Order a TSH test and check your thyroid function

A TSH test can help you understand how your metabolism and energy are driven. If you want to optimise your recovery, your weight or your energy levels, the thyroid is often a logical starting point.

For many athletes, TSH is the first marker they use to put thyroid function into a concrete number. That number is not a diagnosis, but a data point you can discuss with a doctor alongside your symptoms and other values.

This test may suit people who:

• want to optimise their energy, recovery or body composition
• have symptoms such as fatigue, cold hands or weight fluctuations
• want to record a baseline of their thyroid function
• want to track their blood values over time

In a broader check, TSH is sometimes looked at together with FT4 so a doctor can place the values in context.

This test measures one biomarker in your blood:

• TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone): a hormone from your pituitary gland that signals your thyroid.

In a broader assessment, TSH is sometimes combined with FT4. You can read more on the page about TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).

Your TSH value can say something about how your pituitary gland and your thyroid work together. Because TSH signals the thyroid, the value can give an indication of how hard your thyroid is working at that moment.

A TSH value that is too high can fit an underactive thyroid, while a lower value can go with a faster one. A single measurement remains a snapshot that a doctor interprets alongside your symptoms.

For this test, blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are more than 750 locations across the Netherlands, which you choose yourself after ordering.

You do not need to see your GP first; you pick a location and a time that suit you. The draw is done by trained staff and usually takes only a few minutes.

This test can be useful when you have symptoms that may relate to your metabolism, such as ongoing fatigue, difficulty losing weight or unexplained weight loss.

If you want to track your values over time, a measurement can help you notice changes in your thyroid function early. For comparability, it helps to have blood taken at a consistent time of day.

Your result shows your TSH alongside a reference range and a short explanation. What counts as a healthy value varies by lab, age and timing, so numbers alone say little.

Many athletes want to know how their thyroid is performing. An out-of-range value can be a reason to look further, but only a doctor can properly interpret your result.

For a TSH measurement you usually do not need to fast. Because TSH can fluctuate during the day, it helps to have blood taken around the same time, especially if you compare your values.

If you use medication or supplements that can affect your thyroid, such as thyroid medication or biotin, ask your doctor whether that could affect your result.

Your results are available online within a few working days. You see your TSH value, its reference range and a clear explanation you can use to look further in a targeted way.

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.