Low T3 and T4

What women over 50 should know about their hormones

Women who are over the age of 50 are more likely to develop hypothyroid disorders.

Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones needed in your body. Hypothyroid disorders, if untreated, may cause many health problems like:

• Joint pain
• Infertility
• Obesity
• and heart disease.

There are reliable tests that can be taken to determine the levels of T3 & T4 being produced within your body.

Synthetic thyroid medications can be taken to help replace any lost hormones. They are safe and easy to take and once your dosage is established properly you will need to stay on your medications until a physician changes your prescription.

What are T3 and T4 hormones?

Triiodothyronine (known as T3) and Tetraiodothyronine (known as T4) are hormones produced by the thyroid gland.

The gland is a butterfly-shaped gland positioned in the front of your neck just under your voice box.

These hormones influence and allow your body's metabolism to function properly. The amount of T3 and T4 that is produced in your system is governed by the pituitary gland which produces thyroid-stimulating hormones.

TSH controls the amount of T3 and T4 the thyroid produces. Thyroid-stimulating hormones will produce more stimulants so your body will increase the T3 and T4 hormone levels in your system. If you have hypothyroid disorders, it means your thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones for your metabolism.

How to boost your T3 and T4 levels

Your physician can give you a synthetic thyroid hormone, like Synthroid or Levoxyl, to help regulate thyroid hormones in your system.

Herbs, a proper diet, and thyroid medication are all viable solutions. Thyroid treatments may also include taking aspirin to relieve inflammation and pain. In severe cases of inflammation, your physician may suggest a stronger medication like prednisone or dexamethasone. In rare cases, it may be suggested that partial removal of your thyroid would be necessary.

Foods and Supplements to Consider:

• Foods with high vitamin B and iron, such as fresh vegetables and whole grains
• Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, such as cherries, blueberries, tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers
• Zinc (used in our hypothyroid remedy) is necessary for the thyroid to manufacture hormones.
• Selenium and Iodine (when given together) have shown to help an underactive thyroid.

Before taking any Herbs for low hormone functions you should consult with your doctor. There are also many foods you need to avoid such as, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, soybeans, nuts, and many others that may inhibit your thyroid from producing necessary hormones.

Daily exercise will help improve your system

You get the most benefits out of exercising when performing aerobic exercises at 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

This will dramatically raise your T3 and T4 levels. People who pushed their exercise routines to maximums of 90 percent of their heart rate have found that their T3 levels would fall.

One study showed that women who were not athletes and exercised had higher T3 levels when they stopped their routines.

The women who were athletes and pushed their exercise routine to where they burned up more calories than they consumed had a lower T3 level reading after they stopped their routine.

Exercising increases the function of your thyroid and stimulates the thyroid to produce more hormones.

Your body tissues then become more receptive to the increased thyroid hormones produced while exercising and your T3, T4 levels increase.

Brain chemistry is affected by your thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones tell you if you are hungry, or full.

Serotonin levels are lowered by Hypothyroidism. The feel-good hormone serotonin is not released from the brain if your T3 and T4 levels are low. Exercising will help your body to adjust the chemicals in your body to a more normal level and increase your T3 and T4 levels.

Your goal should be to set up a fitness routine that you do 5 days a week for at least 60 minutes.

Stress and Depression from T3/T4 Imbalances

Physicians are finding in patients who come in stressed out or depressed have T4/T3 imbalances.

This type of depression and stress can be treated by taking both the T3 and T4 thyroid medications.

A blood test called TSH can be ordered to see if they are getting the right dose of T4. Usually, a physician will cut the T4 medication in half and add T3 medication at a low dosage.

T3 is added at a very low dosage because if you add a larger dose it could cause blood clots, irregular heartbeats, shakiness, and in some cases osteoporosis. Patients return in thirty days for another TSH and blood tests to check for the T3 level of hormones in their system.

Physicians can also give a patient a prescription to raise the level of serotonin with T3 hormones as an additive for maximum results.

Weight Loss & T3/T4

Thyroid hormones play a big part in your body's metabolism. The effectiveness of how well your T3 and T4 hormones are in balance will help in the loss of weight. The hormone T3 burns fat five times as fast as T4.

Both thyroid hormones T3 and T4 must be working properly for you to have maximum weight loss.

Many people attempt to take all carbohydrates out of their diet to lose weight faster.

However, by taking all carbohydrates out of your diet, you are lowing your T3 hormone levels. As soon as you go back to eating carbohydrates, the weight comes right back on. A better way would be to eat sensible carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables.

Keeping your T3 and T4 hormones in balance, eating properly, and exercising will help you to lose weight.