Thyroid Hormones and Depression
By Andrew Deschanes

Thyroid Hormones and Depression

Blood tests should be ordered to check the thyroid hormones called T3 and T4 and prolactin and for the brain hormones called TSH, especially if you suffer from fatigue and are depressed much of the time. 
You may have hypothyroid function and may need to take thyroid hormone to prevent heart and blood vessel damage and to increase your energy, if your TSH is high and your prolactin is normal. 

T4 is a thyroid hormone that people with low thyroid function are treated with and is in pill form.  Assuming you have a normal functioning thyroid gland, the thyroid gland produces T4 and is then converted into T3 in other tissues. 
Many doctors think you need only T4 to treat hypothyroidism.  When taking just T4 some people become depressed.  The thyroid hormones T3 and T4, if taken together, can help treat depression.  Please talk to your doctor if you are suffering from depression and you are hypothyroid.  A simple change in T4 or T3 can make all the difference in regard to your depression.

Getting your hormones under control and regulating them is one of the best ways to help you feel better. Remember, each person is different and requires a specific dosage level. There are many factors which can lead to necessary changes in your dosages, getting regular check ups are very important to keeping everything balanced.    

 

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