Home / Hormone Tests / Advanced Thyroid Blood Test
Women are 10 times more likely to have an overactive thyroid gland than men
Our advanced thyroid check is for anyone wanting to check if their symptoms – such as a sudden change in weight, mood changes, difficulty sleeping or muscle weakness – could be due to an overactive or underactive thyroid or a thyroid autoimmune condition. It’s also useful for monitoring an existing thyroid condition.
Our blood test kits include everything you need to collect a blood sample from home, including detailed instructions and free return postage to our labs. Your results are analysed by our medical team, who will provide advice to help you understand how your thyroid is functioning.
An underactive thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism, can be caused by various factors. The most common cause is an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Other causes include certain medications, iodine deficiency, radiation therapy, pituitary gland disorders, and surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
An overactive thyroid, known as hyperthyroidism, can have different causes. The most common cause is an autoimmune disorder called Graves’ disease. Other causes include thyroid nodules, excess iodine intake, inflammation of the thyroid, and certain medications.
This is what our customers ask us most about this test. For more information, try our help centre.
What is the thyroid?
The thyroid is a gland in your neck that produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones regulate the activity of the cells and tissues in the body.
T3 is the biologically active hormone, with your body converting T4 into T3. This hormone controls the metabolism, the speed at which cells work. The more T3 produced or converted, the faster cells metabolise. The level of hormones produced by the thyroid gland are controlled by the pituitary gland, which releases thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to stimulate the thyroid.
What are the early warning signs of thyroid problems?
The early warning signs of thyroid problems can include:
Check out further information on symptoms in our answers below.
What causes an overactive thyroid?
The most common cause of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) is a condition called Graves’ Disease. This is an autoimmune condition where your body releases antibodies that cause your thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone.
Less common causes are thyroid nodules and medicines that increase the amount of iodine in your body.
What causes an underactive thyroid?
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is usually caused by your immune system attacking the thyroid gland and causing it damage. This reduces its ability to produce sufficient hormones.
What are the symptoms of an overactive thyroid?
The symptoms of an overactive thyroid include:
What are the symptoms of an underactive thyroid?
The symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:
Can I have someone take my blood for me?
Yes. We offer two options if you do not want to do our finger prick test. The first is a home appointment where a nurse comes to your home to take a blood sample. The second is to visit a Phlebotomy clinic near you that offers a blood sample service.
A blood sample will be taken from your vein and we will provide you with everything you need to give to the nurse to allow them to take the sample.
The nurse will give you the blood sample to return to us using the pre-paid envelope provided.
Does a doctor review my results?
We have a team of doctors and nurses who look at all results and will comment on any results that are outside of the normal range for your age.
Can I download the results to share with my GP?
Yes, you can download your results from your health dashboard as a PDF to share with your GP.
We are dedicated to supporting you on improving your health
Dr Thom Phillips
Clinical Lead
BSc. (Hons) MSc. MB BCh. MRCGP. Dip SEM. PGCert (Diabetes)
Renee McGregor
Nutrition Lead
BSc (hons) PGDIP (DIET) PGCERT(sportsnutr) RD BASES
Dr Michael Cornes
Scientific Officer
Consultant clinical scientist, FRCPath, BSc Biochemistry, MSc Clinical Biochemistry, PhD Biochemistry
Getting the insights you need to improve your health has never been easier.
No need to wait for a GP appointment, choose from our wide range of tests which come with everything you need to take your sample and return to our lab.
Take your finger prick blood sample at home, or choose to have your blood taken at a Superdrug health clinic or a nurse at home. Return to our NHS lab using our prepaid envelope.
View your results on your secure health dashboard within 2 working days of our lab receiving your sample. Read personalised comments from our GPs.
With more in-depth results, you will be able to identify areas that need improving. Make the changes and track your progress.
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We’ve helped over 50,000 people gain an understanding of their biological health
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Additional markers can be added by personalising this test
Biomarkers are specific compounds we can detect in your blood sample that reflect different things about your health. Your test will tell you your levels for each of the above biomarkers, and whether they are in a normal range.
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When you purchase this test subscription plan, we will automatically send you another test kit in a few months. Don’t worry – you have full control over when this will be, and you can change/cancel it anytime.
When you first purchase this test, you can choose your subscription options in the checkout. We do this, because we recommend taking multiple tests over time to track how your health markers change. You’ll be charged per test kit (rather than monthly, for example).
One test will show you what areas you need to focus on, continued testing will help you learn how your training, diet and lifestyle is impacting your health.
We recommend a follow up test 3 months after your first test, followed by a test every 6 months depending on your results, but its up to you!
Yes, you can tailor/customise subsequent tests (via your app) to focus on just the areas that need improving.
You can choose your preferred collection method when you checkout
You can do this test at home without the need for a doctor. We’ll send you everything you need to collect your sample and post it back to us. And it’s all included in the cost. We’ve put together a video that covers the process, making it easy to check and track your health from home.
We’ll arrange for a medical professional to visit your home and collect your sample. This is great if you’re unsure on how it all works or have trouble collecting a sample. No need to book a doctor’s appointment or visit a clinic, we’ll send you everything you need to collect a sample and post it back to our labs.
Once you’ve ordered your test, look out for an email from our phlebotomy partners containing information and a link to book your appointment. We’ll send you everything the clinic will need to complete the sample and post it back to our labs.
If none of the above options work for you, you can arrange your own medical professional to collect your sample. There is no additional charge for this. Once you’ve ordered your test, we’ll send you everything you and your chosen medical professional will need to collect a sample and post it back to our labs.
Still unsure how it works? You can find more information on collection methods and the service we provide in our ‘How it Works’ section.
No need to wait for a GP appointment, choose from our wide range of tests which come with everything you need to take your sample and return to our lab.
Take your finger prick blood sample at home, or choose to have your blood taken at a Superdrug health clinic or a nurse at home. Return to our NHS lab using our prepaid envelope.
View your results on your secure health dashboard within 2 working days of our lab receiving your sample. Read personalised comments from our GPs.
With more in-depth results, you will be able to identify areas that need improving. Make the changes and track your progress.