Biomarkers · Vitamins & Endocrine

Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

Both low and high values go with higher risk of death. Not measured in our NHANES panel. The curve is drawn from the published study (source below).

TSH and risk of death

Published curve higher than the NHANES fitNHANES fit higher

Risk of death relative to the curve's reference value, drawn from the published study (source below).

Published risk of death1.27×high normal TSH tertile vs medium normal TSH tertile (euthyroid range) (95% CI 1.10–1.47) · NHANES III (1988-1994) nationally representative US adults aged >=20 y with TSH within reference range

TSH by age and sex

Each bar runs from the 5th to the 95th percentile, the darker part from the 25th to the 75th, and the tick is the median. Not a reference range or a target.

The percentiles as a table

Each row is one sex and age band: the values below which 5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 95% of people fall (mIU/L), from the survey named in the row. Not a reference range or a target.
Sex	Age	5th	25th	Median	75th	95th	n	Cycle / source
All	20-39	0.57	0.99	1.41	2.14	3.99	571	NHANES 2011-2012
All	40-59	0.58	1.12	1.55	2.06	3.82	510	NHANES 2011-2012
All	60+	0.50	1.23	1.80	2.55	4.24	512	NHANES 2011-2012
All	all	0.55	1.11	1.57	2.26	4.05	1,593	NHANES 2011-2012
Men	20-39	0.58	0.99	1.37	2.14	3.71	296	NHANES 2011-2012
Men	40-59	0.66	1.13	1.55	2.05	3.66	253	NHANES 2011-2012
Men	60+	0.63	1.41	1.97	2.58	5.81	260	NHANES 2011-2012
Men	all	0.62	1.14	1.58	2.28	3.81	809	NHANES 2011-2012
Women	20-39	0.55	1.01	1.49	2.14	4.76	275	NHANES 2011-2012
Women	40-59	0.53	1.10	1.55	2.15	4.68	257	NHANES 2011-2012
Women	60+	0.38	1.15	1.71	2.51	3.85	252	NHANES 2011-2012
Women	all	0.52	1.07	1.56	2.24	4.30	784	NHANES 2011-2012

What studies found when this marker was changed

They describe what happened in those study groups, not a recommendation. See all catalogued interventions.

Measured changes in TSH, study by study

1 effect with a numeric size, each from one study arm: the dot is the reported change, the line its 95% interval where one was given. Study results in the groups studied, not predictions for a person.

Each row is one study: what was changed, the effect it reported on this marker, and the source.
Type	Intervention	Reported effect	Evidence	Source
pharmacologic	Lithium maintenance treatment in patients with mood disorders (toxicity meta-analysis of 385 studies)	TSH increased on average by 4.00 iU/mL (95% CI 3.90-4.10); clinical hypothyroidism OR 5.78	meta-analysis	McKnight RF, Adida M, Budge K, et al. Lithium toxicity profile: a systematic…

Sources

Risk curve: Inoue 2016 (PMID 27539006): all-cause HR 1.27 (1.1-1.47) high normal TSH tertile vs medium normal TSH tertile (euthyroid range); low normal tertile also at increased risk. Scaled to US values (NHANES).
Inoue et al. Association Between Serum Thyrotropin Levels and Mortality Among Euthyroid Adults in the United States. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2016;26:1457-1465.

Map Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) against another biomarker.

Map TSH against another marker