Category Archives for Lab Tests

SHBG is short for Sex Hormone Binding Globulin.

This test is rarely ordered, which is unfortunate because it can give you a lot of information about the hormones in your body.

High levels can lead to symptoms of excess estrogen, excess thyroid, and low testosterone.

Low levels can lead to symptoms of low thyroid, low estrogen, and excess testosterone.

In this article, I will discuss how to interpret your SHBG test results, and list some common causes of elevated levels and low levels.  

I will show how SHBG can be used to monitor your thyroid function if you are on thyroid medication.

I will also discuss some things that you can do to help you get your SHBG level back into the optimal range whether it is high or low...

If you have a thyroid issue and want to feel better, then increasing your T3 level to the optimal range is the single most important thing that you can do.

Why?

Because T3 is the active thyroid hormone.

Most people have lower than optimal free T3 levels even if they are taking thyroid hormone medication.

So how do you increase your T3 level?  That is the critical question.  

I will try to give you all of the tools you need in this article to start increasing your T3 level and get you feeling your best.  Some are simple and straightforward while others are more difficult.

Here we go...

Do your lab tests show that your T4 level is low?

What does that mean exactly?

Do you also have symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, constipation, and depression?

If you answered yes, you most likely have hypothyroidism which usually causes a low T4 level.

In this article, I will discuss the T4 lab test, what it means when it is low, symptoms that may be associated with a low T4 level, and I will also give some treatment tips that will help raise it to an optimal level.

Let's get started...

Most medical providers have been trained to only check the TSH when monitoring thyroid function.

But is the TSH enough to test your thyroid?  Is it enough to monitor whether you are on the right dose or right type of thyroid medication?

The answer is a definite "no" and I will explain why in this article...

Is it dangerous to have a suppressed TSH level lower than the "normal" range?

Does a low TSH increase the risk for osteoporosis or heart problems?

Are there situations when having a suppressed TSH is not only safe but helpful?

Are there things that can be done to avoid the potential negative side effects of a low TSH?

I will try to answer these questions and others in this article...