Commonly, when scanning laboratory results, a physician will look for values that are “out of range” (high or low). It is often presumed that if FT4, TSH, and FT3 are all "in the normal range," those hormone levels won't be a problem for the heart, the liver, the kidney, the brain, and so on. It … Continue reading Are normal thyroid reference ranges risk-free zones?
Here is a common moment that occurs now and then in doctor’s offices. The physician looks up from their computer screen and tells the patient, “Your thyroid function tests came back normal, so nothing is wrong with your thyroid.” That statement reveals the dismal state of medical ignorance about normal-range thyroid lab results. It’s not … Continue reading Cognitive barriers to analyzing “normal” thyroid lab results
A collection of research graphs and quotations showing diverse Reverse T3 levels coexisting with health, in various illnesses, and alongside various T3 and T4 levels.
This post continues our opening series on "Developing Infographics for thyroid testing." In this post I discuss the scientific basis and potential usefulness of an infographic meme on "Screening for hypo, before therapy begins." Antibodies Q: Why doesn't this meme mention antibodies? A: This one is not about diagnosing autoimmune etiology. First we need to … Continue reading Infographic: Screening for hypo
Does the statistically-defined "normal" TSH reference range for the healthy population describe the TSH range for a healthy individual? Does having a TSH within the normal laboratory range always mean you, as an individual are biologically euthyroid? Does falling outside statistical TSH normality really mean that you are hypothyroid or thyrotoxic? This is part 2 … Continue reading Relational Stability, Part 2: Normality of TSH and thyroid hormones
