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. If you have Graves disease or another autoimmune thyroid disorder, you may be sensitive to harmful side effects from iodine. Eating foods that have large amounts of iodinesuch as kelp, dulse, or other kinds of seaweedmay cause or worsen hyperthyroidism. Taking iodine supplements can have the same effect. Talk with members of your health care team about

• what foods to limit or avoid
• any iodine supplements you take
• any cough syrups or multivitamins you take because they may contain iodine

Key Thyroid Enzymes And Hormones

Before we discuss thyroid antibodies, lets look at the specific roles of thyroid hormones and enzymes in the human body:

• TSH : TSH regulates thyroid function by controlling the amount of T4 and T3 hormones produced in the thyroid gland .
• T4 : T4 is a thyroid hormone produced in the thyroid gland. It is converted to the active T3 when it enters the bloodstream .
• T3 : T3 is the thyroid hormone most actively involved in regulating body functions. It is both produced in the thyroid gland and converted from T4 in the bloodstream. .
• TPO : TPO is the main enzyme involved in producing T4 and T3 .
• TG : TG is a protein involved in producing T4 and T3 .

Also Check: How Do I Get My Thyroid Tested

F Treatment Of Mct8 Deficiency

Deficiency of MCT8 causes Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome of childhood psychomotor retardation marked by high serum T3, low T4, and normal or high TSH due to impaired access of T4 to the brain. Access of DITPA to the brain is independent of MCT8, and in a multicenter trial on 4 children affected by MCT8 deficiency, the administration of DITPA for 26 to 40 months completely normalized thyroid function tests reduced SHBG, heart rate, and ferritin increased cholesterol levels and reduced the hypermetabolism and the tendency for weight loss .

What Is The Outlook For Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a manageable and treatable condition, and most people do well with treatment. While some forms of treatment require you to take medication for the rest of your life, your thyroid hormone levels will be normal.

Unfortunately, untreated hyperthyroidism caused by Graves disease may get worse over time and cause complications. If you have Graves disease, ask your healthcare provider questions about how you can best manage your condition.

Read Also: Lose Weight On Thyroid Medication

Your Thyroids Daily Dose

Hypothyroidism is typically treated with a daily dose of replacement thyroid hormone. While this medication can help manage a sluggish thyroid, there are a number of outside factors that can throw your hormone levels out of whack, even if youre actively treating them.

Thyroid hormone medications are very difficult to absorb, explains Shiri Levy, M.D., an endocrinologist with Henry Ford Health. They have to be taken on an empty stomach and a number of factors can interfere with absorption.

Determining The Underlying Cause

If tests confirm an overactive thyroid gland, you may be referred for further tests to determine the underlying cause.

An additional test that may be used is an isotope thyroid scan. This involves swallowing small amounts of a radioactive substance , usually technetium, in capsule or liquid form.

A scan is then used to measure how much of the isotope has been absorbed by your thyroid gland.

If your thyroid gland absorbs a high amount of the isotope, it is likely the underlying cause is either Graves’ disease or thyroid nodules.

If the amount is low, the underlying cause could be due to:

• swelling of the thyroid gland , often caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking thyroid tissue or, less commonly, by infection
• having too much iodine in your diet
• in rare cases, thyroid cancer

Read Also: Does Thyroid Cancer Require Chemotherapy

What A Thyroid Panel Can Tell You About Thyroid Autoimmunity

Thyroid antibody tests are useful diagnostic tools for identifying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Doctors typically test for T4 and TSH levels to diagnose hypothyroidism, and this is a completely reliable method. However, a full thyroid panel, which includes blood tests for thyroid antibodies, can tell you if hypothyroidism is the result of an autoimmune condition.

The normal reference range for TPO antibodies is less than 35 IU/mL. If you are hypothyroid and have TPO antibodies above the reference range, you will likely be diagnosed with Hashimotos disease.

How Are Hormonal Imbalances Treated

Treatment for a hormonal imbalance will depend on whats causing it.

If you have lower-than-normal hormone levels, the main treatment is hormone replacement therapy. Depending on which hormone is deficient, you may take oral medication or injection medication.

For example, if you have low thyroid hormone levels , your provider can prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone pills. If you have growth hormone deficiency, youll likely have to take injections of synthetic growth hormone.

If you have higher-than-normal hormone levels, there are many treatment options depending on the cause. Options include medication, surgery, radiation therapy or a combination of any of these.

For example, if you have a prolactinoma, a benign tumor that causes excess prolactin , your provider may prescribe a medication to shrink the tumor or you may need surgery to remove it.

Don’t Miss: Herbal Tea For Thyroid Health

How To Naturally Suppress Your Tsh

When your thyroid hormone level gets low, your pituitary gland releases thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, which stimulates the thyroid to release more thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone contributes to various important functions, including respiration, protein and fat metabolism heat production appetite and cardiac functioning. When your TSH levels are high, your thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone, or possibly, your thyroid is underactive and isn’t responding to the TSH. At any rate, when tests indicate that your TSH levels are high or are fluctuating widely, it might indicate an endocrinological problem that requires medical attention. At any rate, certain dietary choices and lifestyle practices can help you lower and stabilize your TSH levels.

Medical Conditions Associated With Hypothyroidism

People with certain medical conditions have a higher risk for hypothyroidism. These conditions include:

• Autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, Addison disease , and myasthenia gravis.
• Chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome and Turner syndrome.
• Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

Don’t Miss: Can I Get Thyroid Medicine Online

Symptoms In Infants And Children

In the United States, nearly all babies are screened for hypothyroidism in order to prevent cognitive developmental problems that can occur if treatment is delayed. Symptoms of hypothyroidism in children vary depending on when the problem first develops.

• Most children who are born with a defect that causes congenital hypothyroidism initially have no obvious symptoms. Symptoms that sometimes appear in newborns may include jaundice , noisy breathing, and an enlarged tongue.
• Early symptoms of undetected and untreated hypothyroidism in infants include feeding problems, failure to thrive, constipation, hoarseness, and sleepiness.
• Later symptoms in untreated children include protruding abdomen rough, dry skin and delayed teething. In advanced cases, yellow raised bumps may appear under the skin, the result of cholesterol buildup.
• If children with hypothyroidism do not receive proper treatment in time, they may be extremely short for their age have a puffy, bloated appearance and have intellectual disabilities. Any child whose growth is abnormally slow should be examined for hypothyroidism.