FAQ

Question 1

Are home thyroid tests reliable?

Accepted Answer

You can test your thyroid at home by looking for hypothyroid symptoms and measuring body temperature and pulse rate. This can get you a reliable indication of your thyroid function.

Thyroid Home Test:

Below you find a list of some common symptoms of hypothyroidism. Instructions and tables are also given for measuring your pulse and temperature.

If you have several of the symptoms listed and your body temperature and pulse rate are consistently significantly below 98.6°F (37 °C) and 85 beats per minute, you might have a problem with your thyroid function. 

In our Hypothyroid Treatment Program, you can learn much more about your thyroid function, how hypothyroidism affects your health, and how to support your metabolism with diet and lifestyle.

Question 2

What Are common Symptoms of Low Thyroid Function?

Accepted Answer

Fatigue
Cold hands and feet
Digestive problems
Depression & anxiety
Hair loss & sheading
Dry and sensitive skin
Blood sugar problems
Headaches
High cholesterol
Infertility
Menstrual problems (PMS, endometriosis)
Muscle and joint pain
Infection and inflammation
Water retention (edema)
Weight problems (gain or loss)

Question 3

Can Stress Affect My Thyroid?

Accepted Answer

Hypothyroid people often compensate for the low cellular energy by increasing the stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol). The stress hormones can keep the body temperature and pulse rate artificially up. Often the stress hormones are high in the morning before eating breakfast.  

Sometimes the adrenaline is up to 40 times higher in a hypothyroid person compared to a person with good thyroid function, this leads to a very high pulse rate, which can create problems with falling asleep and waking up during the night. The high adrenaline also tends to cause cold hands, feet, and nose.

If the stress hormones are high, there will be a drop in temperature and pulse rate to the hypothyroid level after breakfast, as the stress hormones are allowed to normalize, with the increased blood sugar. 

By measuring the temperature and pulse rate before and after breakfast, it is possible to separate the effect of the stress hormones from the actual thyroid function.

Question 4

How To Use Pulse And Temperature To Test For Hypothyroidism?

Accepted Answer

Keeping a chart for 14 days of both temperature (taken orally, under the tongue) and pulse rate measured before and after breakfast will give a good impression of the metabolic rate, as well as the stress hormones. You can find tables to note down your measurements below. 

It is important that the breakfast contains protein, salt, and good carbohydrates in order for the stress hormones to come down; it could be eggs with salt and orange juice or cheese with fruits. 

It is good to wait about 20 minutes after breakfast to take them after breakfast measurements. Normally, the temperature and pulse rate will increase when eating breakfast to values of about 98.6°F (37 °C) and 80-85 beats per minute respectively. These values indicate good thyroid function and should stay stable during the day. 

Hot weather or sleeping under an electric blanket increases the body temperature towards normal in a hypothyroid person, thus in these situations, the temperature is not valid and the pulse rate is the important factor in determining the thyroid function.

If some form of thyroid medication is used, this temperature and pulse method is a good way to evaluate the effect of the medication. You can read more about thyroid replacement therapy in Module 16 of  BiochemNordic’s health program.

Thyroid Specialist: Benedicte Lerche MSc PhD

Are home thyroid tests reliable?

What Are common Symptoms of Low Thyroid Function?

Can Stress Affect My Thyroid?

How To Use Pulse And Temperature To Test For Hypothyroidism?

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