(GoHealthier.com)
Having a healthy thyroid is essential for aging well.
This tiny gland helps regulate your metabolism… your energy… and your hormones.
And that’s why most of us get a regular thyroid blood test at our annual physical.
But depending on what time of year you’re scheduled, you may not get accurate results.
Because new research shows that thyroid levels can change with the seasons…
And this means you could be taking medication for NO REASON at all.
Here’s everything you need to new about the shocking new find.
If you’ve had labs recently, there’s a good chance your doc ordered a thyrotropin-stimulating hormone (TSH) level.
A steady TSH level is a crucial indicator of a healthy thyroid. If it’s too high, you can develop hypothyroidism, which can impact your metabolism. The standard healthy range is 0.46-4.68 mIU/L for most seniors.
But new research shows that your readings may be inaccurate depending on when your test is done.
For the study, researchers tracked the THS levels of more than 7,000 healthy individuals for one year.
And that’s when they found something really alarming…
The results showed that THS levels could change as much as 2 points from season to season.
Levels peaked in the winter months (January to February) and hit a low in the summer months (June to August).
Now, I can see how two points may not seem like a big deal.
But in reality, it’s HUGE.
Two points could be the difference between taking another medication or NOT.
In fact, another study shows that seasonal THS variations could be responsible for between a third to a half of the 90 percent of unnecessary thyroid medication prescriptions.
This means you might’ve been taking a drug for a disease you DON’T HAVE… for years!
So, if you’re currently taking medication for hypothyroidism, take a look at when your labs were last drawn.
If it was in the winter months, call your doc and schedule a recheck for this summer.
It might just help you ditch one unnecessary medication.
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