Debate Over Thyroid Testing

MDs Counter Contention That It May Be Inaccurate

(CBS)  Hotze said that, by the time a woman is 50, her thyroid function could well have decreased by 50 percent, leaving her exhausted, depressed, and wondering how she's going to make it through her day. But her thyroid lab tests may read normal.

"Since thyroid hormones enable your cells to generate energy," he writes in his book, "Hormones, Health, and Happiness," "is it any wonder that as your thyroid hormone level declines, your energy level also decreases? If a doctor relied solely on a lab test to evaluate your thyroid function, he would tell you that your condition is 'normal' — but you wouldn't feel normal with 50 percent less thyroid hormone. To ensure that you have plenty of energy and feel healthy, your doctor should strive to maintain your thyroid hormone level in the range that is optimal for you."

He told The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler, "In my opinion — and the way we treat it at our center in Houston, Texas, and I write about it in the book — we listen to the patient and let her tell us her symptoms. And then we will treat her based upon her clinical symptoms and give her a therapeutic trial of thyroids."

Dr. Lawrence Wood, of the Thyroid Foundation of America counters that, expressing the accepted view in the medical community that proper testing is absolutely necessary because thyroid hormone can be very dangerous if it's not used correctly.

"If you take too much thyroid and you have a heart condition," Wood said, "you could have a heart attack or a dangerous heart arrhythmia, so we just don't treat people who don't need thyroid hormone.

"Thyroid diagnosis is not a vague business. It's precise. We can make the diagnosis. Your doctor can tell if you need thyroid hormone. We want you to have it if you need it. We want you to be tested for it if there's a good reason, but we never want you to take thyroid hormone without proper testing."

The bottom line here, Senay stresses, is that you shouldn't make any decision to use thyroid hormone until you see a doctor first.

Click here to read an excerpt of "Hormones, Health and Happiness."