DR. ADAM STATEN - GP VIEW AND RED FLAG SYMPTOMS
In order for the thyroid to produce essential hormones the brain needs to tell it to do so. The responsibility for that lies with the pituitary gland, which produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). The TSH stimulates the thyroid to produce triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormones, which are then used to control various body networks, from metabolism to growth and weight.
The more TSH is produced the more T3/T4 is consequently produced, so the TSH is a good indicator of how well the thyroid is performing.
If there is too much T3 or T4 then the thyroid is working too hard (overactive) and producing too much T3/T4. So there is no need for extra TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland. So the TSH concentration will be lower.
If, on the other hand, the thyroid is not particularly active (underactive) and is not producing enough T3/T4 then the pituitary gland has to produce more TSH to stimulate the thyroid and hence the concentration of TSH will be higher.
Red flag symptoms for the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Blood Test
Even if your blood tests are normal, you should see a doctor if you have any of the symptoms below because they may be a sign of serious underlying illness:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Drenching sweats during the night
- Persistent fevers
- Progressively severe symptoms of any kind
Your Results and Health Dashboard
The results of your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Blood Test will be emailed to you as a secured PDF file, ready for your GP and will also be uploaded to our Health Dashboard area of the website. It’s a unique and powerful tool, powered by our in-house clinical analysis research, to match your biomarkers across test panels and symptoms, as well as provide clinical commentary on all individual biomarkers you tested for.
The health dashboard will also provide "panel level" commentary - a birds eye view of the biomarkers that were tested. This feature allows you to view your test results and clinical commentary, and compare them to previous results, giving you a clear understanding of how your health is progressing.
By using the Health Dashboard, you can identify changes in your biomarkers and make necessary adjustments to your lifestyle. This added value is immense, as it empowers you to monitor your health and make informed decisions about your well-being.
It's free and is available with all of our tests.