TSH, a thyroid-stimulating hormone, is called regulatory. It is produced in the gland located in the brain, namely in the pituitary gland, and directly affects the production of the other two hormones: T3 and T4. The latter, in turn, regulate the metabolism, in particular the metabolism of proteins and vitamin A.
Detailed description of thyroid stimulating hormone
Thyroid-stimulating hormone is produced in the front of the pituitary gland. It interacts with triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), and those, in turn, affect the activity of the production of the thyroid-stimulating hormone by the pituitary gland. That is, thyroid-stimulating hormone provokes the production of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, and when the amount of the latter becomes sufficient for the body, they give a signal to the brain to stop or reduce the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Increased TSH. Causes
The TSH jumps provoke diseases, mainly associated with pathological changes in the thyroid gland and pituitary gland, as well as with some poisoning and organ removal. Possible causes of hyperthyroidism include:
- resection of internal organs;
- elevated iodine levels in the body;
- delayed toxicosis in pregnant women;
- random production of hormones by the body;
The increased content of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the body is called hyperthyroidism. It also happens that some factors can distort real results. For example, physical activity affects the content of TSH. Thyrotropic hormone increases while a person is taking a number of drugs. The value of the true result is determined only after stopping the use of drugs.
Symptoms
First of all, too high a TSH content is not defined as a disease. This condition only signals about possible problems or deviations in the body due to a particular ailment. The high content of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the body is accompanied by:
- general lethargy of the body;
- causeless and sudden weight gain;
- body temperature decreases;
- markedly reduced concentration;
- swelling appears in various parts of the body;
- problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
Such symptoms are characteristic of people who have an imbalance of the hormones thyroxine, triiodothyronine and thyroid-stimulating hormone. If several of these symptoms appear, then the necessary tests should be taken. Perhaps the reason is precisely a decrease in the level of the above hormones. In addition to the described symptoms, others may be added:
- decreased sex drive (libido);
- an increase in liver size;
- unexpected malfunctions of the menstrual cycle;
- skin diseases and hair loss;
- the appearance of infertility.
Diagnostics
With the onset of symptoms characteristic of the condition when TSH is elevated, there is a reason to consult a doctor and take tests for TSH levels. It must be borne in mind that both the age of the person and the time when the analysis was made is of great importance in what the result of the TSH level will be. At night, a person has a TSH level increased, this is due to the fact that at night the function of all organs slows down. The thyroid gland also slows down its work. As for the age of a person, for adults and children the level of thyroid stimulating hormone will vary slightly.
For children, the following manifestations may serve as a reason for going to the endocrinologist and taking tests for thyroid stimulating hormone: drowsiness, apathy, cold in the arms and legs, fatigue. In young children, TSH can be elevated due to adrenal disease, as well as due to the influence of a hereditary factor, when there were people with hyperthyroidism in the child’s family.
If a person reveals a level of thyroid-stimulating hormone above the norm, additional examinations are prescribed to determine the causes of this condition. The analysis is carried out in the morning, and blood is drawn from a vein.
The relationship of thyroid disease and an increased concentration of thyroid stimulating hormone
As already mentioned, there is a direct relationship between the thyroid gland secreting the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) and the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). When there is a decreased secretion of T3 and T4, then there is nothing to control the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood, and its increase occurs. In turn, the thyroid gland does not just stop the production of these two hormones, as a result of which a state is observed when TSH is elevated. As a rule, this happens due to its various pathological changes and diseases, as well as due to other factors. Below we list some of them:
- increased levels of prolactin in the body (hyperprolactinemia);
- removal of the thyroid gland (a condition observed as a result of resection of this gland, it is called postoperative hypothyroidism in this condition).
TSH hormone increased if there was:
Are there any other reasons? Increased TSH in women is a consequence of:
- a number of body conditions (stress, insomnia, mental stress and severe physical exertion);
In newborns, an increased level of thyroid-stimulating hormone is also observed.
Increased TSH in women and men causes the use of certain types of drugs - Cerucal, Eglonil, Amiodarone, and hormonal preparations containing estrogen.
Norms of thyroid-stimulating hormone
As mentioned above, elevated TSH during the neonatal period is considered normal . In principle, this is the condition in which the norm of the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone will be the highest. In the future, as a person grows older, this indicator will decrease and stabilize. TSH increased or decreased may be at different times of the day. As a rule, at night, namely around two in the morning, the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone is the highest, and its lowest value is recorded at five to six in the evening.
As a result, the state when the TSH is elevated in newborns will be normal, the norm in adults will be slightly different:
- in newborns, this level is from 1 to 17;
- children under three months of 0.5 to 11;
- from three months to a year, the norm will be from 0.5 to 7;
- from three to five years, the norm is 0.5-6;
- in children from five to 15 years, the norm will be from 0.5 to 5;
- for those who are already over 15 years old, the level from 0.5 to 4 will be considered the norm.
The following point must be taken into account so that the data of the hormone levels in the analysis are not distorted - this is blood donation in the morning, always on an empty stomach. Before taking the tests, that is, a day or two before, it is better not to drink alcohol and not smoke for accurate indicators of the hormone in the blood.
Treatment with elevated TSH
So, we learned specific symptoms when TSH levels are elevated. What this means is explained above. And what type of drugs are used in the treatment of a particular condition? First of all, it is not worth it, even categorically forbidden, to self-medicate and to prescribe doses and types of drugs for yourself. This must be done by the doctor, because initially the patient in the blood may have a different ratio of the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine. Based on this ratio, the doctor selects the type of drug, its dose and the duration of the course of treatment.
It is also not recommended to use various herbs, that is, alternative medicine methods, as the main treatment. They are effective, but with serious diseases and hormone disorders, it is better to use special medications. Moreover, if you ignore the treatment of an increased level of thyroid stimulating hormone in the body, then thyroid cancer may develop against this background. So in some cases when thyroid cancer appears, TSH is elevated in humans, as a rule.
In the treatment of an increased concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the body, a synthetically derived preparation containing the hormone thyroxine (T4) is used. Once upon a time, people used in the treatment of dried and ground thyroid glands of animals. Now the first option is most effective, due to the purity of the active substance. Treatment is continued until the ratio of these hormones in the blood - TSH, T3 and T4, i.e. thyrotropic, triiodothyronine and thyroxine, respectively, is normal. For this, the patient should be regularly examined and tested throughout his treatment.
After this therapy, when hormone levels have been successfully restored, the patient should be tested annually for thyroid-stimulating hormone levels from the time of discharge to stop relapses.
The level of thyroid-stimulating hormone during pregnancy and its changes
During this period, changes in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone are likely. They can change or remain stable, but normally the TSH content will be approximately 0.3 to 3 units. per liter. It would seem that in pregnant women thyroid-stimulating hormone should be lowered, because at that time most of the woman’s organs are activated and they work in an enhanced mode, including the endocrine system, which includes the thyroid gland. She actively produces iodine for the body of both a woman and her fetus.
TSH increased - what does it mean for women? During the bearing of the fetus, a specific hormone is produced in the woman’s body, it is called “the hormone of pregnant women”. Its medical name is chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). It stimulates the production of thyroxine and triiodothyronine hormones in the body, which thyroid-stimulating hormone should deal with in the normal state. Accordingly, its level during pregnancy decreases.
If TSH is increased during pregnancy, then this can serve as a serious call to go to the endocrinologist to identify the causes. This condition is not normal, and it can threaten the fetus of a woman.
The value of the increased level of TSH
Knowing the relationship between hormones, we can draw some conclusions from the results of the analysis on the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone. Returning to the topic again, if without it it is impossible to understand what is the reason for the increase in thyroid stimulating hormone, we note that with a lack of iodine, the thyroid gland sends a signal to the pituitary gland. He, in response to the signal, begins to produce and release even more TSH, which, in turn, will affect the thyroid gland, forcing it to produce two hormones - thyroxine and triiodothyronine. The latter are needed for the absorption of iodine in the body. That is, from this it is concluded that an elevated TSH level tells us about the lack of iodine in the body at the moment.
Actions with increased TSH
First of all, you need to contact a specialist endocrinologist. All folk remedies, herbs are unlikely to contain the hormones T3 and T4 necessary for a person in this case. Therefore, the doctor can usually prescribe in this case the intake of such drugs:
- Eutirox;
- Bagothyrox;
- "L-thyroxine."
Low thyroid stimulating hormone
In a state where a person has a decrease in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in a blood test, there are certain symptoms that can tell the doctor in advance about the patient’s diagnosis. This is drowsiness, lethargy, poor temperature tolerance, swelling, decreased memory, hypertension, fever. In turn, a decreased level of TSH can cause:
- neoplasms (tumors) of the thyroid gland;
- goiter;
- traumatic lesions of the pituitary gland;
- drop in pituitary function;
- a change in the proportions of hormones due to the use of drugs containing hormones.
Preparing for the test
Immediately before blood donation for analysis of the content of thyroid-stimulating hormone, you can not eat food. The time at which analysis should be carried out should be in the morning. It is forbidden to use alcohol and tobacco a day or two before taking the tests.
Places for testing to check for TSH
An endocrinologist should give a referral for blood tests for analysis of thyroid-stimulating hormone content. It is carried out in any of the state clinics. You can also use private ones, where they give tests more quickly, albeit for a fee. However, this procedure is not too expensive compared to how much time you save by not standing in line.