The Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment is a thorough analysis of thyroid hormone metabolism, including central thyroid gland regulation and activity, thyroid production and secretion, peripheral thyroid conversion, and thyroid autoimmunity. This test allows the practitioner to pinpoint common imbalances that underlie a broad spectrum of chronic illness.

Thyroid hormones are essential and primary regulators of the body's metabolism. Imbalances can affect virtually every metabolic process in the body, exerting significant effects on mood and energy level. Thyroid function has a profound impact on overall health via its modulation of carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, vitamin utilization, mitochondrial function, digestive process, muscle and nerve activity, blood flow, oxygen utilization, hormone secretion, sexual and reproductive health, and many other physiological parameters.

One of the most common hormonal disorders, hypothyroidism has been called the "great imitator" for the vast number of medical conditions it can mimic. Thyroid imbalances may elicit fatigue, depression, coldness, constipation, poor skin, headaches, PMS, dysmenorrhea, fluid retention, weight gain, anxiety/panic attacks, decreased memory and concentration, muscle and joint pain, and low sex drive.

The Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment reveals imbalances that often go undetected with more limited assessments. Unbound levels of T4 and T3 are measured to reflect the bioactive portion of thyroid hormone, increasing clinical insight. This assessment can identify not only overt hyper- and hypothyroidism, but subtle sub-clinical manifestations of thyroid dysfunction, such as auto-immune reactions and altered peripheral conversion into T3 leading to reverse T3 dominance. These metabolic anomalies may trigger chronic symptoms, and promote the gradual development of degenerative disorders.

The Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment can detect metabolic irregularities arising from vitamin and mineral deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, chronic stress, enzyme dysfunction, and aging even when TSH and T4 levels are normal. Thyroid antibody levels help gauge autoimmune response frequently associated with antigenic cross-reactivity and gastrointestinal dysfunction, which may require additional clinical investigation and focused intervention. Thyroid antibody levels may rise in response to trauma, dysbiosis, inflammation (including thyroiditis) and progressive thyroid degeneration. At high levels, antibodies may block thyroid hormones from attaching to cellular receptors, causing symptoms of hypothyroidism even when thyroid hormone levels are adequate.

Ensuring healthy thyroid function is a valuable tool in preventive medicine. Optimal thyroid function may help safeguard against the pathogenesis of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression. Thyroid hormones also play central metabolic roles in healthy sexual and reproductive function in both women and men. Because they are essential for IGF-1 production, thyroid hormones significantly affect lipid metabolism.

What You Should Know

This test may reveal important clinical information about:

- Central thyroid dysregulation indicating primary or secondary thyroid disease or dysfunction, associated with fatigue, depression, coldness, hair loss, headaches, PMS, menstrual irregularities, fluid retention, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, anxiety or panic attacks, decreased memory or concentration, muscle and joint pain, low libido, and infertility

- Peripheral thyroid imbalances arising from nutrient shortages, heavy metal exposure, adrenal stress, enzyme deficiencies, and other chronic illness, which may result in functional hypothyroidism, known variously as euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS), low T3 syndrome, or Wilson's syndrome

- Thyroid antibody levels, to gauge autoimmune response that can interfere with thyroid receptor function and promote inflammatory diseases like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, or postpartum thyroiditis

Understanding Your Body's Accelerator

Similar to the way you regulate the speed of your car with a gas pedal, your thyroid regulates your metabolic rate by secreting thyroid hormone. With the proper setting, thyroid hormones maintain healthy growth and repair, use of energy, and heat production throughout your body. However, flaws in thyroid metabolism can slow down your body (hypothyroidism) or speed it up (hyperthyroidism), producing unpleasant and health-threatening effects.

Although many people still associate thyroid dysfunction with the classic symptoms - goiters, obesity, and "bug eyes" - there are many different symptoms of thyroid problems. When symptoms aren't severe or don't seem directly related to thyroid hormones, patients and their healthcare providers may dismiss them or blame them on some other condition.

Fortunately, there is an impressive array of tests now available for evaluating thyroid function much more precisely and thoroughly than was possible just five or ten years ago. Great Smokies has included six of the most sensitive of these tests in its new Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment to help your healthcare provider assess your thyroid comprehensively.

The test report, with its extensive commentary about the test markers and possible treatments, will help you and your practitioner decide what course to take for improving your thyroid health.

What Is Hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is the clinical syndrome caused by too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms can include: fatigue, coldness (hands and feet), depression, dry skin, and muscle cramps. Slow breathing, puffy face, hands and feet, diffuse hair loss, and high cholesterol are common physical signs of hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism is common in older persons and in women, increasing cardiovascular disease and osteopororis risk significantly. Causes range from excess stress, mineral deficiencies, toxic exposure, prolonged illness, and autoimmune disorders.

What Is Hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is the result of an overproduction of thyroid hormone, speeding up metabolism. With metabolism in overdrive, patients may experience high blood pressure, warm, moist skin, restlessness, weight loss, and feeling very hot. A classic sign can be "bug eyes," with the white of the eye visible around the entire iris.

Careful Monitoring

It is important for any thyroid dysfunction condition to be monitored through periodic re-testing. It is also important for your healthcare provider to evaluate your risk for heart disease and osteoporosis. Too little thyroid hormone can increase LDL (bad) cholesterol and decrease levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Too much can affect heart muscle. Thyroid dysfunction of any type speeds up bone loss.

Ask Yourself

Do you experience any of these symptoms?

• Cold all the time or cold hands and feet?
• Hot all the time or uncomfortable in warm weather?
• Tired, especially in the mornings?
• Keyed up or feeling like you are going to jump out of your skin?
• Recent unexplained change in weight?
• Depressed or anxious?
• Water retention or bug eyes?
• Diffuse hair loss?
• Difficulty swallowing or have a lump in your neck?

Ronald J. Grisanti, D.C., D.A.B.C.O
The Grisanti Center of Integrative Medicine
4200 East North Street, Suite 14 • Greenville, SC 29615
(864) 292-0226 • FAX: (864) 268-7022

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This page was last revised on July 10, 2002