Results 3.000 TSH

[21Matt]

my TSH level was 3.000 is that abnormal or close to being abnormal? Thanks! also what does ultra sensitive mean in reference to the results?

[Red_Star]

The ultrasensitive TSH is also known as 3rd generation TSH.  Each TSH generation shows improved sensitivity on the lower end of the TSH range.

* 1st generation TSH - sensitivity down to 1 or 2 mU/L (could not detect between euthyroid levels and hyperthyroidism)

* 2nd generation TSH - sensitivity down to 0.1 or 0.2 mU/L

* 3rd generation/ultrasensitive TSH - sensitivity down to 0.01 or 0.02 mU/L.


Excerpt from The TSH Reference Range Wars: What's "Normal?", Who is Wrong, Who is Right...

"In their article, they point to some key facts, including:

* In an iodine-sufficient population, the mean TSH is 1.5

* In African-Americans with low incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the mean TSH is 1.18, which suggests that "this is close to the true normal mean for a normal population"

* When people with positive antithyroid antibodies or family history of autoimmune thyroid disease are excluded from the "reference range" cohort, the normal reference range becomes .4 to 2.5"

[goolarra]

AACE recommended many years ago that TSH range be changed to 0.3-3.0.  So, yes, yours is borderline.

Do you have symptoms?

Did they test anything else besides TSH?

"Ultra sensitive" is just a description of the accuracy of the test kit.