{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Episode 215: Total T3 And Free T3 - What They Mean, What They Don\u2019t, and Why Treating T3 often backfires","description":"T3 is the most talked-about thyroid hormone \u2014 and the most misunderstood. In this episode of the Thyroid Answers Podcast, Dr. Eric Balcavage breaks down Total T3 and Free T3 using a clear, Q&A-style format to address the most common questions, mistakes, and treatment traps patients and clinicians fall into. You\u2019ll learn: What T3 actually represents \u2014 and what it does not The difference between Total T3 and Free T3 (and why you need both) Why low T3 is often an adaptive response, not a deficiency Why adding T3 medication can help short-term but worsen physiology long-term Why \u201cchasing Free T3\u201d is one of the biggest mistakes in functional medicine How stress, inflammation, illness, dieting, and medications alter T3 levels Why labs can improve while patients feel worse How to interpret T3 correctly within the full thyroid panel This episode is essential listening if: You\u2019ve been told your T3 is \u201clow-normal\u201d but still feel terrible You feel better on T3 medication at first \u2014 then worse Your labs look good, but your symptoms don\u2019t match You want to understand thyroid physiology beyond numbers and ranges \ud83c\udf81 Free Resource: If you want a clear, practical guide to understanding thyroid labs, comment LABS and I\u2019ll send you my Thyroid Labs Decoded eBook. ","author_name":"Thyroid Answers Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/drericbalcavage.com","html":"