Author Archives
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A complete pathway map of T4 and T3 metabolism and clearance
Biochemical pathway maps are an important aspect of medical education and medical problem-solving. They help us to view a network or series of chemical reactions in cells. In this article, I present a comprehensive science-based pathway map showing all the… Read More ›
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The leaky buckets analogy of thyroid hormone metabolism
Thyroid hormone metabolism is a very complicated system. A visual analogy sometimes goes a long way to assist comprehension. Throughout the body, there are at least six major pathways for T4 transformation or excretion, and at least six major pathways… Read More ›
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An example of confusion about Free T3: Free T4 ratios
There’s a lot of confusion out there about Free T3: Free T4 ratios in bloodstream. Part of the confusion is about how these ratios are expressed in numbers and phrases. Should you express this ratio in blood as 1:4, 4:1… Read More ›
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The myths that idolize TSH and denigrate FT3
There are myths in medical practice, and misguided policies in health care systems, that prevent Free T3 (FT3) from being tested. It could save a patient years or decades of suffering and illness to perform this cheap test to reveal… Read More ›
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What if some thyroid endocrinologists are like programmers?
A thought: Is thyroid endocrinology like programming? Endocrinology seems to be a field that thinks it already knows all the variables in the box of thyroid therapy, and all the problems exist outside the box. My husband is a self-taught… Read More ›
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Focusing on T3: The T3 hormone or the LT3 pharmaceutical?
Who needs “T3”? We received a friendly and well-intended comment lately. It illustrated that in today’s Global English, we sometimes have a hard time defining and understanding what “T3” means when a person is talking about T3. Are they talking… Read More ›
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23 years of misdiagnosed central hypothyroidism with a normal TSH: Case study
In this post, I’ll comment on the case study of a woman who suffered for 23 years with undiagnosed central hypothyroidism between 1992 and 2015 (age 34 to age 57) because her TSH was repeatedly in normal range. She developed… Read More ›
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Winter T3 loss: Why it matters to thyroid patients
It’s April. You’re a thyroid-hormone treated person with a thyroid disability on a fixed budget of thyroid hormone. Have you been feeling hypothyroid in the past few months? If so, you’re not alone. If not, thank your thyroid, or your… Read More ›