When you think of the thyroid or low TSH low T4, you probably get an image in your mind of the gland in your neck that you have heard has something to do with everything from stunted growth to weight gain. The problems that you might have with your thyroid could have something to do with low TSH low T4. Since the thyroid is used for maintain growth rates for a lot of different mechanisms in your body, it is important to keep it healthy, and to know when you have low TSH or low T4 levels, as this can lead to serious health complications that can easily be avoidable by just going to a doctor and getting the right treatment.
About Low TSH Low T4
Low TSH low T4 occurs when your thyroid isn’t producing enough of the hormone that regulates growth rates in your body. There are many symptoms of low TSH, otherwise known as low T4, they include a feeling of a loss of energy, unexplained weight gain, losing patches of your hair, and being unable to withstand the cold. Because a low T4 level is, in the long term, very detrimental to your well-being, it is important to have it checked out by a doctor as soon as you can. The above symptoms can mean any number of things, but taken together, most doctors would probably order blood work done to see what levels of hormones and proteins are either way too low or too high in the body. This is where a doctor might see that you have a low TSH level. Once you are diagnosed with low TSH or low T4, it is very important that the doctor then figure out what kind of deficiency it is, either hypothyroidism, or cycles of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, where the levels of hormones produced are not at an even pace, but in peaks and valleys.
What Causes Low TSH Low T4
What causes low TSH low t4 depends a lot on your lifestyle, if you have a very particular diet, or are malnourished, your low TSH may be caused by not getting enough iodine in your system. Having thyroid cancer will also cause your TSH and T4 levels to drop dramatically, especially if your thyroid has to be removed to keep the cancer from spreading. You are also at a higher risk for low TSH or low T4 if you have family who also had some sort of thyroid disease, as these are often genetic and can be transferred from generation to generation.
The common treatment for low TSH low T4 is hormonal replacement therapy. This is usually either a series of shots or pills that sometimes lasts for a few weeks, while in other cases it can be for your entire life, especially if you have had your thyroid removed or if it is no longer functioning at all for some reason. Sometimes a change in your diet or lifestyle can fix a thyroid problem, especially if you weren’t getting enough iodine before. Your doctor will be able to tell you which kind of thyroid problem you have as their are many different types other than low TSH low T4, and which treatment is best for that specific problem.
