A T3 resin uptake (also called a T3 uptake or T3RU) is a
blood test performed as part of an evaluation of thyroid function
. The thyroid is a gland in the neck that produces the hormones that help regulate many body processes, including growth, energy balance, body temperature, and heart rate.
What does a T3 uptake test show?
The T3 resin uptake (T3RU) test is a
test of thyroid-related proteins in the blood
. It’s used to help doctors interpret the results of other thyroid tests, namely the T3 and T4 tests, which show how much thyroid hormone is available to the body in free form.
What does it mean if your T3 uptake is low?
Low T3 levels may mean you have
hypothyroidism
, a condition in which your body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. T3 test results are often compared with T4 and TSH test results to help diagnose thyroid disease.
Can low T3 cause weight gain?
According to Dr. Kitahara, if someone has low thyroid function, their TSH is high, and the thyroid hormones known as
T3 and T4 are low
—and weight gain often occurs. If someone has an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, TSH is usually low, the T3 and T4 are high, and weight loss occurs.
What is normal range for T3 Uptake?
Normal Results
The range for normal values are: Total T3 —
60 to 180 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL)
, or 0.9 to 2.8 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) Free T3 — 130 to 450 picgrams per deciliter (pg/dL), or 2.0 to 7.0 picomoles per liter (pmol/L)
What should your T3 level be?
A normal Total T3 level in adults ranges from
80-220 ng/dL
. Free T3 assays are often unreliable and not routinely used to assess thyroid function.
How do I increase my T3 Uptake?
- Foods rich in zinc: oysters, beef, crab, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and chickpeas.
- Foods rich in selenium: brazil nuts, tuna, halibut, sardines, turkey, and beef liver.
What does a high T3 uptake level mean?
T3 uptake.
A high T3 uptake means
binding proteins are more saturated than normal
. When combined with a total T4, this test allows the “free thyroid index” to be calculated, thus correcting for low or high thyroid binding proteins.
What does increased T3 uptake mean?
The Results
High T3 levels. High levels of T3 can indicate
hyperthyroidism
, caused by Graves’ disease or even by thyroiditis and toxic nodular goiters. In rare cases, high T3 levels can show thyrotoxicosis or thyroid cancer.
What are the symptoms of high T3?
- Anxiety.
- Irritability or moodiness.
- Nervousness, hyperactivity.
- Sweating or sensitivity to high temperatures.
- Hand trembling (shaking)
- Hair loss.
- Missed or light menstrual periods.
Will T3 help me lose weight?
Researchers found that higher baseline free triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (T4) levels
predicted more weight loss
among overweight and obese adults with normal thyroid function.
Can low free T3 cause hair loss?
According to a review published in Molecular Biology of the Cell, thyroid disorders caused by disrupted T3 and T4 hormones
can cause hair loss
, especially in untreated or extreme conditions. Unfortunately, the review found, hair loss (as well as breaking or thinning hair) is found in both hypo- and hyperthyroidism.
Does T3 increase metabolism?
T3 significantly increased the metabolic rate
as measured by two other independent measures: the resting energy expenditure (REE), measured by indirect calorimetry (fourteen patients), and the sleeping heart rate (six patients).
What causes high T3 levels?
High T3 levels are most commonly caused by thyroid disorders like
Graves’ disease, goiter, and thyroid tumors
. Health risks of high T3 include pregnancy complications, high cholesterol, liver disease, and sexual dysfunction.
Should T3 be higher than T4?
Circulating levels of T4 are much greater than T3 levels
, but T3 is biologically the most metabolically active hormone (3-4 times more potent than T4) although its effect is briefer due to its shorter half-life compared to T4.
What supplements increase T3?
In addition to selenium,
zinc
plays a role in the conversion of the thyroid hormone T4 to T3. Selenium and zinc are beneficial in improving thyroid function and hormone levels. According to a study in Hormones: The Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, zinc improves T3 levels significantly.
