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Studies have shown that time of day and fasting can affect your results. If you test in the early morning after overnight fasting, the results may show higher (TSH) levels. If you get your blood test in the afternoon when you have not been fasting, your TSH levels will be lower.
The best way to initially test thyroid function is to measure the TSH level in a blood sample. Changes in TSH can serve as an “early warning system” – often occurring before the actual level of thyroid hormones in the body becomes too high or too low.
To find the right dosage of levothyroxine for you, your health care provider checks your level of TSH about 6 to 8 weeks after you start taking the medicine. You may need another blood test to check TSH again six months later. Too much levothyroxine can cause side effects, such as: Tiredness. Increased appetite. Sleep problems. Shakiness.
The two most common tests check your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and T4 or free T4 (thyroxine) levels. Providers may also recommend a full thyroid blood test panel. What is included in a full thyroid panel?
If your thyroid test results are outside of the optimal range—or if you’ve been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, or another thyroid-related condition—Verywell offers free resources to help you better understand and manage your condition.
Many thyroid blood tests are available, including tests for the thyroid hormones T3 and T4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid antibodies. The combined results can paint a clearer picture of the cause of thyroid disease.
Thyroid level tests, including the TSH test, can determine if your thyroid is producing too much or too little thyroid hormone. Here’s what the results mean.
Thyroid hormone levels tend to go up at night and down during the day, according to the ATA. However, this variation is very slight, says Terry F. Davies, MD, a professor of medicine,...
TSH: Testing TSH is the best way to initially check thyroid function. A high TSH level indicates that the thyroid hormone level is low (usually hypothyroidism). A low TSH usually means that there is too much thyroid hormone.
Learn about blood and imaging tests used to check how well your thyroid is working and diagnose thyroid diseases, including TSH and T4 tests, and thyroid scans.