Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): What It Is, What Is It Responsible For In Women

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Thyroid stimulating hormone - what is it?

The content of the article:

1. What is the hormone TSH responsible for in women and men
2. Reasons for increasing thyrotropin
3. The reasons for the decrease in thyrotropin
4. Imbalance symptoms

5. Diagnostics

   Preparation for analysis

6. TSH hormone rates
7. Imbalance correction
8. Video

What is thyroid-stimulating hormone? Thyrotropin (thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, TSH) is a biologically active substance, a glycoprotein, which is produced by the anterior pituitary gland. TSH receptors are found on the epithelial cells of the thyroid gland. Its secretion is regulated by the hypothalamus as well as by the feedback system.

Thyrotropin is one of the most important regulators of metabolism in the body

Hormones have an impact not only on the physical, but also on the emotional state of a person. Thyrotropin is an important component in the metabolic system.

What is the hormone TSH responsible for in women and men

The hormone TSH performs the following functions in the human body:

• controls the synthesis of triiodothyronine (T ₃) and thyroxine (T ₄);
• takes part in the regulation of the menstrual cycle in women, reproductive function, bowel function;
• can affect the functioning of the organs of hearing, vision, nervous and cardiovascular systems;
• participates in the production of nucleic acids, phospholipids, vitamin A, glucose, erythrocytes;
• improves the absorption of iodine by the thyroid gland;
• takes part in maintaining heat transfer.

There is an inverse relationship between the level of free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood (with an increase in the concentration of thyroxine, the body will synthesize less TSH, with a decrease, it will produce more). A decrease in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood is observed somewhat less frequently than an increase.

Reasons for increasing thyrotropin

A slight increase in the concentration of TSH in the blood is possible in the following cases:

• chronic fatigue and lack of sleep;
• consuming large amounts of iodine;
• excessive physical activity;
• stressful situations, emotional arousal;
• improper preparation for the study.

If the test result shows a significant excess of the norm, this may indicate that the patient has:

• hypothyroidism;
• inflammatory processes in the thyroid gland;
• renal failure;
• diseases of the central nervous system;
• neoplasms;
• gestosis during pregnancy;
• lead poisoning.

A high TSH level may indicate the presence of tissue immunity to thyroid hormones. In addition, it can be observed after cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), hemodialysis, the use of anticonvulsants, beta-blockers, antipsychotics, antiemetic drugs.

The reasons for the decrease in thyrotropin

A slight fluctuation in the level of TSH in a woman can occur depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle. During gestation, a slight decrease is usually observed, which is a variant of the norm. An increase in thyrotropin during pregnancy can lead to the development of complications (arrest of fetal development, spontaneous abortion).

A decrease in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone is possible in the following cases:

• insufficient nutrition (including adherence to strict diets for weight loss);
• the use of certain drugs (anabolic steroids, beta-adrenergic agonists, drugs for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia);
• uncontrolled use of hormonal drugs;
• stressful situations;
• severe course of disease in old age.

A significant decrease in the concentration of thyrotropin in the blood is possible if the patient has meningitis, encephalitis, thyroid neoplasms, thyrotoxicosis, Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome, diffuse toxic goiter, depression.

Thyrotropin may decrease with lesions of the hypothalamus and / or pituitary gland. The patient's thyroid gland can function normally. Most often, such pathological conditions are observed when:

• neoplasms of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, brain;
• craniocerebral trauma;
• irradiation;
• surgical intervention in the area of the brain;
• hypophysitis.

Imbalance symptoms

Hormonal disorders can be asymptomatic or asymptomatic for a long time.

To increase the content of thyrotropin in the blood, the following symptoms are characteristic:

• daytime sleepiness;
• apathy;
• cognitive disorders (memory impairment and impaired concentration);
• depression;
• lowering blood pressure;
• loss of appetite;
• violation of the menstrual cycle;
• decreased sex drive;
• change of voice;
• increased body weight;
• convulsions.

With a reduced level of TSH in the blood, the following clinical signs are noted:

• increased sweating;
• tachycardia;
• dyspnea;
• increased blood pressure;
• weight loss;
• sensation of a foreign body in the eyes;
• anxiety.

Diagnostics

It is recommended to regularly monitor the level of TSH, which is especially important for the health of women over 40.

Indications for the appointment of an analysis for thyroid hormones can be:

• delayed sexual and mental development in children;
• arrhythmia, tachycardia;
• myopathy;
• infertility;
• amenorrhea;
• erectile disfunction;
• hyperprolactinemia;
• constipation;
• alopecia;
• swelling;
• dry skin;
• decrease in body temperature;
• insomnia;
• decreased visual acuity;
• tremor;
• a sharp change in body weight up or down;
• assessment of the effectiveness of hormone therapy.

To identify the cause and select a treatment regimen, laboratory determination of not only thyrotropin levels, but also triiodothyronine and thyroxine is usually necessary. Additional studies may be required to clarify the diagnosis.

Preparation for analysis

To conduct a laboratory determination of the level of TSH, you should properly prepare.

Conditions:

1. It is best to take blood for analysis in the first half of the day (preferably before 10:00).
2. After the last meal, at least 8 hours should pass. For dinner on the eve of the test, it is better to choose easily digestible foods, fatty and fried foods should be excluded. You must not drink alcohol 5 days before donating blood. It is allowed to drink water.
3. On the day of the study, you need to stop smoking, avoid physical and mental overload.
4. For 10-15 minutes before taking blood for analysis, the patient must be provided with complete rest.
5. It is not recommended to visit the bathhouse or sauna 2 days before the analysis.
6. Before taking the analysis, you need to cancel the use of drugs that can affect the level of the hormone (after agreement with the doctor). If this is not possible, you should inform the healthcare professional about all medications used.

In order for the result of the analysis for hormones to be accurate, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of preparation for its delivery

Blood for determining the level of thyroid hormones cannot be donated after physiotherapy procedures, ultrasound and X-ray examinations. If any other tests were carried out before the laboratory analysis, then the time for donating blood must be agreed with the doctor. Thus, after the administration of contrast, an interval of at least 72 hours may be required before blood collection.

TSH hormone rates

Immediately after birth, the concentration of thyrotropin in the child's blood rises sharply, after which it gradually decreases over the course of 1 week. According to statistics, women have approximately 20% higher TSH levels than men.

The indicator is characterized by daily fluctuations in concentration. Thus, the maximum level of thyrotropin in the blood is observed between 02:00 and 04:00. By 6-8 o'clock in the morning, the concentration of the hormone begins to decrease, reaching its minimum in the evening (17: 00-19: 00). If a person is awake at night, the synthesis of this substance can be significantly impaired.

The rates of thyroid stimulating hormone are presented in the table.

Patient group	Reference values, μU / ml
Non-pregnant women	0.4-4.0
Pregnant women (all trimesters)	0.2-3.5
Men	0.4-4.0

Imbalance correction

With a physiological increase in thyrotropin levels, treatment is not required. In other cases, in order to normalize the hormonal background, it is necessary to determine the cause of the development of pathology and eliminate it.

The treatment regimen with a reduced or increased level of thyroid-stimulating hormone depends on the pathological condition that caused this problem.

With an increase in the level of thyrotropin, hormonal drugs that contain thyroxine may be prescribed. You can increase TSH levels with the help of synthetic hormones. It is strongly not recommended to do this on your own, all medications are prescribed by the doctor after receiving the results of the examination, and are taken under his control.

If the thyrotropin level changes due to the presence of benign or malignant neoplasms in the body, surgical treatment may be necessary.

Video

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Anna Aksenova Medical journalist About the author

Education: 2004-2007 "First Kiev Medical College" specialty "Laboratory Diagnostics".

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