Normal Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Levels - By Age

The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone stimulates the thyroid gland and is produced by the pituitary gland to support your body's metabolism and overall functionality. One of those hormones is thyroxine.

The amount of thyroxine your pituitary gland can produce depends on your body's thyroid levels. If your thyroid levels are high, your pituitary gland produces lower TSH. Conversely, your pituitary gland produces high TSH if you have lower thyroid levels.

Therefore your TSH levels play a crucial role in identifying any problems with your thyroid.

Your thyroid function is measured using your TSH and thyrotropin levels. Additionally, thyroid disorders can occur at any age and affect anyone regardless of gender. They can either be present since birth or develop later in life.

So if you've had this condition since birth, a health insurance plan could help take care of medical expenses regarding your medications.

The typical range of TSH levels can be between 0.45 and 4.5 milliunits per litre (mU/L). So it can vary widely based on age, biological sex, and stage of life. Stress, diet, and menstrual cycles can also affect your TSH levels.

Here is the estimated TSH normal range by age in adults.

Generally, women are at greater risk of developing abnormal TSH levels during menstruation, during birth, or when going through menopause. According to a recent study, around 2% of women had thyroid disorders compared to the less than 1% of males with thyroid disorders in India.

Additionally, despite some claims that thyroid disorders increase your risk of heart disease, studies found that there was no link between high TSH levels and heart conditions like heart attacks.

Normal TSH Levels During Pregnancy

It's vital to monitor levels of TSH during pregnancy. High TSH levels and hypothyroidism can affect the likelihood of miscarriages.

If you're already taking medication for abnormal thyroid levels and are pregnant, your doctor may recommend increasing your dosage. However, the exact dosage will vary from person to person, so it is advised to talk to your doctor before increasing or decreasing your dosage.

Furthermore, successfully controlling your TSH levels can decrease your risk of developing other pregnancy-related complications like:

• Preeclampsia (High blood pressure/hypertension).
• The baby may have a low weight at birth.
• Giving birth prematurely.

Having either high or low TSH levels can affect fertility. Men with hypo- or hyperthyroidism were reported to have fewer normally shaped sperm. Furthermore, men are more susceptible than women to complications of irregular development of genitals if they have high TSH levels.

In this case, hormone replacement medication might be necessary for men to balance their TSH levels.

When measuring TSH levels in children, it's been found that they have wildly different levels of TSH throughout their lives. Here are the normal TSH levels by age in children:

Having high TSH levels is indicative of an underactive thyroid gland. This is because your pituitary gland produces more TSH to stimulate your thyroid to make more. This is also referred to as hypothyroidism.

Here are some common symptoms of this condition:

• Dry skin.
• Constipation.
• Weight gain.
• Weakness.
• Irregular menstrual cycles or heavy flow.
• Muscle cramps or joint pain.
• Slow heart rate.
• Hair thinning.
• Brittle nails.
• Insufficiency/Unable to handle cold environments.
• Difficulty in concentrating or focusing (Brain Fog).

• If your TSH is less than 0.5 mU/L, it may indicate a hyperactive thyroid gland. This condition is often referred to as hyperthyroidism. Another cause of hyperthyroidism is Grave's disease.

It's an autoimmune condition where your body's immune system targets your thyroid gland. Some other causes of hyperthyroidism are goitre, certain medications, thyroid nodules, Thyroiditis (inflammation of your thyroid gland), and consuming excessive amounts of iodine.

Here are some common symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

• Increased appetite.
• Palpitations.
• Weight loss.
• Heat sensitivity.
• Changes in the menstrual cycle.
• Muscle weakness.
• Protruding eyes.
• Sleep issues.
• Hair loss or change in hair texture.
• Vision problems.
• Feeling shaky or nervous.

Abnormal TSH levels could mean your thyroid is not functioning normally, which may lead to health complications in the future. So ensure you get regularly tested, especially if your family has a history of thyroid disorders.

The treatments surrounding thyroid disorder mainly involve taking daily oral medications that help balance out your TSH levels. Overall, most thyroid disorders are manageable and can be treated using over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Surgery is only used as a last resort if the person's condition doesn't improve with medication or is life-threatening.

Hyperthyroidism Treatments:

• Oral medication of radioactive iodine to shrink your thyroid gland.

• Other medications like methimazole or propylthiouracil - To reduce or balance how much thyroid hormone your thyroid gland makes.

• Removal of the thyroid gland/Surgery if regular treatments don't work, or more severe cases where it can be life-threatening, such as during pregnancy.

Hypothyroidism Treatments:

• Daily oral medications, such as levothyroxine.

• Natural thyroxine hormone extracts and supplements.

• Consuming fewer substances and foods that affect levothyroxine absorption, such as fibre, soy, iron, or calcium.

Regularly getting tested, managing your stress, and having a healthy diet — all play a part in managing your TSH levels. If you've had thyroid issues since birth or have developed them later in life, then you know much medication can cost. Especially repeat prescriptions. To avoid such expenses, you may consider getting a health insurance policy. It plays just as important a role in your treatment as your medication does. It helps ease the financial burden you can face when dealing with chronic conditions.

Tata AIG's health insurance premium calculator can be used to calculate the exact cost of your mediclaim insurance so that you can pick a plan that fits your price range.