Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is the most common hormonal issue worldwide, affecting over 20 million Americans — many without realizing it
Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is the most common hormonal issue worldwide, affecting over 20 million Americans — many without realizing it. When the thyroid slows down, so does the whole body. This can cause fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, brittle nails, hair loss, dry skin, and even depression.
Unfortunately, standard thyroid tests don’t always reveal the full picture. Many people are told their labs are “normal” yet still feel tired, sluggish, and unwell — even while taking thyroid medication. Read more in this article below to learn about common thyroid and signs that you have thyroid problem
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck, just below the Adam’s apple. Although it’s small, it plays a powerful role in your health by producing hormones that control how your body uses energy.
The two main hormones produced by the thyroid — T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine) — affect nearly every cell in your body. They help regulate:
When the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones (hypothyroidism), everything slows down — leading to fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, and brain fog. When it produces too much (hyperthyroidism), everything speeds up — causing symptoms like weight loss, anxiety, and rapid heartbeat.
Low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) can have several underlying causes — and finding the root cause is key to effective treatment. Some of the most common include:
Identifying the true cause is essential because simply taking thyroid medication may not resolve symptoms if the underlying issue is left untreated.
Here are three simple ways to tell if your thyroid hormone is causing you to not be as healthy or as happy as you should be.
If any the following symptoms are affecting you, consider an under active thyroid hormone as the potential cause even if you are on thyroid medication and your testing is “normal”.
Your thyroid hormones have an influence on the activity level of all of your cells. Therefore, if your body does not have enough thyroid hormone available it will not generate as much heat as it normally should and frequent coldness will often result. You can check your basal metabolic rate (resting body temperature) at home very easily. Take your temperature (underarm) first thing in the morning. Preferably, use a mercury thermometer or at least a good digital thermometer. Record this temperature for 1 week. Then add all of your recorded temperatures and divide by 7 to find your average temperature for the week.
Note: If you are using oral temperature subtract 0.5 degrees from the final average temperature you calculate. Normal average temperature should fall between 97.8 and 98.2. If your average is less than 97.8 you have an indication that your thyroid hormones are not working as well as they should and further evaluation should be performed.
Mainstream medical testing normally includes three markers to assess thyroid function and is effective for the majority of patients. However, there are many who require more advanced testing to assess what is really going on in their bodies. Most thyroid medication is made of synthetic T4 (levothyroxine, levoxyl, synthroid, etc), therefore, medical physicians standard lab testing measure only three markers, T4, Free T4 and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.
This hormone is released from your brain and communicates with your thyroid. Think of TSH as your brain’s voice. The higher it is, the louder your brain is yelling at your thyroid gland to work. The standard normal lab range for TSH is .45-4.5 mIU/L but research has linked a TSH level of 2.5-3.5 with a significantly increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease (CHD). What this means is that even if your thyroid test is “normal” you may still have an elevated risk of dying from heart disease. We also find patients who are above 1.5 mIU/L have several symptoms of low thyroid but are still considered in the “normal” range. Therefore, we prefer our patients to stay in an optimal range of 0.5-1.5 mIU/L. In our experience there is a big difference in the way a patient can feel when they go from a lab TSH of 4.2 to 1.2 mIU/L.
Normal Lab Range: .45-4.5 mIU/L
Optimal Range: 0.5-1.4 mIU/L
T4 is the most abundant form of thyroid hormone. 95% of the thyroid hormone that you make is T4. Unfortunately, this form of the hormone is not very active and needs to be converted to a more active form (T3) to have a more meaningful effect on the way your body works and, in turn, the way you feel. Primary care physicians look at this number because most of them treat low thyroid function with this form of the hormone. The problem with this protocol is if your body is not converting T4 to T3 then you may still feel bad despite having “normal” tests.
This test demonstrates how much access your body has to T4. It will be “normal” when T4 levels are “normal”, but will not show if there is a lack of T3 in your body.
This test looks at how much of the most active form of thyroid hormone (T3) is present in your blood. It is often the missing link between testing “normal” and feeling normal.
This test shows how much access your body has to T3, the most active form of thyroid hormone. It is useful in demonstrating if there is an underlying issue that is denying your body access to T3. These underlying issues include excess estrogen, cortisol (stress hormone), testosterone and liver dysfunction.
Both of these tests are used to indicate if there is an autoimmune disease present that could be attacking your thyroid gland. Many experts claim these autoimmune diseases are the number one cause of hypothyroidism in this country. The typical treatment for these conditions is to give synthetic thyroid hormone (levothyroxine, synthroid, etc.) which shuts down the thyroid gland’s production of hormones because of the artificial replacement of thyroid hormones.
Unfortunately, this does not provide the T3 which your thyroid gland produces. It also does not address the autoimmune condition which is attacking your thyroid gland and your thyroid hormones. Furthermore, these medications are given once daily while your thyroid gland works all day long and is capable of increasing or decreasing its production as your body needs more or less of the hormone.
As you can see there is a lot to consider when you are suffering from thyroid symptoms. This is why it’s extremely important to find a practitioner who doesn’t just looks at basic lab work and use conventional drug therapies. A thyroid problem isn’t just a thyroid problem – it’s an entire body problem.
If you’re looking for a more complete approach to thyroid care in Michigan, Integrative Wellness Centers is a top-rated functional medicine clinic that specializes in getting to the root cause of thyroid issues.
Instead of relying only on standard TSH and T4 labs, our functional medicine doctors use advanced thyroid testing including Free T3, thyroid antibodies, nutrient panels, and adrenal stress testing to uncover why your thyroid isn’t working optimally.
Our team then creates a personalized treatment plan that may include nutrition, lifestyle support, and targeted supplementation, not just medication, so you can feel better, regain energy, and get back to living life fully.
Take our free online health evaluation or schedule a virtual consultation to get started today.
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1. What are the most common symptoms of thyroid problems?
Fatigue, weight gain or loss, feeling cold, hair loss, dry skin, mood changes, irregular periods, constipation, and brain fog are among the most common signs of thyroid imbalance.
2. Can thyroid problems be treated naturally?
In many cases, yes. Functional medicine may use nutrition, lifestyle changes, targeted supplements, and stress management to support thyroid health. Some patients still need medication, but a whole-body approach often improves results.
3. Where can I get thyroid treatment in Michigan?
You can visit Integrative Wellness Centers, one of Michigan’s top-rated functional medicine clinics. They offer advanced thyroid testing, personalized treatment plans, and virtual consultations.
4. What are the risk factors for low thyroid function?
Risk is higher in people who are female, older (especially over 60), those with family history, people who have had thyroid surgery or radiation, pregnant women, or those with other autoimmune conditions
5. What complications can happen if hypothyroidism is untreated?
Potential issues include high cholesterol, heart problems, infertility, peripheral neuropathy, and in extreme cases, myxedema coma
6. Can diet and lifestyle help if you have thyroid problems?
Yes, while medication is often needed, dietary support (balanced nutrients like iodine, selenium), sleep, stress management, and avoiding environmental toxins can significantly improve symptoms and support thyroid health
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