How to Understand Thyroid Levels

Your thyroid is located just below your skin and muscles in front of your neck --approximately where a bow tie would rest. It is a small gland with two lobes and resembles a butterfly. Your thyroid performs important functions such as control of your metabolism and release of hormones to the other cells. If your doctor suspects a problem with your thyroid gland, she will prescribe a blood test that measures thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, as well as thyroid levels called T3 and T4.

Instructions

How to Understand Thryoid Levels

• 1

  Understand normal thyroid levels. Your TSH results can indicate that nothing is wrong with your thyroid levels. For instance, if your TSH results are normal, you will have a number 0.4-4.0 mIU/L and will have no symptoms of abnormal thyroid function. However, if you are under treatment for a thyroid disorder, your number, according to the Health website of "The New York Times," should be 0.5-3.0 mIU/L.

• 2

  Compare your thyroid levels. If your TSH result is high, but the results of your T3 and T4 are normal, then your thyroid can indicate a mild form of hypothyroidism. Know the difference in test results. If the TSH level is high and your T3 and T4 are normal to low, then you may have hypothyroidism. If you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid is underactive, producing too little hormone. As a result, your metabolism slows down and you may experience fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, hoarseness or depression.

• 3

  When your TSH results are low, but your T3 and T4 levels are normal or high, your thyroid levels can indicate hyperthyroidism. Overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism is when you produce too much hormone. So when your thyroid releases a high amount of hormone into your bloodstream, your metabolism goes into overdrive. In addition, when your thyroid levels are high you may experience rapid heartbeats, intolerance to heat, irritability, nervousness or increased perspiration. Your food consumption may increase, but you may continue to lose weight. If you are a female you may notice that you have irregular menstrual periods.