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Thyroxine (T4) Free Thyroid Blood Test
Valued at: $149.00
Our Price:
$49.00
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Low Cost Thyroid Testing From HealthCheckUSA
HealthCheckUSA, a service of Life Time Fitness, is the nation’s leader in low cost, consumer blood, lab and saliva testing providing people the ability to access all types of discounted lab tests without a physician’s referral and at 50% - 80% savings.
HealthCheckUSA has thyroid function lab tests and packages that make it simple for consumers to measure, monitor, and improve their health by being able to order their own lab tests without their doctor.
Thyroxine (T4) Free Thyroid Function Blood Test
Hormones are a chemical substance secreted by one tissue and traveling to another to affect other tissues in your body and control or regulate your body’s metabolism—how it functions and uses energy. They act as chemical messengers. Maintaining proper balance of these important “messengers” is key to optimal health.
Thyroxine (T4) Free Blood Test Description:
What is being tested?
This thyroid function blood test measures the amount of thyroxine, or T4, in your blood. T4 is one of two major hormones produced by the thyroid gland (the other is called triiodothyronine, or T3). The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located just below the Adam's apple. This gland plays a vital role in controlling the rate at which your body uses energy.
The body has a feedback system that turns thyroid hormone production on and off. When the level of T4 in the bloodstream decreases, the hypothalamus (an organ in the brain) releases thyrotropin releasing hormone, which stimulates the pituitary gland (an organ below the hypothalamus) to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which in turn stimulates the thyroid gland to make and/or release more T4. As blood concentrations of T4 increase, TSH release is inhibited.
T4 makes up nearly 90% of thyroid hormones, while T3 makes up less than 10%. Inside the thyroid gland, T4 is bound to a protein called thyroglobulin. When the body requires thyroid hormone, the thyroid gland releases stored T4 into circulation. In the blood, T4 is either free (not bound) or protein-bound (primarily bound to thyroxine-binding globulin). The concentration of free T4 is only about 0.1% of that of total T4. T4 is converted into T3 in the liver or other tissues. T3, like T4, is also highly protein-bound, but it is the free forms of T3 and T4 that are biologically active. Free T3 is also 4 to 5 times more active than free T4 in circulation.
If the thyroid gland does not produce sufficient T4, due to thyroid dysfunction or to insufficient TSH, then the affected patient experiences symptoms of hypothyroidism such as weight gain, dry skin, cold intolerance, irregular menstruation, and fatigue. If the thyroid gland produces too much T4, the rate of the patient’s body functions will increase and cause symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism such as increased heart rate, anxiety, weight loss, difficulty sleeping, tremors in the hands, and puffiness around dry, irritated eyes.
The most common causes of thyroid dysfunction are autoimmune-related. Graves’ disease causes hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis causes hypothyroidism. Both hyper- and hypothyroidism can also be caused by thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation), thyroid cancer, and excessive or deficient production of TSH. The effect of these conditions on thyroid hormone production can be detected and monitored by measuring the total T4 (includes bound and free portion) or the free T4 (unbound form).
Why Do I Need This Hormone Blood Test?
Because the free levels of T4/T3 represent immediately available hormone, free T4 and free T3 is thought to better reflect the patient's hormonal status than total T4 and Total T3.
We recommend a thyroid test for anyone who:
- has a family member with thyroid disease,
- has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome
- is a woman in or near menopause,
- has recently given birth,
- has other pituitary or endocrine disease, or
- is experiencing symptoms of thyroid disease.
When Should You Suspect Your Thyroid?
Your thyroid gland regulates all cells in your body and the rate at which they should function. Too little hormone, called hypothyroidism, puts you into a dragging slowdown. This is a problem for more than 10 million Americans - of whom 8 million don't know it. Too much hormone, called hyperthyroidism, increases your momentum. This problem affects some 4.5 million Americans, but at least 600,000 of them have yet to be diagnosed.
Thyroid disease symptoms cover quite a range, and if you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from one of these disorders, you should consider a thyroid test or thyroid tests. Here are some thyroid disease symptoms:
- fatigue or depression,
- enlargement of the thyroid gland or discomfort in the neck area,
- weight change,
- pregnancy problems,
- always feeling too hot or too cold,
- heart rate or blood pressure irregularities,
- digestive problems like diarrhea and more frequent bowel movements and urination, and/or
- muscle and joint fatigue.
Of course, this is not a comprehensive thyroid disease symptom list, and we encourage people who have questions about thyroid disease to consult their doctor or simply order a thyroid test or a few select thyroid tests to get some answers.
Save Money by Ordering Discounted Blood Testing Packages
- Thyroid Blood Profile with TSH, Comprehensive
- Thyroid Blood Profile with TSH, Premium
- CMP, Super Chemistry plus Comprehensive Thyroid Profile
Additional Blood Tests
- Total Health and Wellness Lab Assessment
- Ultimate Health and Wellness Lab Assessment
Price: $49, Valued at $149
Category (s): Thyroid Screenings
LabCorp Order #: #001974
Blood Tests Included :
- Thyroxine (T4) Free Thyroid Function Blood Test
HealthCheckUSA, a service of Life Time Fitness, is the nation’s leader in low cost, direct-to-consumer blood and lab testing and provides people the ability to access all types of blood, urine and saliva tests without a physician’s referral and at 50% - 80% savings. HealthCheckUSA has packages that make it simple for consumers to measure, monitor, and improve their health by being able to order their own lab tests without a doctor’s order. HealthCheckUSA serves customers without insurance, have high deductible insurance plans, and taking control of their health because their doctor won’t order the test.
Lab tests available through HealthCheckUSA are the same medically accepted lab tests ordered by doctors for their patients. The blood tests are analyzed by an accredited medical reference laboratory. The results are confidential, and are available on the HealthCheckUSA Web site within 3-4 business days.
Low Cost Lab Tests Include: thyroid testing, complete metabolic testing (CMP), complete blood count testing, heart disease testing, cholesterol testing, diabetes testing (HbA1c), prostate cancer testing (PSA), vitamin D testing, vitamin B-12 testing, testing for osteoporosis, iron deficiency testing, testosterone testing to check for Low Testosterone (Low T), erectile dysfunction testing, estrogen testing for low levels of estrogen, male hormone testing and female hormone testing for hormone imbalances, drug testing, STD testing for herpes, hepatitis A, B and C testing, HIV, Chlamydia, syphilis, and EBV, herpes type 1 and type 2 testing, fertility testing in men, fertility testing in women, infertility testing in men, infertility testing in women, pregnancy testing, and many more. Please go to HealthCheckUSA or call 800-929-7044 for complete details.
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