Best Test for Checking Your Thyroid At Home (2023)

What’s Inside: Whether you have a known thyroid condition or not, such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis or hypothyroidism, your thyroid is vital to your overall health and wellbeing as your body’s master gland. I’ll explain why and share the best test for checking your thyroid at home (with a special reader discount).

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What is your thyroid and why is it important?

That butterfly-shaped gland in the base of your neck is a key player in your health. It’s often referred to as the body’s thermostat, maybe you’ve heard about it implicated with weight changes or issues like hair loss… because it’s your master gland that controls many important functions in the body including metabolism.

This is probably why when our thyroid is struggling, the symptoms can feel all over the place or hard to nail down. 

Symptoms of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s

The symptoms can range from digestive issues, to hair loss, and much more… everyone is different. But no matter what, symptoms are always messages from the body, a cry for help. So using that data and curiosity to dig deeper is how you can answer the call.

That was certainly the case for me on the road to getting diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid), which is the most common thyroid condition in the U.S. and affects nearly 14 million people. My chronic hair loss, mood changes, hormonal imbalances, and digestive issues kept me searching for answers…

Looking to try the AIP diet for Hashimoto’s? Here’s a 1-week meal plan to try!

It’s important to know that your body relies on adequate thyroid hormone (T4 and the active form, T3) for many of these key functions. And when it’s out of balance and the thyroid isn’t functioning properly, there’s a cascade of issues in the body. 

Getting your thyroid checked

Here’s another unfortunate challenge, once you muster up the courage to visit a doctor for help with your thyroid, you’re likely not receiving the best care. Yikes.

Your mainstream western-medicine primary care doctor (and even most endocrine specialists) are probably not *fully* testing your thyroid or ensuring the levels are not just in range, but optimal. 

They’re missing a large picture because they tend to only test the lab marker: TSH, and maybe T4 in the blood. This is the reason my hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto’s went undiagnosed for 3 years, even when visiting the top endocrinologists in New York City. 

I was dismissed as my chronic hair loss and gut issues being “all in my head” or as “premature aging” at the ripe old age of 27… YUP. Because I didn’t fit in their outdated box.

Thankfully, through holistic means, I found a more modern and thorough test with the help of a Naturopath and was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. 

Unbeknownst to me, my thyroid gland was damaged and I didn’t have enough thyroid hormone for my body to function optimally, causing so many symptoms I was chasing my tail on. 

This answer changed my life and health journey forever. And it’s one of the many reasons I’m so passionate about helping others.

Best at home Thyroid test

Going to a naturopath or functional medicine doctor can be game changing but it’s not always attainable or possible for everyone. And especially if you’re new to this, unsure how serious things might be, and you’re booking for an initial “gut check” so-to-speak on your thyroid… or perhaps you’re wanting to check in on a Hashimoto’s flare up (regular testing with any thyroid condition is important as your body changes). 

Instead of stressing out to find a doctor or practitioner that will run a proper thyroid check, the great news is there are at-home testing options! My top pick is the Complete Thyroid Blood Test Kit by Paloma Health below (use FOODBYMARS code for $30 off!)

While there are a few at-home thyroid tests out there… Here are the reasons Paloma’s kit is my favorite that I recommend to all my clients, friends, and readers.

Cons:

• Due to state regulations, the test is currently only available for those ordering in the approved 47 states (New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey are not eligible for direct at-home labs of any kind because of state laws). If you reside in one of these ineligible states, I’d highly recommend finding a Naturopath or Functional medicine doctor to run the full thyroid panel.
• This is a con for ANY at-home thyroid panel: while it’s robust, if you do work with a FMD or ND, they’d likely run more lab markers including the Thyroglobulin antibody (Paloma tests just the TPO antibody). However the Paloma at-home panel will give you the data you need to confirm/deny further investigation, plus you can make an appointment with their doctors to help guide you as well.

Other at-home tests include

Everylwell, Thorne, and LetsGetChecked… 

However, there’s little to no follow-up on the results. 

And therein lies my pet peeve with at-home test kits of any kind (even food sensitivity testing)… there’s no help after you’ve opened Pandora’s box to get answers. 

…What do you do with the data? 

…What’s the plan for treatment after? 

This is a huge benefit to Paloma Health that truly sets them apart, and they’re making holistic treatment attainable and more personalized to the individual. When I’m working with my Nutritional Therapy clients and their thyroid symptoms are coming up hot, I always have them order this test or find a doctor to properly test it.

How to know if it’s time to check your thyroid

If you suspect your body is crying out for help or you’re being proactive to get real answers, I highly recommend checking in on yourself using this test kit. It could save you much time and frustration. You don’t need any more permission than that! It’s your body.

In my humble opinion, after learning so much about the thyroid, it’s shocking to me that it’s not more routinely tested in annual exams and fertility tests as it’s such an MVP! While that makes me sad and hopeful for change… more than anything it makes me want to empower you to take control of your own health!

Do you have more questions about thyroid symptoms or testing? Contact me here! *I can’t provide specific health advice, but would be happy to help point you in the right direction. 

To read more about my Hashimoto’s journey and tips, check out these posts:

• How I manage Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Disease
• Hair Loss and Hashimoto’s: My Journey
• My Hashimoto’s Pregnancy
• AIP Diet Resources

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