Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test

$49

Testing your hormones starts with a simple TSH blood test.

Your thyroid is essential to your overall health and wellbeing. Thyroid hormones influence everything from your heart rate to how quickly your body burns calories. They can also influence factors as subtle as your mood or as vital as your fertility.

This TSH blood test measures thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which stimulates the thyroid to produce two additional hormones, T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine), both of which play a critical role in controlling the body’s metabolism. Typically, low or high TSH levels indicate potential problems related to the function of your thyroid.

$49

Test Details

Sample Type: Blood

Collection Method: In person at a Labcorp location

Age: 18+

Results: 1 day from when your sample arrives at our lab

HSA/FSA: Accepted

Test must be taken by purchaser

Preparation: If you’re taking a supplement containing biotin (also called vitamin B7 or B8, vitamin H, or coenzyme R), commonly found in products promoting nail, skin and hair health, it is recommended that you wait at least 72 hours from your last dose before sample collection.

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Never been tested?

More than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime; up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.²

Trying to get pregnant?

Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

Hypothyroidism is a leading cause of difficulty in achieving and maintaining pregnancy.²

Unexplained health issues?

Undiagnosed thyroid disease may put you at risk for certain serious conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and infertility.²

Undiagnosed thyroid disease may put you at risk for certain serious conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and infertility.²

Most thyroid conditions can be managed with medication.

1. Testing.com. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). Testing.com website. Updated November 09, 2021. Accessed October 26, 2022. https://www.testing.com/tests/thyroid-stimulating-hormone-tsh/

2. American Thyroid Association. General Information/Press Room. American Thyroid Association website. Accessed October 26, 2022. www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/

3. Cleveland Clinic. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. July 25, 2022. Accessed August 9, 2023. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23524-thyroid-stimulating-hormone-tsh-levels

4. Mayo Clinic. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). December 10, 2022. Accessed August 9, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20350284

5. Mayo Clinic. Hyperthyroidism (underactive thyroid). November 30, 2022. Accessed August 9, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperthyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20373659

6. Ladenson PW, Singer PA, Ain KB, Bagchi N, Bigos ST, Levy EG, et al. American Thyroid Association guidelines for detection of thyroid dysfunction [published erratum appears in Arch Intern Med 2001;161:284]. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:1573-5.

What's Tested

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

Measures the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood to evaluate thyroid function. TSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates the thyroid gland to produce T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine), two hormones that play critical roles in controlling the body’s metabolism.

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Purchase Your Test

Simply purchase this test online. A healthcare provider will review and approve your test requests; no healthcare provider visit is required.

Provide Your Sample

Visit a Labcorp location near you for sample collection. Visits may be scheduled online.

Get Your Results

View your easy-to-read results online in your Labcorp Patient™ account, including Linked Accounts. For certain results that require prompt attention, you will also be contacted by phone or mail.

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FAQ

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, signals the thyroid gland to start producing thyroid (T3 and T4) hormones. These hormones control how your body converts food into energy (i.e., your metabolism). When these thyroid hormones get out of balance, they may cause a variety of health problems ranging from irregular heartbeat to anxiety or depression.³
High TSH levels most often occur when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism).

Low TSH levels most often result from the thyroid gland producing too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism).³
If you have concerns about your thyroid health, it’s important to find out if your TSH levels are within normal range. Taking our TSH test can help you know more about your body’s thyroid levels and whether you might have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) may include⁴:

Fatigue
Sensitivity to cold
Dry skin
Weight gain
Depression
Muscle weakness, aches, tenderness or stiffness
Irregular menstrual cycles
Constipation

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism (an underactive thyroid) may include⁵:

Fast or irregular heartbeat
Moist skin
Tremors in the hands or fingers
Increase in appetite
Sweating
Nervousness, anxiety or irritability
Sensitivity to heat
Weight loss
Increased frequency of bowel movements
According to the American Thyroid Association, you should begin screening for thyroid dysfunction at age 35, and take follow-up tests every 5 years.⁶
Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.
Your results will be provided to you through our secure online portal to view or print. Results are also made available through a secure portal to the independent healthcare provider who placed your test order. If you are accessing your results through your Labcorp Patient™ account, all users linked to the account will have access to all OnDemand test results. Results may also be provided to a local, state, and/or federal health authority; for example, many states require the testing laboratory and physician to report test results for certain communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, to local or state health departments.

If you have questions or comments regarding the Labcorp Notice of Privacy Practices, or have a complaint about our use or disclosure of your PHI or our privacy practices, please contact: privacyofficer@labcorp.com, call us at (877) 234-4722 (877-23-HIPAA) and ask for the Labcorp HIPAA Privacy Officer, or send a written request to: HIPAA Privacy Officer, Labcorp, 531 South Spring Street, Burlington, NC 27215. You also may file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Visit the Labcorp OnDemand® website to browse and purchase laboratory tests and create your Labcorp Patient™ account to view your results. All Labcorp OnDemand testing requires an order from an authorized healthcare professional. For your convenience, Labcorp OnDemand has contracted with independent professional entities (collectively, Providers) to deliver healthcare provider services. Visit a Labcorp location for sample collection; or, if using an at-home collection kit, collect your sample yourself. We’ll let you know when your results are ready and can be accessed through your Labcorp Patient™ account.