Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies

High levels of Anti-TPO antibodies mean that your immune system is making more of these proteins than normal. This can happen for various reasons, such as stress, taking certain medications, or having a health issue. When there are too many Anti-TPO antibodies, they can mess with your thyroid gland's ability to make hormones that control your metabolism, which affects things like your energy and body temperature. It's important to remember that your lifestyle, like what you eat and how much you exercise, can also impact your antibody levels and thyroid health. Some possible causes for high Anti-TPO levels include autoimmune thyroid disorders like Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease, or even certain medications like interferon or lithium.

Symptoms of high levels of Anti-TPO could include fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin, hair loss, and changes in heart rate.

Low levels of Anti-TPO antibodies mean that your immune system isn't producing many of these proteins, which could suggest a lower chance of having autoimmune thyroid problems. This might be due to your genes, your overall immune health, or lifestyle factors like your diet and stress levels. Some medications, like steroids or immunosuppressants, can also affect the production of these antibodies. However, it's important to remember that thyroid function is complicated and influenced by many things, so having low Anti-TPO levels doesn't guarantee that you won't have any thyroid issues.

Symptoms of low levels of Anti-TPO are typically not noticeable, as these antibodies are not essential for normal thyroid function.