What women over 50 should know about their hormones
Women who are over the age of 50 are more likely to develop hypothyroid disorders.
Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones needed in your body. Hypothyroid disorders, if untreated, may cause many health problems like:
- Joint pain
- Infertility
- Obesity
- and heart disease.
There are reliable tests that can be taken in order to determine the levels of T3 & T4 being produced within your body.
Synthetic thyroid medications can be taken to help replace any lost hormones. They are safe and easy to take and once your dosage is established properly you will need to stay on your medications until a physician changes your prescription.
What are T3 and T4 hormones
Triiodothyronine (known as T3) and Tetraiodothyronine (known as T4) are hormones produced by the thyroid gland.
The gland is a butterfly-shaped gland positioned in the front of your neck just under your voice box.
These hormones influence and allow your body’s metabolism to function properly. The amount of T3 and T4 that is produced in your system is governed by the pituitary gland which produces thyroid-stimulating hormones.
TSH controls the amount of T3 and T4 the thyroid produces. Thyroid-stimulating hormones will produce more stimulants so your body will increase the T3 and T4 hormone levels in your system. If you have hypothyroid disorders, it means your thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones for your metabolism.
Normal T3 and T4 levels:
Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroxine, which is T4, and to make Triiodothyronine, which is T3. Laboratory blood tests will establish the amount of serum T3 and T4 levels are in your system.
Levels are measured by deciliters.
Your T4 range should be between 5-13.5 micrograms and your T3 should be 0.1-0.2 micrograms per deciliters.
If your T4 level is lower then 5 and your T3 is lower then 0.1 then it may indicate Hashimoto’s disease or hypothyroidism.
A radioimmunoassay (RIA) test may be ordered by your physician to check the T4 level in your blood. Another test that would help to determine thyroid problems is the thyroid-stimulating hormone test.
Low levels of hormones may cause an underactive thyroid. If you are on any medications or taking Estrogen, then other tests will have to be run in order to determine your proper levels. The combination of tests will give your physician a better understanding of your thyroid levels to see if you have any abnormalities in your hormone functions.
Low levels of T4 may indicate a few things:
- It could mean that your pituitary gland is not functioning properly in signaling the thyroid gland to produce more T3 and T4 hormones. Some hypothyroid disorders may be caused by the malfunctioning of the pituitary gland.
- Abnormal T3 and T4 readings may be caused by too much or too little protein globulin in your body. Protein can falsely increase or lower your T4 level which gives a misdiagnosis of your symptoms.
T4 is converted to T3 hormones by the body naturally, but sometimes the body is unable to make this conversion. When your body does not covet T4 hormones to T3 hormones you could become deficient in thyroid hormones. If you are experiencing any hypothyroid disorders, your doctor should check both the T3 and T4 levels.
The active form of hormone is the T3 and doctors pay close attention to this level.
T4 is converted to T3 hormones by the body naturally, but sometimes the body is unable to make this conversion. When your body does not covet T4 hormones to T3 hormones you could become deficient in thyroid hormones. If you are experiencing any hypothyroid disorders your doctor should check both the T3 and T4 levels of hormones.
Symptoms of Low T3 and T4 levels may include the following:
- Fatigue and Headaches
- Weight gain and Constipation
- Numbness in hands and fingers
- Dementia, confusion, or depression
Hypothyroidism may cause serious health problems if not taken care of by professional doctors.
There are other symptoms that may occur over time that people should be aware of in order to talk to their doctors about their concerns. Some of the other symptoms may be a slow pulse or speech, hoarse voice, and scaly, dry skin.
Low levels of T3 and T4 hormones may cause your metabolism to slow down which will affect your eating habits and body temperature.
How to boost your T3 and T4 levels
Your physician can give you a synthetic thyroid hormone, like Synthroid or Levoxyl, to help regulate thyroid hormones in your system.
Herbs, a proper diet, and thyroid medication are all viable solutions. Thyroid treatments may also include taking aspirin to relieve the inflammation and pain. In severe cases of inflammation, your physician may suggest a stronger medication like prednisone or dexamethasone. In rare cases, it may be suggested that a partial removal of your thyroid would be necessary.
Foods and Supplements to Consider:
- Foods with high vitamin B and iron, such as fresh vegetables and whole grains
- Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, such as cherries, blueberries, tomatoes, squash and bell peppers
- Zinc (used in our hypothyroid remedy) is necessary for the thyroid to manufacture hormones.
- Selenium and Iodine (when given together) have shown to help an underactive thyroid.
Before taking any Herbs for low hormone functions you should consult with your doctor. There are also many foods you need to avoid such as, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, soybeans, nuts and many others that may inhibit your thyroid from producing necessary hormones.
Daily exercise will help improve your system
You get the most benefits out of exercising when performing aerobic exercises at 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.
This will dramatically raise your T3 and T4 levels. People who pushed their exercise routines to maximums of 90 percent of their heart rate have found that their T3 levels would fall.
One study showed that women who were not athletes and exercised had higher T3 levels when they stopped their routines.
The women who were athlete’s and pushed their exercise routine to where they burned up more calories than they consumed had a lower T3 level reading after they stopped their routine.
Exercising increases the function of your thyroid and stimulates the thyroid to produce more hormones.
Your body tissues then become more receptive to the increased thyroid hormones produced while exercising and your T3, T4 levels increase.
Brain chemistry is affected by your thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones tell you if you are hungry, or full.
Serotonin levels are lowered by Hypothyroidism. The feel-good hormone serotonin is not released from the brain if your T3 and T4 levels are low. Exercising will help your body to adjust the chemicals in your body to a more normal level and increase your T3 and T4 levels.
Your goal should be to set up a fitness routine that you do 5 days a week for at least 60 minutes.
Stress and Depression from T3/T4 Imbalances
Physicians are finding in patients who come in stressed out or depressed have T4/T3 imbalances.
This type of depression and stress can be treated by taking both the T3 and T4 thyroid medications.
A blood test called TSH can be ordered to see if they are getting the right dose of T4. Usually, a physician will cut the T4 medication in half and add T3 medication at a low dosage.
T3 is added at a very low dosage because if you add a larger dose it could cause blood clots, irregular heartbeats, shakiness, and in some cases osteoporosis. Patients return in thirty days for another TSH and blood tests to check for the T3 level of hormones in their system.
Physicians can also give a patient a prescription to raise the level of serotonin with T3 hormones as an additive for maximum results.
Weight Loss & T3/T4
Thyroid hormones play a big part in your bodies metabolism. The effectiveness of how well your T3 and T4 hormones are in balance will help in the loss of weight. The hormone T3 burns fat five times as fast as T4.
Both thyroid hormones T3 and T4 must be working properly for you to have maximum weight loss.
Many people feel experiment with taking all carbohydrates out of their diet in an effort to lose weight faster.
However, by taking all carbohydrates out of your diet, you are lowing your T3 hormone levels. As soon as you go back to eating carbohydrates, the weight comes right back on. A better way would be to eat sensible carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables.
Keeping your T3 and T4 hormones in balance, eating properly and exercising will help you to lose weight.
What are T4 and T3? A Simple Guide For The Non-Scientist
[Last updated 6th December 2017]
T4 and T3 are important hormones produced by the thyroid gland.
Unfortunately, several thyroid conditions can cause abnormal levels in the blood.
This article will explain the actions of T4 and T3 and how to interpret test results.
Contents [hide]
- What Are T4 and T3?
- What Regulates T4 and T3 Levels
- What are Normal T4 and T3 Levels
- Low T4 and T3 levels and What This Means
- High T4 and T3 Levels and What This Means
- Do T4 and T3 Levels Need to Be Viewed Alongside TSH Levels?
- Can T4 and T3 Be Normal When TSH Is Elevated?
- Low T3 – Is It Relevant?
- Treating Hypothyroidism With Replacement T4 and T3
- Tests For Measuring T4 and T3
What Are T4 and T3?
The thyroid hormones Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3) are produced and secreted by the thyroid gland.
Each molecule of T4 and T3 is made up of a protein and iodine (in the form of iodide). T4 contains 4 molecules of iodide and T3 contains 3 molecules of iodide – hence the names T4 and T3.
This is what T4 (Thyroxine) looks like. It’s bound to 4 iodine molecules, while T3 is bound to 3. Image source.
Interestingly, thyroid hormones are the only compounds in the body that contain iodine. This is why dietary intake of iodine is important for thyroid health.
T4 is produced by the thyroid gland in much greater amounts than T3, around 90% more. This is because when T4 reaches organs and body tissue, it’s converted into T3.
So T4 is basically a stepping stone required for T3.
T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone in that it influences many body processes, in particular, the regulation of metabolism (1, 2).
Summary: T4 and T3 are hormones produced by the thyroid gland and are essential for life. The thyroid produces mainly T4, which is then converted to T3 in tissue and organs. T3 is the active hormone.
What Regulates T4 and T3 Levels
T4 and T3 levels are regulated by thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) – you can read the full guide on TSH here.
When TSH is released it stimulates the production of T4. In turn, T4 levels in the blood dictate the amount of TSH secreted.
- Low circulating T4 causes an increase in TSH levels. This increases the amount of T4 released into circulation.
- High circulating T4 causes a decrease in TSH levels. This decreases the amount of T4 released into circulation.
The relationship between T4 and TSH levels. Image source: Thyroid.org
However, note that many other factors can disrupt thyroid hormone levels. These include (3):
- Low dietary intake of iodine (affects the production of T4 and T3)
- Autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease)
- Benign tumors
- Cancer
- Congenital defects (born with an abnormal thyroid)
- Certain medications
- Thyroid surgery
- Very low carb or ketogenic diets– you can read more about that here.
- Other thyroid conditions
Summary: TSH stimulates the production of T4 and T3. When T4 levels rise or fall, TSH will respond accordingly to correct the levels. Disease and illness can disrupt this balance.
What are Normal T4 and T3 Levels
t4 and T3 can be measured by a blood test.
Specifically, Total T4 and T3 and/or Free T4 and T3 can be tested.
Total T4 and T3refers to the total amount of circulating T4 and T3 in your blood. However, this includes hormone that is bound to protein, which makes it inactive.
Therefore the more useful reading is a measurement called Free T4 and Free T3, or FT4 and FT3. This measures the amount of active hormone in the blood.
TThe normalrange for T4 and T3 will vary depending on the lab analyzing the sample. Test results need to be compared to the reference range of that specific lab.
Normal ranges for adults generally fall between these values (4).
Total T4 5.0-12 μg/dL
Total T3 80-190 ng/dL
Free T4 1.0-3.0 ng/dL
Free T3 0.25-0.65 ng/dL
There are also specific reference values for children
Normal T4 and T3 Levels in Pregnancy
Monitoring T4 and T3 levels in pregnant women is more complex.
Thyroid hormones are vital to the growth and development of a fetus. This means the production of T4 and T3 in pregnant women increases by up to 50% (5).
Determining adequate levels can be difficult as reference values for T4 and T3 can vary widely. This results from a number of factors including geographical location and stage of pregnancy.
Recent studies suggest more research is needed to determine more specific cutoff points (6).
Summary: T4 and T3 levels can be determined by blood tests. Normal reference ranges depend on age and tend to vary between labs. Requirements during pregnancy change as well.
Low T4 and T3 levels and What This Means
Low levels of T4 (with high TSH) indicates hypothyroidism.
This occurs when the thyroid is underactive and does not produce enough T4.
This can happen for two different reasons, which have classifications:
Primary Hypothyroidism
This means there is an issue with the thyroid gland itself. It’s the most common type of hypothyroidism.
TSH levels increase as the body tries to increase production of T4 and T3. However, T4 levels remain low because the thyroid gland is not functioning properly.
Primary hypothyroidism is typically diagnosed when we see:
FT4 Low
Total or FT3 Normal or Low
TSH High
Secondary Hypothyroid
This is rare and occurs when the pituitary (or hypothalamus) malfunctions and not enough TSH is secreted.
In this case, the thyroid gland is functioning properly but does not receive enough TSH to signal the production of T4 and T3.
Secondary hypothyroidism is typically diagnosed when we see (3):
FT4 Low
Total or FT3 Normal or Low
TSH Normal or Low
Interpreting test results with low T4 levels. Image source.
During a case of hypothyroidism, T3 is often last to become depleted. This could delay the time it takes to make the diagnosis, which is why T3 levels are not always useful (4).
Summary: Low T4 and T3 levels alongside elevated TSH can indicate hypothyroidism. This is almost always caused by a malfunctioning thyroid gland.
High T4 and T3 Levels and What This Means
High circulating levels of T4 typically indicate hyperthyroidism.
This is also known as Graves’ disease.
It occurs when the thyroid gland becomes overactive and produces excess T4.
Elevated T3 levels can also help determine the severity of hyperthyroidism, as it indicates large amounts of T4 are being converted.
Hyperthyroidism is usually diagnosed when we see:
T4 High
Total or FT3 High
TSH Low
Summary: High T4 and T3 levels usually indicate hyperthyroidism in the context of low TSH.
Do T4 and T3 Levels Need to Be Viewed Alongside TSH Levels?
TSH is regarded as the best marker of thyroid health, while T4 or T3 levels alone are generally not much help (4, 7).
However, to obtain a true understanding of thyroid function, TSH, T4, and T3 should be analyzed together. This is due to the strong relationship between all three hormones.
Unfortunately, many practitioners are only looking at TSH, which likely leads to misdiagnosis or under-diagnosis in many cases.
Other thyroid function tests may also be required (see below).
Summary: TSH, T4 and T3 levels should to be analyzed together to properly diagnose thyroid disease.
Can T4 and T3 Be Normal When TSH Is Elevated?
The simple answer is yes.
This is known as subclinical hypothyroidism.
Currently, there is no scientific consensus (agreement) on whether treatment with medication is helpful. This is because the active hormones (T4 and T3) are still at normal levels.
Although TSH is elevated, the thyroid is still able to produce enough T4 and T3 to meet demand. Therefore, hypothyroid symptoms are not present.
Often ‘active surveillance’ is the only management undertaken. This involves careful monitoring of signs and symptoms and repeats blood tests.
If TSH levels are significantly raised (above 10 mU/L) medication may be prescribed (8,9).
Summary: Subclinical hypothyroidism occurs when TSH levels are high but T4 and T3 are normal. Usually there are no symptoms.
Low T3 – Is It Relevant?
Low T3 can be seen in a condition called non-thyroidal Illness (or euthyroid sick syndrome).
It can occur during starvation and critical illness and is generally resolved when health is restored (2,7).
To a lesser degree, it’s suspected it can also occur during any chronic illness.
Currently,y there is not enough evidence that replacing T3 on its own is beneficial (2, 10).
Summary: In certain conditions low T3 levels can be seen when TSH and T4 levels are normal. This is usually a result of illness or starvation.
Treating Hypothyroidism With Replacement T4 and T3
Hypothyroidism is usually treated with synthetic T4 called levothyroxine or Synthroid.
Desiccated thyroid can also be used effectively, which is a mix of T4 and T3 made from animal thyroid glands. However, there is no evidence desiccated thyroid is more beneficial than levothyroxine (7,11).
Some doctors may also prescribe T3 alongside T4 medications when treating a stubborn case of hypothyroidism. This is uncommon but often useful.
There is no difference. Eltroxin is levothyroxine. Eltroxin is simply the brand name on the box, the tablets inside are levothyroxine.