Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

161. McCall McPherson: Why Your Thyroid Is Being Undertested And Undertreated

May 5, 2026
McCall McPherson, a licensed physician assistant and founder of Modern Thyroid Clinic who turned her own thyroid struggle into a nation‑wide telemedicine practice. She discusses why common thyroid tests miss the problem, the crucial role of free T3, life stages that spike thyroid risk, and why many patients remain undertreated despite feeling unwell.
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ADVICE

Check Thyroid During Puberty Postpartum And Menopause

  • Women should be vigilant during puberty, postpartum, and menopause because thyroid autoimmune risk spikes then.
  • McCall explains estrogen protects against inflammation; its decline postpartum/menopause increases Hashimoto incidence.
ADVICE

Measure And Act To Reduce Hashimoto Antibodies

  • Track Hashimoto antibodies (TPO and thyroglobulin) and work to lower them through lifestyle: reduce inflammation, optimize nutrients, manage stress.
  • McCall reports selenium and lifestyle changes can reduce antibodies and preserve thyroid tissue; she personally reduced hers from >600 to remission.
ADVICE

Request A Full Thyroid Panel Not Just TSH

  • Ask clinicians to measure a full thyroid panel: TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, and Hashimoto antibodies.
  • McCall notes these are cheap, covered by insurance, and reveal conversion issues missed by TSH alone.
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