What happens if your t3 is high

The T3 test simply involves having your blood drawn. The blood will then be tested in a laboratory. Measuring your T4 and TSH can help your doctor figure out if you have a thyroid problem despite a normal T3 result. However, abnormal results can help point them in the right direction. Your doctor may also choose to perform a T4 or TSH test to gain a clearer picture of your thyroid function. Abnormally high levels of T3 are common in pregnant women and those with liver disease.

If your T3 test also measured the free T3 level, your doctor may be able to rule out these conditions. High T3 levels might also indicate high levels of protein in the blood. In rare cases, these elevated levels could indicate thyroid cancer or thyrotoxicosis. Abnormally low levels of T3 may indicate hypothyroidism or starvation.

Instead, they often use it along with the T4 and TSH test to get a more complete picture of how your thyroid is working. When you have your blood drawn, you can expect to have a bit of discomfort during the procedure. You may also have minor bleeding or bruising afterward. In some cases, you may feel light-headed.

Serious symptoms, though rare, can include fainting, infection, excessive bleeding, and inflammation of the vein. Here are some facts you should know about hypothyroidism and how it differs from hyperthyroidism. A test to measure the level of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin TSI in your blood is available.

Your doctor may order it if you have signs of…. During a T3 test, a healthcare professional will select a vein to take blood from — either on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand — and clean the area around it with antiseptic. They may use an elastic band to restrict the blood flow. Then, they will insert a needle into the vein and draw blood into a syringe.

Some people feel a pricking or scratching sensation during blood tests. At this point, if the healthcare professional used an elastic band, they will remove it. When they have collected enough blood, they will remove the needle and apply a cotton ball or bandage. T3 testing generally does not cause side effects, but there is a slight risk of throbbing, soreness, or mild bruising at the injection site. Some people might also feel lightheaded during or just after the procedure.

You can also consider at-home thyroid test kits to measure T3 and other thyroid hormone levels. High T3 levels can indicate several conditions, including hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis excess circulating hormones.

In some cases, they can signify thyroid cancer , but this disease does not often cause abnormal T3 levels. Nodules and lumps that grow on the thyroid can also cause hyperthyroidism.

Doctors refer to this as toxic nodular goiter. If a doctor believes that someone has hyperthyroidism, they will suggest suitable treatments, such as:. Low T3 test results can indicate an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism. Sometimes, low T3 can also indicate starvation. According to the ATA , a person can develop an underactive thyroid due to autoimmune disease, or as a result of radiation treatment or thyroid surgery.

Sometimes, getting too much or too little iodine also causes symptoms. Treatment often includes levothyroxine medication, which replaces the hormones that the thyroid should produce. This drug controls the symptoms of hypothyroidism, but it does not cure the condition. The ATA outline some other thyroid tests a doctor may order, including:. High levels can indicate hyperthyroidism, and low levels can be a sign of hypothyroidism.

However, other factors can also influence T3 levels, including certain medications and pregnancy. Due to this, a doctor may need to run additional tests to determine whether someone has a thyroid condition. A person's diet can affect the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. This article looks at which foods and nutrients to eat and which to avoid for an….

Graves' disease is the most common autoimmune condition in the U. Research suggests that exposure to even low levels of cadmium can cause the thyroid gland to become hyperactive and secrete more T3 and T4.

Cadmium exposure is also linked to thyroid tumors, which further increase the levels of thyroid hormones [ 12 , 13 ]. The most obvious example would be thyroid medications that are used to treat low thyroid levels hypothyroidism. For example, desiccated thyroid Armour Thyroid is a drug that contains T3 and T4 extracted from animals.

Taking an excessive amount of these drugs can cause thyroid hormone levels to become too high [ 14 , 15 ]. However, there are other, not so obvious medications that can also increase T3, including [ 16 , 17 ]:.

Having high T3 levels does not necessarily mean these health risks will occur. If you have abnormal thyroid hormone levels, speak to your doctor about how they may affect you.

High T3 levels in the blood may lead to symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Symptoms can vary greatly depending on age, the severity of the disease, and the presence of other conditions. The most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism include [ 4 ]:.

Hyperthyroidism can also sometimes lead to thyroid storm, a life-threatening condition that is usually triggered by another serious illness, such as fever, infection, or a heart attack. Those with uncontrolled hyperthyroidism and those who abruptly stop their antithyroid medications are more at risk [ 18 ].

Thyroid storm is essentially a severe form of hyperthyroidism and shares many of the same symptoms. However, a thyroid storm can also cause fever, confusion, heart attack, and jaundice yellowing of the skin and eyes. This condition requires immediate medical attention [ 18 ]. High levels of thyroid hormones can be dangerous for both the mother and baby. For example, women with uncontrolled hyperthyroidism are about 9 times more likely to have a low birth weight pregnancy and are almost 17 times more likely to give birth prematurely [ 19 , 8 ].

Hyperthyroidism pregnancy complications for the mother may include [ 19 , 8 ]:. Hyperthyroidism complications that may affect the baby include [ 19 , 8 ]:. Proper control of thyroid hormones is critical during pregnancy. Dosing requirements for thyroid medications often change while pregnant. Always speak with your doctor if you plan to become pregnant or are pregnant and have high thyroid hormone levels [ 8 ]. Metabolic syndrome refers to a collection of disorders that includes obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood triglycerides fats , and low HDL good cholesterol.

People with three or more of these conditions are considered to have metabolic syndrome [ 20 ]. One observational study of people who do not have hyperthyroidism suggests that those with higher free T3 levels 3. Interestingly enough, everyone in the study had free T3 levels that are considered normal 2.

Thyroid hormones play a major role in metabolism, which includes regulating cholesterol levels. An observational study looked at the connection between thyroid hormones and cholesterol levels in elderly patients who have diabetes, but normal thyroid function [ 22 ].

Researchers found that higher free T3 levels correlate to higher total cholesterol and LDL the bad kind of cholesterol [ 22 ]. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD describes the buildup of fat in the liver that is not caused by alcohol consumption. This condition increases the risk of other liver diseases, including cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure [ 23 ]. According to an observational study of 2, people with normal thyroid function, high free T3 levels are linked to higher rates of NAFLD.