If you do not select the Lab Results Only package, then In ADDITION to your lab report we provide the following options which are INCLUDED in the package prices:

A) Follow up personalised written report produced by our clinical team highlighting dietary and lifestyle advice plus links to supplement protocols, specific doses and any further testing requirements included. We use the patient information you provide us at checkout along with your results to compile personalised action points for you.

OR

B) Follow up 30-minute video call to discuss your results and answer any questions you have. Once the lab has completed your results you will be sent these via email with a link to book a time and day online. You will also then be given the option to upgrade your 30-minute call to a 45-minute call for an additional £30 if you wish. During the call your practitioner will explain the results in more detail and what they mean for you. After your call you are sent a personalised list of supplements & the dose your practitioner advises with links to purchase from our supplements store. This is for your convenience. You are of course welcome to purchase supplements elsewhere. You will also be provided with a list of follow up tests should this be required plus a copy of your recorded zoom call which you can download and keep.

OR

C) Both Zoom call and written report with personalised next steps (Zoom call is first and written report follows).

Once you purchase this test you will be posted via Royal Mail 48 your finger prick blood test kit to complete at home. Full instructions are provided but please only post back to the labs Mon-Weds. We will send you your results via email with GP comments (and functional medicine advice on suitable steps to address levels out of range if you have not selected Lab Results Only). Results will take around 6 working days to arrive from the labs.

The test measures five biomarkers that together give a complete functional and immunological picture of thyroid health:

• TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) — produced by the pituitary gland to regulate thyroid hormone output; elevated TSH suggests the thyroid is underperforming, while suppressed TSH may indicate overactivity
• Free T4 (FT4) — the unbound form of thyroxine, the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland; measuring the free fraction shows how much is actually available to your cells rather than total circulating levels
• Free T3 (FT3) — the unbound form of triiodothyronine, the biologically active thyroid hormone that drives metabolism; low FT3 relative to FT4 can indicate a conversion problem even when TSH appears normal
• TPO antibodies (thyroid peroxidase antibodies) — elevated levels indicate that the immune system is attacking thyroid peroxidase, the enzyme responsible for converting T4 to T3; this is the hallmark antibody of Hashimoto's thyroiditis
• TGAb (thyroglobulin antibodies) — elevated levels indicate an immune response against thyroglobulin, a protein specific to the thyroid gland; found in both Hashimoto's and Graves' disease

Testing all five together is important because TSH alone can appear normal in the early stages of autoimmune thyroid disease, even while antibodies are already elevated and the gland is under immune attack.

This test is suitable for anyone aged 18 and over and is particularly relevant if you:

• Experience persistent fatigue, low energy, or brain fog that has not been fully explained by other investigations
• Have noticed unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight despite diet and exercise
• Feel unusually sensitive to cold, or notice dry skin, brittle nails, or hair thinning
• Experience low mood, depression, or anxiety that may be thyroid-related
• Have a family history of autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's or Graves') or other autoimmune conditions
• Have had a previous TSH-only blood test that came back normal but your symptoms persist
• Are already taking thyroid medication and want to monitor FT3 and FT4 alongside TSH to check whether your dose is optimally converting
• Are planning pregnancy and want to ensure thyroid function and antibody levels are within a healthy range, as thyroid dysfunction can affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes

A standard NHS thyroid blood test typically measures TSH only. If TSH is abnormal, your GP may then request FT4 as a follow-up — but FT3 and thyroid antibodies are rarely tested routinely unless specifically requested by a specialist. This means that early-stage autoimmune thyroid disease, poor T4-to-T3 conversion, and subclinical hypothyroidism can be missed entirely when only TSH is checked. This five-marker panel tests TSH, FT3, FT4, TPO antibodies, and TGAb in a single sample, providing the full picture from the outset. The finger-prick format means you can take the test at home without needing a GP referral or phlebotomy appointment, and results are returned in approximately five working days — often faster than the NHS pathway for requesting additional markers.

Accurate results require a few preparation steps:

• Take your sample before 10am — TSH follows a circadian rhythm and is highest in the early morning, so testing before 10am gives the most clinically useful reading
• Do not take any medication or vitamin/mineral supplements before collecting your sample
• Stop biotin supplements two days before the test, as biotin can interfere with thyroid immunoassay results — if biotin is prescribed by your doctor, discuss this with them before stopping
• Post your sample back to the laboratory Monday to Thursday only, to avoid delays over weekends

Full step-by-step collection instructions are included with your kit. The finger-prick method requires only a small blood spot and does not need a phlebotomist or venous blood draw.

Elevated TPO or TGAb antibodies with a normal TSH is a recognised clinical pattern that indicates the immune system is already attacking the thyroid gland, even though hormone output has not yet fallen enough to push TSH outside the standard reference range. This is sometimes called subclinical or early-stage autoimmune thyroiditis. Research suggests that elevated antibodies can precede a measurable change in TSH by several years. Identifying this pattern early is clinically valuable because it opens a window for intervention — dietary modifications (such as gluten reduction in some patients), targeted supplementation with selenium and vitamin D, stress management, and gut health optimisation have all been shown to help modulate thyroid antibody levels when caught at this stage. Your practitioner can advise on the most appropriate strategy based on your specific antibody levels and symptom picture.

Yes — this test is well-suited for monitoring whether your current thyroid medication dose is achieving optimal levels across all three hormone markers, not just TSH. Patients taking levothyroxine (T4-only medication) sometimes find that their TSH normalises but they still feel unwell; this can occur when T4 is not converting adequately to the active T3, and checking FT3 alongside FT4 and TSH reveals the conversion gap. The antibody markers are also useful for tracking whether autoimmune activity is stable, increasing, or responding to dietary and lifestyle interventions over time. If you are using the test to monitor medication, take your sample before your morning dose so that results reflect your trough (lowest) levels and are comparable across repeat tests.

Thyroid function plays a critical role in fertility and healthy pregnancy outcomes. Both hypothyroidism and elevated thyroid antibodies have been associated with difficulty conceiving, increased risk of miscarriage, and complications during pregnancy. Current clinical guidelines recommend that TSH is kept within a tighter range during early pregnancy than the standard reference range used for the general population. Testing FT3, FT4, and antibodies before conception provides a baseline that allows your practitioner to optimise thyroid support proactively — rather than discovering a problem after pregnancy has begun. If you are planning a pregnancy or have experienced unexplained fertility difficulties, this five-marker panel is a practical starting point for ruling thyroid health in or out as a contributing factor.

Depending on your results and clinical picture, your practitioner may recommend additional testing to investigate the underlying causes of thyroid dysfunction or to build a more complete health assessment:

• If you want to understand the genetic factors behind your thyroid results — the Thyroid Balance DNA Report from Lifecode GX analyses 24 genes involved in thyroid hormone synthesis, transport, activation (including T4-to-T3 conversion via DIO1 and DIO2), autoimmune susceptibility, and metabolism
• If a broader nutritional and metabolic picture is needed — the Full Blood Test includes TSH, T3, and T4 as part of a 48-marker panel alongside vitamins, minerals, inflammation markers, and organ function (UK only, nurse home visit)
• If cortisol and stress may be suppressing thyroid output — the DUTCH Adrenal Stress Test evaluates cortisol rhythm and HPA axis function, which directly affects the HPT axis
• If gut health may be driving autoimmune thyroid activity — a GI360 Complete stool test can assess gut inflammation, permeability, and microbial balance, all of which influence autoimmune disease progression
• If vitamin D status is a concern (vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher thyroid antibody levels) — a Vitamin D dried blood spot test provides a quick confirmation