What is considered a low level of TSH?

Would a patient with a TSH level of 3.68 be considered to have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism?

• Answer:

  A TSH of 3.68 is within the normal range. However, doctors like to see a TSH between .3 and 3 in those patients receiving thyroid replacement medications. Additionally, normal for one person may not be normal for another. Just as I wear a different shoe size than my husband, everyone's systems require different levels for them to feel well. My husband's shoe size is normal, so is mine. I will not be comfortable wearing his shoes all day however. A TSH test only shows an average value of your thyroid status over the last several weeks. You may still be experiencing periods of high and/or low thyroid and your TSH will appear normal. Knowing the level of your Free T3 and Free T4 as well as antibody levels will help determine what is going on and if you need treatment. When a TSH appears high, a patient is considered hypOthyroid. When a TSH is low, a patient is considered hypERthyroid.