Figuring out what's going on with your body can be tough, especially when it comes to understanding hormones. One such tricky issue is when your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels suddenly go up. The key is to understand how different factors affect this hormonal balance.
TSH is a hormone produced by your body’s pituitary gland, a tiny organ at the base of your brain. This TSH plays an important role in managing the functioning of your thyroid gland. TSH tells the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, which are T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). Your thyroid hormones are involved in the regulation of your body’s metabolism.
Most of the time, if your thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones (a condition known as hypothyroidism), then your pituitary gland produces more TSH. This TSH signals your thyroid gland to work harder and produce more thyroid hormones. When you have hypothyroidism and you have been optimally treated with medication for a while, your TSH levels go back to the normal range. But sometimes, a routine thyroid test panel can show that your TSH has increased again - even if you have been taking your medication as you always have been. But what is the reason for this jump in TSH? Let's investigate!
Medication and Supplement Interactions
The mix of various medications and supplements can make your TSH levels go up and down. Some heartburn relievers like PPIs (these reduce the acid secretion in your stomach) can increase your TSH levels. Calcium and iron supplements can interfere with thyroid drug absorption, leading to higher TSH levels. Apart from this some mood stabilizers (usually used for people with bipolar disorder) can also disturb this balance.
Viral Hosts
Some viral infections can impact your immune system to stage an over-active response. This can inadvertently increase antibodies, leading to a surge in TSH levels.
Autoimmune Rollercoaster
In people with autoimmune diseases, periods of extreme immune response, known as autoimmune flares, can cause the body’s antibody levels to spike. This increased inflammation can interfere with the thyroid’s functionality and subsequently, up TSH levels.
Your Weight's Impact
Changes in your body weight relate closely to changes in TSH levels. Weight gain might demand a higher dosage of thyroid hormone replacement medication. So if you are getting an insufficient dosage of your thyroid hormone medication this could increase your TSH levels.
Cold Weather Woes
Could temperatures dropping down be a reason for your increase in TSH levels? It's a yes. Cold exposure can increase the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) produced by your hypothalamus (a part of your brain). This TRH makes your pituitary gland produce more TSH (Zhang et al., 2018).
Test Integrity and Timing
The integrity of TSH testing is of great importance. Exposure of blood samples to high temperatures can tamper with their integrity. This, along with the time of testing, has shown relevance since TSH levels show daily rhythm. TSH is highest in the early night and reaches its lowest during the daytime (Evie van der Spoel et al., 2021). It is important to note that TSH is secreted in a pulsative manner - so its level can even fluctuate over minutes.
Levothyroxine Refills
Switching to a different brand of your thyroid medication, levothyroxine could also play a role in your fluctuating TSH levels. Different brands have slight variations in potency which can influence the overall impact of your medication and consequently, your TSH levels.
Food Habits and Tummy Troubles
If you have hypothyroidism and are taking levothyroxine, a stark change in your food habits like starting a high-fiber diet can increase TSH levels. If you take your coffee at the same time as you do your levothyroxine, this could reduce the medication uptake by your body, leading to increased TSH. Certain gastrointestinal illnesses interfering with nutrition absorption like Celiac disease, and Crohn's disease, among others, can have similar effects.
Estrogen Levels
Fluctuations in estrogen levels can influence TSH levels. Higher estrogen levels (say if you are taking estrogen hormone replacement therapy) could demand an increase in your required levothyroxine medication dose. If you are taking an insufficient dose, this could lead to increased TSH levels.
Ensure that you're taking your medication as prescribed and keep an eye on your TSH levels. If you notice an increase in your TSH levels, it's essential to discuss this with your healthcare provider. They can help determine the underlying cause and adjust your treatment plan accordingly to ensure your thyroid health is properly managed.
Free Recommendations: Here at Eureka, we empower you with free advice for enhancing your thyroid health. So, let's embrace this journey towards better health together!
References
- TRH Neurons and Thyroid Hormone Coordinate the Hypothalamic Response to Cold. A review by Zhang et al. (2018). This medical review of the literature provides an overview of studies reporting the role of thyroid hormones in cold defence. Read more.
- Within-Person Variation in Serum Thyrotropin Concentrations: Main Sources, Potential Underlying Biological Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications. A medical review by Evie van der Spoel et al. (2021). Read more.
