Description
Available in the UK only. Thyroid Basic Plus is a serum test to assess central and peripheral thyroid function as well as autoimmunity and includes reverse T3 (rT3).
This thyroid hormone test measures:
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is produced by the anterior pituitary to control the thyroid gland’s production of thyroxine (T4), to store T4, and to release it into the bloodstream. TSH serves as a key test in thyroid diagnostics and is a very sensitive and specific parameter for assessing thyroid function.
Unbound T4 and T3, Free thyroxine (fT4) and Free Triiodothyronine (fT3) respectively, reflect the bioactive portion of thyroid hormones and can help identify both overt hyper- and hypothyroidism and more subtle subclinical thyroid dysfunction.
Thyroid antibody levels help assess autoimmune response, either to thyroglobulin (TG ab) or thyroid peroxidase (TPO Ab) which may affect production of thyroid hormones T4 and T3 and may be raised in response to trauma, inflammation, thyroid degeneration and in either Hashimoto’s disease or Graves’ disease.
Reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) is the amount of T3 in the body, not bound to protein but also not active. If the conversion of T4 produces excessive T3, T4 can be converted to rT3 as a way of storing surplus T4. This increased conversion to rT3 may increase under emotional, physical or biological stress eg chronic of acute illness, trauma, long-term high cortisol levels due to chronic stress or diabetes. Low iron levels, inflammation, extreme dieting, malnutrition or liver issues may also increase rT3.
Methodology
Medical Diagnosis is a private clinical pathology laboratory, ISO 15189 UKAS Standard accredited and regulated by the CareQuality Commission (CQC).
Standard specifications/Equipment/Techniques used:
Documented in-house methods and manufacturer’s instructions for Chemiluminescence immunoassay using the Snibe Maglumi 2000 plus documented in SOP WI-29 Maglumi 2000 Plus chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA)
When should I use
Thyroid function is essential for the primary regulation of all the body’s metabolic processes. Symptoms can include:
Fatigue
Depression
Feeling cold
Constipation
Poor skin
PMS, dysmenorrhoea
Poor fertility
Weight gain or inability to lose weight
Fluid retention
Anxiety and mood disorders
Decreased memory, concentration, or brain fog
Muscle and joint pain
Low libido
Other Details
Also consider more in-depth thyroid testing, either: BP004 Thyroid Complete, which includes T4, T3, fT4, fT3, rT3, anti-TPO, anti-TG and T-uptake, or
BP005 Thyroid Advanced, which includes T4, T3, fT4, fT3, rT3, anti-TPO, anti-TG, T-uptake and TSH Receptor Antibodies (TRAb)
