TSH on your report
Usually reported in µIU/mL or mIU/L, with your lab's own range beside it.
TSH can run:
- slightly higher in people over 80
- lower in early pregnancy
Serious illness and some medicines can shift it, so read it with your doctor.
Want the numbers? TSH normal range for women, including pregnancy.
- Below the range under about 0.4
- Usual adult range about 0.4 to 4.0
- Upper limit, by lab 4.0 to 4.5
- Above the range over 4.5
For adults who are not pregnant. Your report's own range is the one that applies, and pregnancy uses a different one. Scale in mIU/L.
TSH: a hormone made by the pituitary gland in your brain.
What TSH tells your doctor
Thyroid hormones set the pace of your metabolism, so they affect your weight, energy, mood, periods and how cold you feel.
- A high TSH usually means your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), because the brain is shouting louder to get it working.
- A low TSH usually means it is overactive.
An underactive thyroid can make you tired and make weight loss feel slow.
What moves your TSH
If your thyroid is underactive, medicine prescribed by your doctor is what corrects TSH; food cannot replace it.
Food and habits still help you feel better:
- regular meals with enough protein
- plenty of vegetables and fibre for sluggish digestion
- iodised salt in normal amounts
- regular activity and good sleep
Take your thyroid tablet exactly as your doctor says, and ask them how far apart to keep it from meals, chai and other medicines.
The first call is free
Tell Puja what's going on and she will tell you honestly whether she can help.
Checked against: MedlinePlus: TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) Test. General information, not medical advice.
Related words
T3T4Anti-TPO antibodiesHypothyroidismHyperthyroidismHashimoto's thyroiditisProlactin
Where it comes up
Read next: Thyroid diet: eating well with an underactive thyroid.
A question about TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)?
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