$4.00
Priced per marker, with baseline labs included. You’ll see your total before you pay.
Thyroid
TSH test
Thyroid-stimulating hormone. Pituitary hormone that controls the thyroid; first-line thyroid screen.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
May have a step to take first. Contact us to ask
Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone, comes from a small gland at the base of your brain and tells your thyroid how hard to work. A high level may point to an underactive thyroid, and a low level an overactive one.
Why it matters for women
Thyroid conditions are much more common in women and can show up after pregnancy or around menopause, when tiredness, weight change and mood shifts are easy to blame on other things. TSH is usually the first thyroid test. In pregnancy, normal TSH can run a bit lower, so results are compared with pregnancy ranges.
You might check it if…
- you feel tired, cold or foggy more than usual
- your periods have become heavier, lighter or irregular
- you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy
- you had a baby in the past year
What your result may mean
High TSH: what it may mean
High TSH may point to an underactive thyroid (primary hypothyroidism), such as from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition. Slight elevations can be subclinical hypothyroidism, when thyroid hormone levels can still look normal. Thyroid problems can appear after pregnancy or around menopause, and pregnancy has its own ranges. Tiredness, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation or heavier periods may appear, and some people may have no symptoms. Time of day, recent illness and some medicines can sway TSH, so a clinician may repeat it with free T4.
Low TSH: what it may mean
Low TSH may point to an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), from Graves’ disease, a toxic nodule or thyroiditis. Too much thyroid replacement can lower it, and so, rarely, can pituitary failure. In pregnancy, normal TSH can run a bit lower, so a result can be compared with pregnancy ranges. A racing heart, anxiety, weight loss, shakiness or lighter periods can follow. Biotin can make TSH read falsely low on some tests, and steroid medicines or serious illness can lower it too.
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No insurance required · HSA/FSA eligible · No subscription
These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.