When it comes to hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid, the numbers fare a bit better but are still daunting with a percentage of 1.2% suffering from the disorder [2]. That’s a little more than 1 person in every 100.

Not taking into account thyroid cancer, which can affect over 50,000 people a year in the US alone [3], these statistics reveal that a little over 5% of the population is suffering from a thyroid disorder.

Clearly, thyroid disorders are making a significant impact on health care and many people’s lives.

While many patients suffering from thyroid disorders are well aware of their diagnosis, there are just as many as aren’t. For example, studies estimate that approximately 5% of women and 3% of men have subclinical hypothyroidism [4], a condition in which peripheral thyroid hormones, like T4, are within normal ranges, while thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, is slightly elevated.

Further research suggests that up to 60% of those with thyroid disorders aren’t even aware they have it [5].

If many of those suffering from thyroid disorders aren’t even aware of their condition, how is a thyroid disorder diagnosed?

Thyroid disorders are usually diagnosed with lab tests that analyze thyroid function, often before a patient even exhibits symptoms. These lab tests usually include thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T4 (thyroxine), and T3 (triiodothyronine). T3 and T4 tests can also be differentiated into free and total T3 and T4, which tests for the amount of thyroid hormone free in the blood stream and bound to proteins which prevent it from being used by the body respectively [6].

Another useful, yet underutilized, test for thyroid function is reverse T3. Reverse T3 is, as its name suggests, a thyroid hormone similar to T3, except for the placement of the iodine atoms in its aromatic rings. This “reversal” of the placement of the iodine atoms causes reverse T3 to be unusable by the body as a thyroid hormone.

Reverse T3 is created by degradation of the T4 under specific circumstances like high stress, starvation, and hepatic dysfunction and severe infections [7] so measuring this non active thyroid hormone gives a more complete picture of what is happening within the body that is contributing to thyroid dysfunction.

While reverse T3 may not be useful as a thyroid hormone, that doesn’t mean it has no effect in the body whatsoever. Research shows that increased levels of T3 are linked to increased proliferation of breast cancer and brain cancer cells [8].

Furthermore studies suggest that those with hyperthyroidism have a higher reverse T3/T3 ratio than those with hypothyroidism and reverse T3 may even be a more sensitive criterion for evaluating thyroid dysfunction than T4 and T3 alone [9].

Interestingly, serum reverse T3 was also significantly higher in diabetics than a non diabetic population while serum T4 and TSH were within normal range. Once the diabetic patients received treatment, not only did parameters like blood glucose improve but so did reverse T3 levels [10].

These findings suggest that reverse T3 is an important factor in understanding disease within the body. While reverse T3 may not play a role in maintaining thyroid health, it is an invaluable tool for measuring thyroid health as well overall health.

Although reverse T3 may not be a conventional test to determine thyroid health, it is a crucial part of understanding thyroid health and testing through the right lab is critical when requesting this lab. AYUMETRIX is the leader in intelligent and innovative lab testing that offers easy and convenient sample collection.

The cutting-edge reverse T3 lab test and accompanying comprehensive thyroid panel yields high quality accurate results in a timely manner at a reasonable cost.

AYUMETRIX makes thyroid monitoring not only easy and convenient, but also highly accessible for those who don’t want to leave the comfort of their homes with reliable in home collection kits which would then be mailed back to the lab for processing.

Unfortunately thyroid disorders are becoming increasingly common in the United States and the world. Symptoms alone aren’t enough to diagnose a thyroid disorder and with regular thyroid testing, a thyroid disorder can be diagnosed and treated more easily. Monitoring thyroid health with comprehensive testing is essential to not just maintaining thyroid health, but optimal wellness.

For more information about the role and importance of reverse T3, the many functions of thyroid hormones in the body, the important roles the thyroid plays in human physiology, and how thyroid hormone imbalance can affect overall health and well-being please visit ayumetrix.com or contact info@ayumetrix.com

Candace Mathers ND

References

1. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism

2. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hyperthyroidism

3. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/thyroid-cancer/about/key-statistics.html

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK285870/

5. https://www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/

6. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/thyroxine-t4-test/

7. https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/9405

8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3094332/

9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6479377/

10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3816044/