Thyroid Blood Test Results
A basic
thyroid blood test measures levels of TSH, free T4, and free T3. While your
doctor can use these results to assess your thyroid health, other factors can
also affect your lab test results. Here are seven things that can affect your
thyroid blood test results.
1) Iodine
Iodine is an
essential component of thyroid hormone, and iodine deficiency is the most
common cause of hypothyroidism. Iodine can be found in many foods, including
seafood, dairy products, eggs, and some plants.
Iodine
deficiency can also be caused by certain medications, such as lithium and
amiodarone. If you are taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor about
whether you need to supplement with iodine.
2) Stress
Stress can
have a significant impact on your thyroid blood test results. When you're
stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol. Cortisol can interfere with
thyroid hormone production, leading to an inaccurate blood test result. If
you're scheduled to have a thyroid blood test, try to avoid stress as much as
possible in the days following the test.
3)
Medications
Various
medications can affect the results of your thyroid blood test. These include
but are not limited to lithium, amiodarone, interferon alpha, and
interleukin-2. If you are taking any of these medications, please let your
doctor know so they can consider them when interpreting your results.
4) Myths
about the gluten and dairy-free diet
There are a
lot of myths surrounding the gluten and dairy-free diet. The most common one is
that it's expensive. While it's true that some gluten and dairy-free products
can be more expensive than their counterparts, there are plenty of ways to save
money on this type of diet. For example, you can buy bulk or make your meals
from scratch.
5) Having
too much protein or too little protein in your diet
Consuming
too much or too little protein can result in an abnormal thyroid blood test. If
you are scheduled to have a thyroid blood test, be sure to ask your doctor
about the recommended amount of protein for you to consume in the days
following your test. Chughtai lab
test rates for online lab tests in Pakistan are very reasonable.
You can book online lab tests and get results back quickly and easily.
6) If you
have diabetes take insulin
1. Check
your fasting blood sugar levels before taking the stimulating thyroid hormone
(TSH) test, as insulin can affect the results.
2. If you
are on medication for hypothyroidism, make sure to inform your doctor, as this
can also skew the results of the TSH test.
3. Be sure
to follow all instructions given to you by your doctor or the laboratory
regarding fasting and taking the TSH test, as not doing so can give inaccurate
results.
4. If you
have had a recent iodine exposure, such as from a CT scan or contrast dye used
during an MRI, this can also affect the results of your TSH test.
7) Extreme Dieting
One of the
things that can most affect your thyroid blood test results is extreme dieting.
This is because your body goes into starvation when you severely restrict your
calorie intake. In starvation mode, your body starts to break down muscle for
energy, which releases a hormone called T3. T3 then suppresses your thyroid
function, which can lead to an inaccurate blood test result.
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