Reverse T3 Explained | Why You Feel Tired Despite Normal Thyroid Labs

[00:00:00]Most people have never heard of reverse T3, but it may explain why your thyroid labs look normal while you still feel exhausted, cold, foggy, depressed, and can't lose weight. Here's what's happening.

[00:00:15]Your thyroid mainly produces T4.

[00:00:19]T4 is not the active thyroid hormone.

[00:00:22]Your body has to convert T4 into T3, the active hormone that controls metabolism, energy, brain function, fat burning, body temperature, and hair growth.

[00:00:34]But under stress, your body can hijack that pathway. Instead of making active T3, it converts T4 into something called reverse T3.

[00:00:47]>> [snorts] >> Reverse T3 is the mirror image of T3.

[00:00:50]However, it is basically metabolically inactive. It binds the thyroid receptor like a fake key that doesn't turn.

[00:00:59]Why would your body do that?

[00:01:02]Because reverse T3 is part of a survival response.

[00:01:06]When the body senses chronic stress, inflammation, illness, insulin resistance, high cortisol, starvation dieting, poor sleep, overtraining, or chronic disease, it may intentionally slow your metabolism down to conserve energy.

[00:01:25]In other words, your body may be protecting you by putting the brakes on your metabolism. So, who should have reverse T3 measured? People with fatigue, brain fog, cold intolerance, hair thinning, weight loss resistance, low body temperature, or patients taking thyroid medication who still feel terrible despite normal labs.

[00:01:52]Now, here's the important part. Reverse T3 itself is usually not the problem.

[00:01:58]It's the smoke detector.

[00:02:00]The real question is why is the body shifting into metabolic conservation mode?

[00:02:07]Sometimes the answer is stress.

[00:02:10]Sometimes inflammation. Sometimes insulin resistance.

[00:02:15]Sometimes poor conversion of T4 into active T3.

[00:02:21]And if you never look for it, you may miss the entire picture.

[00:02:25]Normal TSH does not always mean optimal thyroid physiology.

[00:02:31]I'm Dr. Clifford Gluck.

[00:02:33]Thank you for watching these videos and thank you for sharing them.

[00:02:38]I'll see you again next time.