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- July 25, 2008 - No Comments
The Haywire-Hormone Problem
Too little of the two active thyroid hormones (a condition called hypothyroidism) can make you cold, tired, forgetful, and depressed. Too much of those hormones (hyperthyroidism) can make you sweaty, shaky and irritable. A third-thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) – keeps the others in balance. But in some subclinical thyroid disease, TSH levels become abnormally low (below .45) or abnormally high (above 4.5), while the active hormones remain in the normal range.
Should subclinical thyroid disease be treated? A review of 195 studies found little evidence that medication improves long-term risks for mild cases. But close monitoring is in order. Over 10 years 10 to 20 percent of people with subclinical hypothyroidism develop overt disease.
That’s less likely to happen with subclinical hyperthyroidism, but people with that condition do appear more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat. Those with subclinical hypothyroidism may be at higher risk of hypertension and high cholesterol.
Get tested if you experience symptoms or have a family history of thyroid disease, or if you’ve ever had any thyroid abnormality, including after pregnancy. If your TSH is abnormal, have a follow-up test within the next three months. Some subclinical disorders resolve on their own, but if yours doesn’t, the test, along with a measure of the other major thyroid hormones, will help determine whether you’re a candidate for treatment.






