The thyroid is an important gland that helps in the production of hormones, which guide different body functions. The thyroid helps in regulating the use of energy and maintains the functionality of the brain, muscles, organs, and heart. The TPO Antibody Test is an important test for determining the presence of an anti-thyroid antibody in your body. TPO test helps in checking the levels of Thyroid Peroxidase enzyme in the body.
The following post helps you understand how TPO antibody testing can help in diagnosing thyroid disorders.
Why Should You Choose TPO Antibody Testing?
The thyroid plays a crucial role in regulating muscle strength, body weight, moods and emotions, and body temperature. The thyroid could be affected negatively by the impact of antibodies formed for fighting foreign substances. In some cases, antibodies created by the immune system could attack the cells, organs, and tissues. The effect of thyroid antibodies could lead to inflammation of the thyroid or loss of ability for hormone production.
Autoimmune thyroid disorders due to thyroid antibodies can result in severe health problems without proper treatment. The common autoimmune thyroid disorders include Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’s Disease. Thyroid antibody tests help in confirming the presence of autoimmune thyroid disorders, thereby speeding up treatment.
Types of Thyroid Antibody Tests
The impact of antibodies on thyroid functions is directly evident in the effect on important proteins required for the functioning of the thyroid. Antibodies could destroy the thyroid tissue or develop an excess quantity of specific thyroid hormones. Thyroid antibodies could affect the following elements of the thyroid gland.
- Thyroid Peroxidase or TPO: It is an enzyme that serves a crucial role in the production of thyroid hormones.
- Thyroglobulin: TG, as it is most commonly referred to, is also an important enzyme for the creation of thyroid hormones.
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): TSH receptors help TSH in sticking to the receptor on thyroid cells for releasing hormones into the blood.
Thyroid antibody tests focus on measuring one or all of the antibodies affecting the different distinct elements in the functioning of the thyroid gland.
What Can You Find in TPO Antibody Testing?
The basic objective of thyroid antibody tests focuses on identifying antibodies that hamper the functioning of the thyroid gland. Thyroid Peroxidase or TPO antibody testing could help in measuring TPO antibodies that restrict thyroid functioning. It is an important test for the diagnosis of thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease and generally leads to hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism leads to inflammation of the thyroid gland, thereby reducing thyroid hormones in the blood. Some of the common symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis include weight gain, body pain, depression, sensitivity to colds, and fatigue.
Grave’s disease is another autoimmune thyroid disorder you can diagnose with the help of TPO antibody testing. Grave’s disease leads to an overactive thyroid which releases excessive thyroid hormones in the blood. The symptoms of Grave’s Disease include fatigue, sensitivity to heat, anxiety, shaking hands, unexplained weight loss, and irregular heartbeat.
Procedure and Results of TPO Antibody Testing
You must know about the expected procedure and preparation measures for a thyroid antibody test. Interestingly, you don’t have to follow any special preparatory measures before a thyroid antibody test. For the test, a healthcare professional would take a sample of blood by using a small needle. The healthcare professional would collect the blood sample in a vial or test tube. You can expect the results within a day with three expected results such as:
- Negative results imply the lack of any thyroid antibodies in the blood sample, thereby quashing off the possibility of autoimmune thyroid disorders.
- Positive antibodies for TPO and Thyroglobulin imply the possibility of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
- Positive antibodies for TPO and TSH receptors imply the chances of Grave’s disease.
When Do You Need Thyroid Antibody Tests?
Thyroid antibody tests are an effective instrument for diagnosing autoimmune thyroid disorders. You should opt for thyroid antibody tests like TPO antibody test only in certain cases such as the following:
- Sub-clinical hypothyroidism
- Goiter
- Hyperthyroidism
- Thyroid cancer treatment
TPO antibody testing is an effective tool for diagnosing autoimmune disorders complemented with hypothyroidism. TPO antibodies are identified in the blood samples of almost 90% of people with hypothyroidism. Doctors recommend TPO antibody testing for patients who have higher levels of TSH.
Are You Prepared for TPO Antibody Testing?
The information about thyroid antibody testing, such as TPO tests, proves how you can diagnose thyroid disorders with the tests. Each thyroid antibody test focuses on antibodies affecting distinct aspects of thyroid functioning. The TPO tests help in evaluating the impact of antibodies on Thyroid Peroxidase, an important enzyme required for catalyzing hormone production.
It is important to consult with reliable and experienced healthcare professionals for recommendations about thyroid antibody tests. You should seek medical facilities which have state-of-the-art testing facilities along with access to advice and consultation by medical experts. Take the first step towards securing better health outcomes for your thyroid gland with TPO antibody testing right now.
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