Thyroid & iodine
TSH — optimal range for vegans & vegetarians
Pituitary hormone regulating the thyroid.
Optimal range
0.5–3 mIU/L
How a value is read
| Deficient | < 0.4 mIU/L |
| Below optimal | 0.4 – 0.5 mIU/L |
| Optimal | 0.5 – 3 mIU/L |
| Above optimal | 3 – 4 mIU/L |
| Markedly high | > 4 mIU/L |
Bands are given in the marker's canonical unit; values in other units are converted automatically.
Why it matters on a plant-based diet
There is no direct iodine test — the thyroid serves as an indirect indicator. Iodine and selenium shortfalls in vegans may show up as an elevated TSH.
A single marker decides nothing
Deficiencies mask one another: high folate hides low B12, inflammation inflates ferritin, low zinc mimics iron deficiency. VEGALYSIS reads the whole picture and explains the links.
Analyse my labsUnits
- mIU/L
VEGALYSIS accepts any of these units and converts the value to the canonical one.
Names seen on lab reports
tsh · thyroid stimulating hormone · thyrotropin · ттг · тиреотропный гормон · тиреотропин
Sources
Related markers
Educational material; not a substitute for a clinician's advice.