What it measures
Free T4 is the unbound part of thyroxine, the main hormone made by the thyroid gland. Only the unbound part is available to the body's cells. It is usually read with TSH to show how the thyroid is working.
Why people test it
- Checked with TSH when tiredness, weight change, feeling cold or hot, or a fast heartbeat suggest a thyroid problem.
- Monitored in people taking levothyroxine or medicines for an overactive thyroid.
- Checked in pregnancy in people with a known thyroid condition.
Typical range
Ranges vary between labs with the method used, age and sex, and your report shows the lab's own range. One NHS trust's lab uses 10 to 20 pmol/L for adults. Source: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: Blood Sciences Reference Range Database v3.20.
Finger-prick or vein?
A finger-prick sample is usually fine for free T4.