Women are at greater risk for developing abnormal TSH levels during menstruation , when giving birth, and after going through menopause. Around 5 percent of women in the United States have some kind of thyroid condition, compared with 3 percent of men. Despite claims that high TSH increases your risk for heart disease, a study found no link between high TSH and heart conditions such as a heart attack. But a study showed that older women are especially at risk for developing thyroid cancer if they have high TSH levels along with thyroid nodules.
Both high and low TSH can affect fertility. Men with hypo- or hyperthyroidism both had fewer normally shaped sperm. And men are more susceptible than women to complications like irregular development of the genitals if they have high TSH. Taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy may be necessary for men to balance TSH.
TSH levels in children can vary based on their age:. A study that closely measured TSH levels in kids from birth to as old as 18 years found wildly different TSH levels throughout their lives.
High TSH levels and hypothyroidism can especially affect chances of a miscarriage. As a result, a small percentage of pregnant women may receive levothyroxine Synthroid , methimazole Tapazole , or propylthiouracil PTU to help control TSH and thyroid hormone levels, especially if they have hypo- or hyperthyroidism. Successful treatment of high TSH and hypothyroidism during pregnancy can lower your chances of having a miscarriage.
Control of TSH levels can also help prevent other pregnancy complications , such as:. This can lead to long-term complications if you have an underlying condition that leads to hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
Make sure you get your TSH levels tested regularly, especially if you have a family history of thyroid disorders or have seen abnormal TSH levels on previous test results. Follow any instructions your doctor gives you to stop taking certain medications or eating certain foods before a TSH test to make sure the results are accurate.
A combination of the right nutrients and medications may help restore thyroid function and minimize symptoms of hypothyroidism. Here's all you need to…. Understand the link between your stress levels and your thyroid.
Having an underactive thyroid can affect you differently in the summer than it can in the winter. However, during the period of thyroiditis, your doctor may prescribe thyroid hormone replacement or antithyroid medications. Often, people can decrease or discontinue these medications if and when the condition improves. Pregnancy can affect thyroid hormones in many ways. However, the changes in these levels are more extreme if you already have a thyroid condition before becoming pregnant. Disease progression can impact thyroid hormone levels.
How your hormones respond over time depends on which type of thyroid disease you have. Sometimes when you are taking thyroid medication, your thyroid hormone blood levels may change. For example, this might happen if you've gotten a refill of your thyroid hormone replacement medication or used a different pharmacy. Within the Food and Drug Administration FDA guidelines, thyroid hormone replacement medications can vary in their potency.
That means a mcg pill can be considered potent even though it delivers anywhere from 95 mcg to mcg of the active ingredient. Potency tends to be reasonably stable within a particular brand name or generic manufacturer. However, medications can vary from one manufacturer to another. So, if you tend to switch brands or manufacturers, you might notice some swings in your levels. Depending on your condition, these potency variations can cause mild increases or decreases in your T4, T3, or TSH.
They can also contribute to related symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Also, keep in mind that prescription errors can occur. So one crucial tip is always to double-check your medication. Look at the label and the actual pills, and make sure you're getting the drug and the dosage your doctor prescribed.
Potencies can vary from different brands and manufacturers. If you are on generic medication, work with your pharmacist to ensure that you always get medicines from the same generic manufacturer. Alternately, you could consider switching to a brand name to avoid this issue. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Taking your medication at the same time every day is essential.
Not only does it help you establish a habit and make it less likely for you to miss a dose, but it also ensures that you always take it in the same way. In addition, there are some other things to keep in mind when taking thyroid medication.
You should take thyroid replacement or antithyroid medication on an empty stomach. That's because food may delay or reduce the drug's absorption by changing the rate at which it dissolves or by changing acid levels in the stomach.
Ultimately, this can affect your thyroid hormone levels, your symptoms, and your test results. If you want to ensure the best possible absorption of your medication, take your thyroid medication consistently. Ideally, you should take your thyroid medicine in the morning, on an empty stomach, about one hour before eating breakfast and drinking coffee. Alternately, you could take it at bedtime at least three hours after your last meal.
Make sure to wait for at least three to four hours between taking thyroid medication and any fiber, calcium, or iron supplements. These nutrients can prevent you from absorbing your full dose of medication. Ultimately, when it comes to taking your thyroid hormone drug, consistency is essential. If you plan to change how you take your thyroid medication, make sure you clear it with your healthcare provider first. Some herbal supplements and medications can have an impact on thyroid hormone levels.
They may affect your hormones by:. Starting or stopping prescription drugs that you take for other conditions can affect your thyroid levels and symptoms.
Some medications that may affect thyroid levels include:. Certain herbs are known to increase or decrease thyroid function, alter test results, and produce various thyroid-related symptoms. These herbs include:. It is best to ask your pharmacist and healthcare provider about potential interactions with any herbs or supplements you plan to take. Thyroid levels and TSH, in particular, can change along with the seasons. For example, TSH naturally rises somewhat during colder months and drops back down in the warmest months.
Some healthcare providers adjust for this. For example, they may prescribe slightly increased thyroid replacement dosages during colder months and reduced dosages during warm periods. For people with thyroid disease, certain things can cause fluctuations in thyroid hormone levels. These may include disease progression, medication changes, other herbs and supplements, and the change of seasons. Things that may help keep your thyroid levels stable include taking your thyroid medication at the same time every day and on an empty stomach; sticking with the same brand or manufacturer of your thyroid medication; talking to your doctor about other medicines, herbs, and supplements you currently take; and asking your doctor about adjusting your medication dose with the change of seasons.
You get tested at different times of the day. Thyroid hormone levels tend to go up at night and down during the day, according to the ATA. However, this variation is very slight, says Terry F. You go to different labs for testing. Results may vary from lab to lab, but even if you go to the same lab, your results can vary from test to test, the ATA says. The lab may get one reading on one occasion and a slightly higher or lower reading the next. You switch brands. A number of companies manufacture thyroid hormone, and their products are slightly different from each other.
Your body can react differently to the different brands. You skip pills. Although the medication you take — T4 thyroxine , the main hormone made by the thyroid — stays in your blood a long time, missing a few days in a row, or consistently missing now and then over time, could affect your test results, says Norma Lopez, MD , an associate professor of endocrinology at the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago.
You take the wrong dosage. Say you are scheduled to take micrograms mcg a week mcg once a day but miss two pills and end up taking only mcg. Your body will react to the lower dosage. The same goes if you take too much. Says Dr. One day you take your pill on an empty stomach, say, and the next you take it with a meal. The best time of day to take thyroid medication is generally when you wake up in the morning and can take it on an empty stomach, according to the ATA.
But the most important thing is to be consistent and take your medication at the same time and in the same way every day, the ATA says. If you always take your pill with meals, you may need a higher dosage than if you always take it without having eaten.
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