Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (777 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A glycoprotein hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis (pituitary gland, anterior). Thyrotropin stimulates thyroid gland by increasing the iodide transport, synthesis and release of thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine). Thyrotropin consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH; luteinizing hormone and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone; Hormone, Thyroid-Stimulating; Thyroid Stimulating Hormone; Thyreotropin; Thyrotrophin; TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone).
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Pituitary Hormones, Anterior
- Narrower topics
- Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; Thyrotropin Alfa; Thyrotropin, beta Subunit
- See also
- Receptors, Thyrotropin
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 35,551 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Thyrotropin” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 3,903 of them (11.0%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 20,878 records.
Reviews account for 2,710 records (7.6%) and meta-analyses for 224. Randomized controlled trials number 695 (2.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 20,878 |
| 2000-2009 | 5,282 |
| 2010-2019 | 5,488 |
| 2020 onward | 3,903 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 2,710 | 7.6% |
| Meta-analyses | 224 | 0.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 695 | 2.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Thyrotropin"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Factors Affecting Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Thyroid Hormone Levels | 2021 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 151 | cc by PMID 34204586 · DOI · PMC8234807 |
| GWAS of thyroid stimulating hormone highlights pleiotropic effects and inverse association with thyroid cancer | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 110 | cc by PMID 32769997 · DOI · PMC7414135 |
| Digital immunoassay for biomarker concentration quantification using solid-state nanopores | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 81 | cc by PMID 34504071 · DOI · PMC8429538 |
| Thyroid hormones and frailty in older adults: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis | 2025 | Meta-analysis Design not recorded in structured metadata | 3 | cc by PMID 39962386 · DOI · PMC11834251 |
Environmental Factors Affecting Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Thyroid Hormone Levels [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Thyroid hormones are necessary for the normal functioning of physiological systems.
- Closing excerpt
- Future studies should continue to analyze the impact of environmental factors on thyroid function as they could contribute to understanding the complex background of gene-environment interactions underlying the pathology of thyroid diseases.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (247 words)
Thyroid hormones are necessary for the normal functioning of physiological systems. Therefore, knowledge of any factor (whether genetic, environmental or intrinsic) that alters the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormones is crucial. Genetic factors contribute up to 65% of interindividual variations in TSH and thyroid hormone levels, but many environmental factors can also affect thyroid function. This review discusses studies that have analyzed the impact of environmental factors on TSH and thyroid hormone levels in healthy adults. We included lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and exercise) and pollutants (chemicals and heavy metals). Many inconsistencies in the results have been observed between studies, making it difficult to draw a general conclusion about how a particular environmental factor influences TSH and thyroid hormone levels. However, lifestyle factors that showed the clearest association with TSH and thyroid hormones were smoking, body mass index (BMI) and iodine (micronutrient taken from the diet). Smoking mainly led to a decrease in TSH levels and an increase in triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels, while BMI levels were positively correlated with TSH and free T3 levels. Excess iodine led to an increase in TSH levels and a decrease in thyroid hormone levels. Among the pollutants analyzed, most studies observed a decrease in thyroid hormone levels after exposure to perchlorate. Future studies should continue to analyze the impact of environmental factors on thyroid function as they could contribute to understanding the complex background of gene-environment interactions underlying the pathology of thyroid diseases.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34204586 · DOI · PMC8234807
GWAS of thyroid stimulating hormone highlights pleiotropic effects and inverse association with thyroid cancer [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is critical for normal development and metabolism.
- Closing excerpt
- Our findings highlight the pleiotropic effects of TSH-associated variants on thyroid function and growth of malignant and benign thyroid tumors.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (152 words)
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is critical for normal development and metabolism. To better understand the genetic contribution to TSH levels, we conduct a GWAS meta-analysis at 22.4 million genetic markers in up to 119,715 individuals and identify 74 genome-wide significant loci for TSH, of which 28 are previously unreported. Functional experiments show that the thyroglobulin protein-altering variants P118L and G67S impact thyroglobulin secretion. Phenome-wide association analysis in the UK Biobank demonstrates the pleiotropic effects of TSH-associated variants and a polygenic score for higher TSH levels is associated with a reduced risk of thyroid cancer in the UK Biobank and three other independent studies. Two-sample Mendelian randomization using TSH index variants as instrumental variables suggests a protective effect of higher TSH levels (indicating lower thyroid function) on risk of thyroid cancer and goiter. Our findings highlight the pleiotropic effects of TSH-associated variants on thyroid function and growth of malignant and benign thyroid tumors.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32769997 · DOI · PMC7414135
Digital immunoassay for biomarker concentration quantification using solid-state nanopores [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Single-molecule counting is the most accurate and precise method for determining the concentration of a biomarker in solution and is leading to the emergence of digital diagnostic platforms enabling precision medicine.
- Closing excerpt
- Further optimization to the method will push sensitivity and dynamic range, allowing for development of precision diagnostic tools compatible with point-of-care format.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (154 words)
Single-molecule counting is the most accurate and precise method for determining the concentration of a biomarker in solution and is leading to the emergence of digital diagnostic platforms enabling precision medicine. In principle, solid-state nanopores-fully electronic sensors with single-molecule sensitivity-are well suited to the task. Here we present a digital immunoassay scheme capable of reliably quantifying the concentration of a target protein in complex biofluids that overcomes specificity, sensitivity, and consistency challenges associated with the use of solid-state nanopores for protein sensing. This is achieved by employing easily-identifiable DNA nanostructures as proxies for the presence ("1") or absence ("0") of the target protein captured via a magnetic bead-based sandwich immunoassay. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate quantification of the concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone from human serum samples down to the high femtomolar range. Further optimization to the method will push sensitivity and dynamic range, allowing for development of precision diagnostic tools compatible with point-of-care format.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34504071 · DOI · PMC8429538
Thyroid hormones and frailty in older adults: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- ObjectiveTo investigate (1) whether the association of thyroid hormone with frailty risk is linear or nonlinear and (2) which range of thyroid hormones or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is more associated with a higher risk of frailty in older adults.
- Closing excerpt
- Trail registrationThis systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42022299214).
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (224 words)
ObjectiveTo investigate (1) whether the association of thyroid hormone with frailty risk is linear or nonlinear and (2) which range of thyroid hormones or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is more associated with a higher risk of frailty in older adults.DesignSystematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.MethodsMedical electronic databases were searched for cross-sectional or longitudinal studies, published from database inception to February 2022. We focused on the relationship between TSH and frailty. Data on TSH reference range, TSH exposure categories, sample size of each exposure category, and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for frailty with 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted. In the dose-response meta-analysis, we set the OR for frailty as 1 at 0.3 mIU/L TSH.ResultsThe systematic review included 10 studies, whereas the meta-analysis included 3 studies (n = 6388). TSH levels ranged from 0.3 to 4.8 mIU/L, and the dose-response meta-analysis revealed a significant J-shaped association (p = 0.0071). Frailty OR (95% CI) increased from 1.30 (1.06-1.59) for 2.7 mIU/L TSH to 2.06 (1.18-3.57) for 4.8 mIU/L TSH.ConclusionsA significant nonlinear, J-shaped association was noted between TSH level and frailty. TSH levels within the upper half (2.7-4.8mIU/L) of reference range was noted to significantly higher risk of frailty; by contrast, those in the lower half (0.6-1.5 mIU/L) had a lower risk of frailty, though not significantly so.Trail registrationThis systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42022299214).
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39962386 · DOI · PMC11834251
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article The clinical significance of subclinical thyroid dysfunction [5]
- Research article Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Review [6]
- Research article Congenital hypothyroidism [7]
- Research article Thyroid function in critically ill patients [8]
- Research article Thyrotropin-secreting pituitary tumors [9]
- Research article The evidence for a narrower thyrotropin reference range is compelling [10]
References
- Babić Leko M, Gunjača I, Pleić N, Zemunik T. Environmental Factors Affecting Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Thyroid Hormone Levels. . 2021. PMID 34204586 · DOI · PMC8234807
- Zhou W, Brumpton B, Kabil O, Gudmundsson J, Thorleifsson G, Weinstock J, et al.. GWAS of thyroid stimulating hormone highlights pleiotropic effects and inverse association with thyroid cancer. . 2020. PMID 32769997 · DOI · PMC7414135
- He L, Tessier DR, Briggs K, Tsangaris M, Charron M, McConnell EM, et al.. Digital immunoassay for biomarker concentration quantification using solid-state nanopores. . 2021. PMID 34504071 · DOI · PMC8429538
- Chia WC, Chen YC, Xiu SL, Wang ST. Thyroid hormones and frailty in older adults: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. . 2025. PMID 39962386 · DOI · PMC11834251
- Biondi B, Cooper DS. The clinical significance of subclinical thyroid dysfunction. Endocr Rev. 2008. PMID 17991805 · DOI
- Biondi B, Cappola AR, Cooper DS. Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Review. JAMA. 2019. PMID 31287527 · DOI
- Rastogi MV, LaFranchi SH. Congenital hypothyroidism. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2010. PMID 20537182 · DOI · PMC2903524
- Fliers E, Bianco AC, Langouche L, Boelen A. Thyroid function in critically ill patients. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2015. PMID 26071885 · DOI · PMC4979220
- Beck-Peccoz P, Brucker-Davis F, Persani L, Smallridge RC, Weintraub BD. Thyrotropin-secreting pituitary tumors. Endocr Rev. 1996. PMID 8969971 · DOI
- Wartofsky L, Dickey RA. The evidence for a narrower thyrotropin reference range is compelling. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005. PMID 16148345 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.