What is the thyroid gland and how does it affect your body. How are thyroid tests performed and what do the results mean. Why is TSH testing important for diagnosing thyroid disorders. When should you get your thyroid levels checked.

The Thyroid Gland: A Small But Mighty Organ

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ located in the front of your neck. Despite its diminutive size, it plays a crucial role in regulating numerous bodily functions. This gland produces hormones that influence nearly every organ system, affecting essential processes such as:

• Metabolism
• Heart rate
• Body temperature
• Breathing
• Digestion
• Mood
• Energy levels

Given its wide-ranging impact, maintaining proper thyroid function is vital for overall health and wellbeing. But how can we assess whether this small gland is working as it should?

Thyroid Function Tests: Unveiling the Gland’s Secrets

Thyroid function tests are diagnostic tools used to evaluate the performance of the thyroid gland. These tests help healthcare providers diagnose thyroid disorders, monitor treatment effectiveness, and guide further medical decisions. The most common thyroid function tests include:

1. TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) Test

The TSH test is often the first line of investigation when assessing thyroid function. It measures the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood, which is produced by the pituitary gland to regulate thyroid hormone production. Why is TSH so important? An abnormal TSH level can indicate an underactive or overactive thyroid, even before other symptoms become apparent.

2. T3 and T4 Tests

These tests measure the levels of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), the two main hormones produced by the thyroid gland. T3 and T4 levels can provide valuable insights into thyroid function and help diagnose specific thyroid disorders.

3. Thyroid Antibodies Test

This test detects the presence of specific antibodies that may indicate an autoimmune thyroid disorder, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease. By identifying these antibodies, healthcare providers can better understand the underlying cause of thyroid dysfunction.

TSH: The Master Regulator of Thyroid Function

Among the various thyroid tests, TSH holds a special place. It acts as a sensitive indicator of thyroid function, often revealing problems before other hormone levels become abnormal. How does TSH work in the body? The pituitary gland produces TSH in response to the levels of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream. When thyroid hormone levels are low, TSH production increases to stimulate the thyroid gland. Conversely, when thyroid hormone levels are high, TSH production decreases.

This feedback loop helps maintain a delicate balance of thyroid hormones in the body. By measuring TSH levels, healthcare providers can gain valuable insights into thyroid function and detect potential issues early on.

Interpreting TSH Test Results: What Do the Numbers Mean?

Understanding TSH test results can be crucial for diagnosing and managing thyroid disorders. While reference ranges may vary slightly between laboratories, generally:

• Normal TSH range: 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L (milliunits per liter)
• High TSH (above 4.0 mIU/L): May indicate hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Low TSH (below 0.4 mIU/L): May indicate hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

However, it’s important to note that TSH levels can be influenced by various factors, including age, pregnancy, and certain medications. Therefore, results should always be interpreted in the context of an individual’s overall health and symptoms.

Beyond Blood Tests: Imaging Studies for Thyroid Evaluation

While blood tests provide valuable information about thyroid function, imaging studies can offer additional insights into the gland’s structure and activity. These tests are particularly useful for diagnosing thyroid nodules, assessing gland size, and evaluating suspicious growths. Common imaging studies for thyroid evaluation include:

1. Thyroid Ultrasound

This non-invasive imaging technique uses sound waves to create detailed images of the thyroid gland. It can help identify and characterize thyroid nodules, measure gland size, and guide fine-needle aspiration biopsies when necessary.

2. Thyroid Scan

A thyroid scan involves administering a small amount of radioactive material to create images of the thyroid gland. This test can help assess thyroid function, identify areas of increased or decreased activity, and evaluate thyroid nodules.

3. Radioactive Iodine Uptake Test

This test measures how much radioactive iodine the thyroid gland absorbs over a specific period. It can help determine the cause of hyperthyroidism and assess overall thyroid function.

4. CT Scan

While less commonly used for routine thyroid evaluation, CT scans may be employed to assess the extent of large goiters or evaluate potential thyroid cancer spread to nearby structures.

When Should You Get Your Thyroid Checked?

Regular thyroid function testing is not necessary for everyone. However, certain circumstances may warrant a thyroid evaluation. Consider getting your thyroid checked if you:

• Experience symptoms of thyroid dysfunction (e.g., unexplained weight changes, fatigue, mood swings)
• Have a family history of thyroid disorders
• Are over 60 years old
• Have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder
• Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• Have been exposed to radiation therapy in the head or neck area

If you fall into any of these categories or have concerns about your thyroid function, consult your healthcare provider to determine if thyroid testing is appropriate for you.

Thyroid Disorders: When the Gland Misbehaves

Thyroid function tests, particularly TSH, play a crucial role in diagnosing and monitoring various thyroid disorders. The most common thyroid conditions include:

1. Hypothyroidism

This condition occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones. Symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, cold sensitivity, and depression. Hypothyroidism is typically characterized by high TSH levels and low T3 and T4 levels.

2. Hyperthyroidism

In contrast to hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism results from an overactive thyroid gland producing excess hormones. Symptoms can include rapid heartbeat, weight loss, anxiety, and heat intolerance. Hyperthyroidism is often associated with low TSH levels and high T3 and T4 levels.

3. Thyroiditis

This term refers to inflammation of the thyroid gland, which can be caused by various factors, including autoimmune disorders, infections, or medications. Thyroiditis can lead to temporary or permanent changes in thyroid function.

4. Thyroid Nodules

These are growths or lumps within the thyroid gland. While most thyroid nodules are benign, some may be cancerous or affect thyroid function. Thyroid function tests, combined with imaging studies, help evaluate and monitor these nodules.

Early detection and proper management of thyroid disorders are essential for maintaining overall health and preventing potential complications. Regular check-ups and thyroid function tests, when indicated, can help ensure optimal thyroid health.

Lifestyle Factors Affecting Thyroid Function

While thyroid disorders often require medical intervention, certain lifestyle factors can influence thyroid function and potentially impact test results. Consider the following aspects that may affect your thyroid health:

1. Nutrition

Iodine is a crucial nutrient for thyroid hormone production. Ensure your diet includes iodine-rich foods such as seafood, dairy products, and iodized salt. However, excessive iodine intake can also be problematic, so moderation is key.

2. Stress Management

Chronic stress can potentially disrupt thyroid function. Incorporate stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, or regular exercise into your routine to support overall endocrine health.

3. Environmental Factors

Exposure to certain environmental toxins, such as perchlorate and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), may interfere with thyroid function. Minimize exposure to these substances when possible.

4. Medications

Some medications can affect thyroid function or interfere with thyroid hormone absorption. Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications and supplements you’re taking.

5. Sleep

Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining hormonal balance, including thyroid function. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support overall endocrine health.

By addressing these lifestyle factors, you can potentially support your thyroid health and complement medical treatments for thyroid disorders.

The Future of Thyroid Testing: Emerging Technologies and Approaches

As medical science advances, new approaches to thyroid testing and management are on the horizon. These emerging technologies and methodologies may offer more precise diagnostics and personalized treatment options in the future:

1. Genetic Testing

Identifying specific genetic markers associated with thyroid disorders may help predict an individual’s risk and guide preventive measures or early interventions.

3. Artificial Intelligence in Imaging Analysis

AI-powered algorithms can potentially enhance the accuracy and efficiency of thyroid ultrasound and other imaging studies, improving the detection and characterization of thyroid nodules.

3. Liquid Biopsy

This minimally invasive technique involves analyzing blood samples for specific biomarkers that may indicate thyroid cancer or other thyroid disorders, potentially reducing the need for more invasive diagnostic procedures.

4. Personalized Medicine Approaches

Tailoring thyroid treatments based on an individual’s genetic profile, lifestyle factors, and specific biomarkers may lead to more effective and targeted therapies for thyroid disorders.

As these technologies continue to develop, they may revolutionize how we approach thyroid testing and management, offering more precise and personalized care for individuals with thyroid disorders.

Understanding thyroid function and the importance of regular testing can empower individuals to take control of their thyroid health. By working closely with healthcare providers and staying informed about the latest developments in thyroid care, patients can ensure optimal thyroid function and overall wellbeing. Remember, your thyroid may be small, but its impact on your health is significant – give it the attention it deserves.

Thyroid Tests: MedlinePlus

Also called: Thyroid panel

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. It makes hormones that control the way the body uses energy. These hormones affect nearly every organ in your body and control many of your body’s most important functions. For example, they affect your breathing, heart rate, weight, digestion, and moods.

Thyroid tests check how well your thyroid is working. They are also used to diagnose and help find the cause of thyroid diseases such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Thyroid tests include blood tests and imaging tests.

Blood tests for your thyroid include:

• TSH. It measures thyroid-stimulating hormone. This is usually the first test your healthcare provider will order.
• T3 and T4.They measure the level of the different thyroid hormones in your blood.
• Thyroid antibodies test. It measures certain thyroid antibodies (markers in the blood). This test may help diagnose autoimmune thyroid disorders.

Imaging tests include:

• CT scans
• Ultrasound
• Nuclear medicine tests, including:
  • Thyroid scan. It uses small amounts of radioactive material to create a picture of the thyroid, showing its size, shape, and position. It can help find the cause of hyperthyroidism and check for thyroid nodules (lumps in the thyroid).
  • Radioactive iodine uptake test, or thyroid uptake test. It checks how well your thyroid is working and can help find the cause of hyperthyroidism.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

• Calcitonin Test

  (National Library of Medicine)

  Also in Spanish

• Thyroid Antibodies

  (National Library of Medicine)

  Also in Spanish

• Thyroid Function Tests

  (American Thyroid Association)

  Also in Spanish

• Thyroid Scan and Uptake

  (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)

  Also in Spanish

• Thyroid Tests

  (Nemours Foundation)

• Thyroid Tests

  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

  Also in Spanish

• Thyroxine (T4) Test

  (National Library of Medicine)

  Also in Spanish

• Triiodothyronine (T3) Tests

  (National Library of Medicine)

  Also in Spanish

• TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) test

  (National Library of Medicine)

  Also in Spanish

• Ultrasound – Thyroid

  (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)

  Also in Spanish

• ClinicalTrials. gov: Thyroid Function Tests

  (National Institutes of Health)

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Normal Thyroid Hormone Levels – Endocrine Surgery

What is thyroid hormone?

Thyroid hormone is made by the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland normally located in the lower front of the neck. Thyroid hormone is released into the blood where it is carried to all the tissues in the body. It helps the body use energy, stay warm and keeps the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should.

Thyroid hormone exists in two main forms: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). T4 is the primary form of thyroid hormone circulating in the blood (about 95%). To exert its effects, T4 is converted to T3 by the removal of an iodine atom; this occurs mainly in the liver and in certain tissues where T3 acts, such as in the brain. T3 normally accounts for about 5% of thyroid hormone circulating in the blood.

Most thyroid hormone in the blood is bound by protein, while only a small fraction is “free” to enter tissues and have a biologic effect. Thyroid tests may measure total (protein bound and free) or free hormone levels.

Production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland is controlled by the pituitary, another endocrine gland in the brain. The pituitary releases Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (abbreviated TSH) into the blood to stimulate the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone. The amount of TSH that the pituitary sends into the bloodstream depends on the amount of thyroid hormone in the body. Like a thermostat, if the pituitary senses low thyroid hormone, then it produces more TSH to tell the thyroid gland to produce more. Once the T4 in the bloodstream goes above a certain level, the pituitary’s production of TSH is shut off. In this way, the pituitary senses and controls thyroid gland production of thyroid hormone. Endocrinologists use a combination of thyroid hormone and TSH testing to understand thyroid hormone levels in the body.

What is a TSH test?

Thyroid tests
Blood tests to measure low or high TSH levels are readily available and widely used. Not all thyroid tests are useful in all situations.

TSH Test
The best way to initially test thyroid function is to measure the TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) level in a blood sample. Changes in TSH can serve as an “early warning system” — often occurring before the actual level of thyroid hormones in the body becomes too high or too low.

A high TSH level indicates that the thyroid gland is not making enough thyroid hormone (primary hypothyroidism). On the other hand, a low TSH level usually indicates that the thyroid is producing too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism). Occasionally, a low TSH may result from an abnormality in the pituitary gland, which prevents it from making enough TSH to stimulate the thyroid (central hypothyroidism). In most healthy individuals, a normal TSH value means that the thyroid is functioning properly.

What is a T4 test?

T4 Tests
A Total T4 test measures the bound and free thyroxine (T4) hormone in the blood. A Free T4 measures what is not bound and able to freely enter and affect the body tissues.

What does it mean if T4 levels are abnormal?
Importantly, Total T4 levels are affected by medications and medical conditions that change thyroid hormone binding proteins. Estrogen, oral contraceptive pills, pregnancy, liver disease, and hepatitis C virus infection are common causes of increased thyroid hormone binding proteins and will result in a high Total T4. Testosterone or androgens and anabolic steroids are common causes of decreased thyroid hormone binding proteins and will result in a low Total T4.

In some circumstances, like pregnancy, a person may have normal thyroid function but Total T4 levels outside of the normal reference range. Tests measuring free T4 – either a free T4 (FT4) or free T4 index (FTI) – may more accurately reflect how the thyroid gland is functioning in these circumstances. An endocrinologist can determine when thyroid disease is present in the context of abnormal thyroid binding proteins.

What is a T3 test?

T3 Tests
T3 tests measure triiodothyronine (T3) levels in the blood. A Total T3 test measures the bound and free fractions of triiodothyronine. Hyperthyroid patients typically have an elevated Total T3 level. T3 tests can be used to support a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism and can determine the severity.

In some thyroid diseases, the proportions of T3 and T4 in the blood change and can provide diagnostic information. A pattern of increased T3 vs T4 is characteristic of Graves’ disease. On the other hand, medications like steroids and amiodarone, and severe illness can decrease the amount of thyroid hormone the body converts from T4 to T3 (active form) resulting in a lower proportion of T3.

T3 levels fall late during hypothyroidism and therefore are not routinely used to evaluate patients with underactive or surgically absent thyroid glands.

Measurement of Free T3 is possible but is often not reliable and therefore may not be helpful.

What is a normal thyroid (hormone) level?

To assess thyroid hormone status for low or high TSH levels we use TSH and FT4 tests. The normal value for a laboratory test is determined by measuring the hormone in a large population of healthy individuals and finding the normal reference range. Normal ranges for thyroid tests may vary slightly among different laboratories, and typical ranges for common tests are given below.

TSH normal values are 0.5 to 5.0 mIU/L. Pregnancy, a history of thyroid cancer, history of pituitary gland disease, and older age are some situations when TSH is optimally maintained in a different range as guided by an endocrinologist.

FT4 normal values are 0.7 to 1.9ng/dL. Individuals taking medications that modify thyroid hormone metabolism and those with a history of thyroid cancer or pituitary disease may be optimally managed with a different normal FT4 range.

Total T4 and Total T3 levels measure bound and free thyroid hormone in the blood. These levels are influenced by many factors that affect protein levels in the body, including medications, sex hormones, and liver disease.
A normal Total T4 level in adults ranges from 5.0 to 12.0μg/dL.
A normal Total T3 level in adults ranges from 80-220 ng/dL.

Free T3 assays are often unreliable and not routinely used to assess thyroid function.

What does it mean if my thyroid levels are abnormal?

Patterns of thyroid tests associated with thyroid disease

Primary Hypothyroidism
A high TSH and low thyroid hormone level (e. g. low FT4) can indicate primary hypothyroidism. Primary hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland makes too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include feeling cold, constipation, weight gain, slowed thinking, and decreased energy.
Causes of primary hypothyroidism include:

• Autoimmune thyroid disease, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Thyroid gland dysfunction due to a medication (e.g. amiodarone, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or cancer immunotherapy)
• Removal of all or part of the thyroid gland
• Radiation injury to the thyroid (e.g. external beam radiation, radioactive iodine ablation treatment)
• Excess treatment with anti-thyroid medications (e.g. methimazole, propylthiouracil)

Early or mild hypothyroidism may present as a persistently high TSH and a normal FT4 hormone level. This pattern is called subclinical hypothyroidism and your doctor may recommend treatment. Over time, untreated subclinical hypothyroidism can contribute to heart disease.

It is important to remember that normal TSH levels in older individuals (ages 70 and above) are higher than the normal ranges for younger individuals.

Primary Hyperthyroidism
A low TSH and a high thyroid hormone level (e.g. high FT4) can indicate primary hyperthyroidism. Primary hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland makes or releases too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include tremors, palpitations, restlessness, feeling too warm, frequent bowel movements, disrupted sleep, and unintentional weight loss.
Causes of primary hyperthyroidism include:

• Graves’ disease
• Toxic or autonomously functioning thyroid nodule
• Multinodular goiter
• Thyroid inflammation (called thyroiditis) early in the course of disease
• Thyroid gland dysfunction due to a medication (e.g. amiodarone or cancer immunotherapy)
• Excess thyroid hormone therapy

Early or mild hyperthyroidism may present as a persistently low TSH and a normal FT4 hormone level. This pattern is called subclinical hyperthyroidism and your doctor may recommend treatment. Over time, untreated subclinical hyperthyroidism can worsen osteoporosis and contribute to abnormal heart rhythms.

Thyroiditis
Thyroid inflammation, also called thyroiditis, causes injury to the thyroid gland and release of thyroid hormone. Individuals with thyroiditis usually have a brief period of hyperthyroidism (low TSH and high FT4 or Total T4) followed by development of hypothyroidism (high TSH and low FT4 or Total T4) or resolution.

Some forms of thyroiditis are transient, like post-partum thyroiditis or thyroiditis following an infection, and often resolve on their own without need for medication.

Other forms of thyroiditis, like thyroiditis resulting from cancer immunotherapy, interferon alpha, or tyrosine kinase inhibitors, usually result in permanent hypothyroidism and require long term treatment with thyroid hormone replacement.

Your endocrinologist will monitor your thyroid tests during thyroiditis and can help determine if you need short- and long-term medications to balance your thyroid function and control any symptoms.

Central Hypothyroidism
A low TSH and a low FT4 may indicate pituitary disease. Detection of central hypothyroidism should prompt your doctor to check for problems in other pituitary hormones, an underlying cause, and you may need imaging tests to look at the pituitary gland.

Central hypothyroidism is treated with thyroid hormone replacement. Importantly, adequacy of thyroid replacement in central hyperthyroidism is assessed with FT4 and Total T4 tests not TSH as in primary hyperthyroidism, and deficiency in stress hormone cortisol should be assessed before starting thyroid treatment to prevent an adrenal crisis. 

Causes of central hypothyroidism include pituitary gland disease, such as a pituitary mass or tumor, history of pituitary surgery or radiation, pituitary inflammation (called hypophysitis) resulting from autoimmune disease or cancer immunotherapy, and infiltrative diseases.

Rare causes of abnormal thyroid function
Thyroid hormone resistance
Iodine induced hyperthyroidism
TSH-secreting tumor (TSH-oma)
Germ cell tumors
Trophoblastic disease
Infiltrative diseases, such as systemic scleroderma, hemochromatosis, or amyloidosis.

When abnormal thyroid function tests are not due to thyroid disease

While blood tests to measure thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) are widely available, it is important to remember that not all tests are useful in all circumstances and many factors including medications, supplements, and non-thyroid medical conditions can affect thyroid test results. An endocrinologist can help you make sense of thyroid test results when there is a discrepancy between your results and how you feel. A good first step is often to repeat the test and ensure there are no medications that might interfere with the test results. Below are some common reasons for mismatch between thyroid tests and thyroid disease.

Non-thyroidal illness
Significant illness, such as an infection, cancer, heart failure, or kidney disease, or recent recovery from an illness can cause transient changes in the TSH. Fasting or starvation can also cause a low TSH. An endocrinologist can help to interpret changes in thyroid function tests in these circumstances to distinguish non-thyroid illness from true thyroid dysfunction.

Test interference
Biotin, a common supplement for hair and nail growth, interferes with many thyroid function tests and can lead to inaccurate results. Endocrinologists recommend stopping biotin supplements for 3 days before having a blood test for thyroid function.

Individuals who have exposure to mice, like laboratory researchers and veterinarians, may develop antibodies against mouse proteins in their blood. These antibodies cross react with reagents in multiple thyroid function tests and cause unpredictable results. A specialized assay can accurately measure thyroid hormone levels and TSH in this circumstance.

I don’t feel well, but my thyroid tests are normal

Thyroid blood tests are generally accurate and reliable. If you do not have low or high TSH levels and your thyroid tests are normal, your symptoms may not be related to thyroid disease, and you may want to seek additional evaluation with your primary care physician.

How is hypothyroidism treated?

What is thyroid medication?

Thyroid Hormone Treatment
Levothyroxine is the standard of care in thyroid hormone replacement therapy and treatment of hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine (also called LT4) is equivalent to the T4 form of naturally occurring thyroid hormone and is available in generic and brand name forms.

How do I take levothyroxine?
To optimize absorption of your thyroid medication, it should be taken with water at a regular time each day. Multiple medications and supplements decrease absorption of thyroid hormone and should be taken 3–4 hours apart, including calcium and iron supplements, proton pump inhibitors, soy, and multivitamins with minerals. Because of the way levothyroxine is metabolized by the body, your doctor may ask you to take an extra pill or skip a pill on some days of the week. This helps us to fine tune your medication dose for your body and should be guided by an endocrinologist.

For patients with celiac disease (autoimmune disease against gluten) or gluten sensitivity, a gluten free formulation of levothyroxine is available. Some individuals may have genetic variant that affects how the body converts T4 to T3 and these individuals may benefit from the addition of a small dose of triiodothyronine.

Liothyronine is replacement T3 (triiodothyronine) thyroid hormone. This medication has a short half-life and is taken twice per day or in combination with levothyroxine. Liothyronine alone is not used for treatment of hypothyroidism long term.

Other formulations of thyroid hormone replacement include natural or desiccated thyroid hormone extracts from animal sources. Natural or desiccated thyroid extract preparations have greater variability in the dose of thyroid hormone between batches and imbalanced ratios if T4 vs T3. Natural or animal sources of thyroid hormone typically contain 75% T4 and 25% T3, compared to the normal human balance of 95% T4 and 5% T3. Treatment with a correct balance of T4 and T3 is important to replicate normal thyroid function and prevent adverse effects of excess T3, including osteoporosis, heart problems, and mood and sleep disturbance. An endocrinologist can evaluate symptoms and thyroid tests to help balance thyroid hormone medications.

How do I know if my thyroid dose is correct?

Monitoring thyroid levels on medication
Correct dosing of thyroid hormone is usually assessed using the same tests for diagnosis of thyroid disease, including TSH and FT4. Thyroid tests are typically checked every 4-6 weeks initially and then every 6 to 12 months once stable. In special circumstances, such as pregnancy, a history of thyroid cancer, central hypothyroidism, amiodarone therapy, or use of combination T4 and T3 thyroid hormone replacement, your endocrinologist may check different thyroid tests. Additionally, your endocrinologist will evaluate for symptoms of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism and perform a physical exam.

Women who are pregnant and women who may become pregnant should only be treated with levothyroxine (T4). Only T4 efficiently crosses the placenta to provide thyroid hormone to the developing fetus. Thyroid hormone is critical in early pregnancy for brain development. Normal ranges for thyroid tests in pregnancy are different and change by trimester. Women with thyroid disease in pregnancy or who are considering pregnancy should be under the care of an endocrinologist to guide therapy.

Individuals with a history of thyroid cancer, even if only a portion of the thyroid was removed, also have different target ranges for TSH and FT4 tests. Thyroid hormone replacement in these individuals is closely tied to ongoing thyroid cancer surveillance, monitoring of thyroid cancer tumor markers, and dynamic assessment of recurrence risk. These patients are optimally managed by a multidisciplinary team including an endocrinologist and endocrine surgeon.

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Target audience: how to define and classify

Target audience is a collection of consumers with the same desires that an organization can satisfy with its products. People are formed into groups according to the following criteria: gender, age, geographical location, solvency, interests, and others.

The success of a brand depends on a well-designed offer for potential buyers. For example, companies that sell children’s toys are aimed at parents, while a healthy food store is aimed at people who prefer a healthy lifestyle.

It is necessary to pay attention to any aspects: the desires of the client, his preferences, place of residence and others. Each product has its own specific group of consumers, because this is how an advertising campaign will bring results.

Why it is important to correctly define the target audience

Organizations need to understand the portrait of their target audience in order to offer products only to interested customers. If a company knows what consumers focus on when buying, it will:

• create advertising campaigns that attract consumers;
• launch promotions that will lead to good sales;
• optimize your products to stand out from the competition;
• release new products that are interesting to customers.

Consider the example of MTS. The organization knows that customers have families. For this target audience, the company offers a special discount to all family members.

Target audience classification

By type of purchase

Main target audience

Priority group for companies. They themselves decide on the need to purchase goods and are the initiators when making a purchase. For example, office workers independently determine what clothes to buy for working days.

Indirect target audience

This audience plays a passive role. As an example, a person who is given a gift certificate to a particular store.

Interests

Broad target audience

These are consumers who are interested in your store as a whole. So, the wide target audience of the VkusVill store is people who prefer healthy food products.

Narrow target audience

A more specialized circle of people, segmented according to a certain attribute. For example, women, men, parents, students, schoolchildren, athletes and others. Such groups differ from each other: when buying, they focus on different details. Alternatively, savings are important for students (a two-in-one promotion is being launched), and for athletes, the choice of healthy products to keep fit (for example, an increase in the range of protein).

By type of target group

B2B (business to business)

This segment includes organizations that provide their products to other organizations. For example, agencies developing online services for business, or companies supplying raw materials and other materials for work.

B2C (business to consumer)

B2C is a company that sells products to ordinary consumers. This category includes clothing and food stores, pet products, beauty salons, various courses and more.

Ready to buy

Cold TA

These are customers who do not know about your brand and are not interested in purchasing products. In order to transfer such an audience into the “warm” category, you need to identify its problems and offer products as a means of satisfying needs.

Warm TA

This type of TA is already familiar with the company and has an idea about its products. It is not necessary for consumers to purchase something from you, they can simply add the item to their shopping cart.

Hot target

These are regular customers and those who are interested in your brand. They are also called target customers.

Characteristics of the target audience

Many factors are important to consider when determining your target group. To maximize profits and increase brand success, focus on the following:

• Demographics. This is the basic information about the buyers: gender, age, religion, education, solvency and more. This information is quite easy to collect due to its availability and simple analysis.
• Geographic data. Knowing the customer’s location is important for companies, especially for local businesses. Geographic targeting adjusts the display of ads for people living in a specific location. For example, for a cafe located in St. Petersburg, it would be logical to create a local geotargeting.
• Psychographic data. Includes information about the personal characteristics of the consumer, his principles, interests, hobbies and hobbies. To obtain such data, create a survey/questionnaire or make a special subscription form.
• Behavioral data. Collected by tracking the actions taken by the client on the site (what products were viewed, what was added to the basket or favorites). Then an advertising campaign is formed.

Segmentation of the target audience

Segmentation is the division of a wide target audience into different groups that are similar in certain ways.

Segmentation is used to fine-tune advertising campaigns or create an offer to meet the needs of some customers.

Let’s take an example: an interior door store sells its products to everyone. However, it is better to segment customers into certain categories.

1. Family men who repair the apartment. Most often they have children.
2. Wealthy people who frequently update their interiors and prefer a unique and luxurious design.
3. Young families who have recently moved and do not have large finances.
4. Designers who need doors for their projects. They are interested in custom design.

Each group needs to be given attention and proposals developed specifically for it. For example, discounts and promotions for young families and exclusive materials for making doors for wealthy people.

Offer of interior doors for children’s room

How to segment the target audience

As we have already found out, buyers can be divided into different groups. Here is an example of such a division, which is based on the frequency of purchases:

• Active consumers
  These are customers who constantly purchase products from the brand. Strengthen the loyalty of this audience and constantly remind you of yourself.

• Interested in purchasing goods
  This segment is looking at your product, but has not yet decided whether to buy it or not. Think of a way to convince these customers to make a purchase in order to move them into the active consumer segment.

• Buyers rarely
  People who have already purchased the product, but did so irregularly. Here the goal of the company is to reactivate their . Use separate emails, discounts, and a loyalty system to attract customers back to purchase.

• Non-purchasers
  This segment refers to cold clients. Introduce them to your brand and showcase the value of your products with promotional offers and mailing lists.

How to determine the target audience

Before developing a marketing strategy, it is important to study the target audience and only then create an advertisement. We offer ways to determine the core of your target audience:

• Method of forecasts. First, an approximate portrait of the target audience is compiled and its features and characteristics are described. After that, a campaign is created for this segment. Then the advertisement starts, and it depends on the results whether you made the portrait correctly or not.
• Research method. This method involves ordering an analysis of the target audience in an agency or collecting information based on research from popular sources: VTsIOM surveys, various sites with a research bias, demographic data.
• 5W method. Based on a simple rule: every product has its own buyer. It includes five points that will help highlight individual segments of the target audience.

• Survey method. Surveys are being compiled to determine the target audience. Some representatives of the target audience participate through social networks, by phone or in person.
• Interview method. There are two types of interview: detailed and regular. The first involves a long dialogue of about an hour, perhaps for recording. The main goal is to identify the main doubts and desires of the consumer. This method is more typical for large businesses. Regular interviews often take place online or at an event and do not take much time.
• Three-level method. Divides audience characteristics into the following levels:

General. Specifies the basic characteristics of the target audience.

Product category level. The frequency of use of the product, the frequency of purchases, consumer loyalty, the place of order (online or in the store) are determined.

Brand level. How people perceive the company. For example, what do they know about the brand, how loyal to it, how, in their opinion, the organization differs from others.

After three levels, general information is collected to describe the portrait of the target audience.

• Statistical method. One of the most accessible data sources is the analysis of checks (how many goods are in it, when and at what time the goods were purchased, how much the purchase was, etc. ).

You can also analyze the behavior of consumers on the site. For this, analytics tools are used (the most popular are Google Analytics and Yandex.Metrika).

Analysis of offline consumer behavior is carried out using surveillance cameras or through the number of people connected to free Wi-Fi.

Based on these data, a portrait of the target audience is formed.

• Person method Used to create a detailed and generalized image of a potential client.

There are steps to create a character that will be your customer:

1. General description of a person: gender, age, religion, education, and more.
2. Character values ​​and priorities: uniqueness, status, practicality, etc.
3. Where the consumer most often spends time: online (what social networks he uses) or offline.
4. You need to determine why the character needs your product and what the emphasis is on when buying.

At the end, come up with a name and add a photo of the character. Thus, you will get portraits of the target audience that you need to focus on.

Target Audience Analysis

• CJM ( Customer Journey Map ). This is a buyer interaction map, which is based on an analysis of the desires and interests of the target audience. For clarity, use various Mind Map services (Mindjet, Сoggle).

• CustDev (Customer Development) – testing ideas on potential customers through interviews. Google forms, social media surveys, and more are used.
• Study of seasonality and demand (Google Trends, WordStat).
• Target audience analysis of site (Yandex.Metrica is used for your company, SimilarWeb for competitors).
• Social media analysis — generated from social media reports and various research sites (mediascope.net, Target Hunter).
• Analytical services from advertising platforms, analyzing the interaction of the target audience on different sources (YouTube Analytics, Attribution 360).

Conclusion

The target audience is a group of consumers who are united by similar characteristics and are interested in the organization’s products. Common features include age, gender, location, ability to pay, interests, hobbies, purchase frequency, brand familiarity.

Determining the target audience is important at the initial stages of a business. Consider all the details and details of your audience, as well as its classification into different types (main or indirect; wide or narrow; for other companies or for consumers; cold, warm and hot). Each type needs to be dealt with separately.
There are many ways to find your target audience. For example, the method of forecasts, research, interviews, the three-level method, and others.

The following techniques are excellent for analyzing the target audience: a customer journey map, testing ideas on potential buyers, studying seasonality and demand, analyzing social networks and a website, as well as using various analytics services.

How to correctly draw up a portrait of the target audience

Responsibly and in detail we analyze the basics of marketing and content in social networks – the target audience. What is it, how to determine it, what is the target audience. At the end of the article, there is a handy template for audience analysis that will help you create a portrait.

Why you need to know your target audience

The development of a marketing strategy must begin with the definition of the target audience. But if you suddenly skipped this stage or are planning to do it, let’s figure out why you should waste time, effort and sometimes money at all to draw up a portrait of the target audience.

To reduce advertising costs

Since we are talking about marketing, we are talking about promotion budgets. And for sure, we are not talking about traditional advertising channels, but about digital, where you can calculate the payback of each ruble invested. And that means optimizing budget expenditures.

If we know exactly the target audience of the project, then we can reduce the cost due to more accurate targeting. We will stop showing ads to people from regions where sales do not come from, we will stop spending the budget on age users with low interest in the product.

To improve communication

Personalization of everything is the trend of recent years. The more personally we address the user, the more chances we have to win his attention and trust. And to personalize communication, you need to study the audience. A correctly composed portrait of the target audience will help with this.

For example, for a cosmetics brand, in communication with users, the address is always feminine. But if the brand analyzed the audience, it would find that 30% of sales come from the male audience. To correct the situation in communication, the brand can switch to a gender-neutral address to “you” or separate messages, for example, in e-mail newsletters.

To find growth points

Understanding the audience allows you to refine the product. And that means increasing sales. For example, audience analysis will allow you to find segments that are interested in a product category, but do not find products for themselves in the product line.

Also, you can avoid the mistakes of working on stereotypes – as in the example above with a cosmetics store. Accounting for different audience segments will help grow individual product categories that you unknowingly paid little attention to.

What is the target audience

The target audience is the group of people who are primarily targeted by marketing communication and who are most likely to buy your product.

The core of the target audience is the most active and interested group of potential consumers, which brings the maximum sales or profit, uses the product more often than others and needs it more than others.

Characteristics of the target audience

The target audience is united by several features. According to these features, the target audience can be divided into several segments.

Socio-demographic characteristics

This includes the main characteristics of your audience – age and gender, work, family, income.

• Sex;
• Age;
• Occupation;
• Position;
• Sphere of work;
• marital status;
• Children;
• income level;
• Education.

Geographic data

These characteristics describe where your audience lives. The detail of the study depends on the project. For example, it is important for an international company to specify countries. And for a small flower shop – areas of work and life of the target audience.

• Country;
• City;
• District.

Psychographic characteristics

Describe the interests and lifestyle of your customers. Here we move away from statistics and try to understand what kind of people they are – what they are interested in, how they spend their free time, what they are fond of, what they dream about and what they are afraid of.

• Interests;
• Hobby;
• Leisure;
• Valuables;
• Fears;
• media that he reads;
• Followed public figures;
• Brands (from any category) that she uses.

Behavioral characteristics

Describe your customers in terms of product category and your brand. For example, you are promoting a furniture store. Are you interested in how the audience chooses furniture? How often does he make such purchases? How much does it spend? What motivates you to buy – for example, renovation (need) or improvement of the environment (desire). It is also important how the audience relates specifically to your brand – does it know about it? Is it loyal?

Are you going to work with an already warm audience or beat off an audience from competitors? The answers to all these questions will affect your marketing strategy and communication in social networks and advertising.

• Motivation to buy;
• Purchasing reason;
• Purchasing urgency;
• Purchase frequency;
• Relationship to product category;
• Brand attitude.

Method 5W (M. Sherrington)

Yes, marketers love acronym-named tools. A popular technique for describing the target audience is the 5W technique, five questions about the consumer and about the product.

What – what does the consumer want? What type of product, what qualities should correspond to the product?
Who – who buys the product, how it can be described.
Why – why the consumer wants this product, what need will he fill, what motivation guides him, how does he relate to the brand
When – in what period will the purchase occur? Is it a quick sale or a long one?
Where? – where the purchase will take place, what distribution channel the consumer will choose.

What is a portrait of the target audience

The portrait of the target audience is a description of a specific representative of the segment, your ideal client.

Difference between target audience and user profile

The portrait of the target audience is no longer a description of a group of people, but of a specific user, your ideal client. For example, if when describing the target audience we say: “Women, 25-40 years old, have children under 7 years old, work / are on maternity leave, are interested in a healthy lifestyle”, then the portrait will look like this: “Ekaterina, 31 years old. Married, children: 3 years and 7 years. Works as an HR manager in a large company. Goes to Pilates.

Examples of a portrait of the target audience

Let’s take the furniture store example. Let’s imagine what portraits of the target audience this project can have.

Lyudmila, 46 years old
Buys an apartment for her eldest son and furnishes it herself. He does not understand modern interior trends, but wants to make a concise design.
Works in the banking sector as a senior accountant. Married, two children – 20 and 14 years old. He is fond of reading and car trips around the cities of Russia.

Lyudmila would fall into the segment: “They are doing repairs.” His description could look like this:
Women and men, 35-55 years old, average income +, interests: travel, culture, healthy lifestyle. Married, have children. They buy real estate and make repairs, the value is reliability, quality. Attitude to the product category: they buy furniture as needed, “for centuries”. Attitude towards the brand: they trust quality, they are ready to overpay for it.

Michael, 24
Selects a sofa in a rented apartment. Appreciates minimalism and mobility. Works as an account manager in an advertising agency. Travels on couchsurfing, is fond of photography. Not married, no children.

And this is how the description of the audience segment to which Mikhail belongs could look like:
Women and men, 22-25 years old, average and average+ income, interests: travel, entertainment, development, fashion establishments, social networks. Not married / not married, no children. Rent an apartment or buy a first home. Relation to the product category: ease of assembly, low price, modern appearance. Attitude towards the brand: loyal due to the design of goods and service, but if he meets a profitable offer with similar qualities, he will make a choice in his favor.

How to create an audience portrait

An accurate description of a potential client will help you adjust your communication, find new ideas to appeal to the audience, topics for posts, messages for advertising.

Your real customers can become a prototype for drawing up a portrait of the target audience – interview them for a small fee (for example, a discount coupon) or make a portrait according to the available data (of course, not including confidential information, photo, real name).

Types of target audience

Primary target audience (primary target audience) – the highest priority. These are the people who make the buying decision.

Indirect / secondary target audience (secondary target audience) – takes part in the purchase, but is not its initiator.

For example, a child is the primary target audience for a toy store. And the parent is indirect, since it is he who will pay for the purchase.

Methods for determining the target audience

You need to get quite a lot of information about customers. We suspect that you are already worried at this point – where to get it?

Marketing research

The most resource-intensive, but also the most effective way to collect data about the target audience is marketing research.
You can conduct them with the involvement of research agencies – expensive and serious. But you can do it yourself, then two tools will suit you:

Online survey

Send a questionnaire to the base of subscribers or buyers (it is convenient to do it in Google Forms) with questions that interest you.
For motivation, offer a small discount for completing.

Interviews with members of the audience

In-depth interviews with individual clients are more difficult than a questionnaire, but allow you to find unexpected insights and problems that you could not foresee in the questionnaire yourself. You can conduct an interview online – schedule several Zoom calls for 20-30 minutes, make a list of questions in advance. Again, a discount or bonus is suitable to motivate customers.

Google Analytics and Yandex.Metrika, Facebook pixel

Information about customers can be obtained on your site – analytics systems collect information about users and create convenient reports from them. True, this information is not 100% correct, but if you do not have the opportunity to conduct a survey, this is a good option to use when creating a portrait of the target audience.
For example, Google Analytics collects information about gender, age, geographic location, device used, and user interests.

But much more accurately, users show their interests in social networks. If the search engine can hook on irrelevant options – for example, the user googled a topic for work, and the search engine mistook this information for a hobby. In social networks, users usually have a rest (if they are not SMMs), so they show their real interests. They are determined by the Facebook pixel – in the Facebook Analytics tool you will find a large amount of data about your users collected by the pixel on the site and interacting with the brand page on the social network. These are interests, social democrats, work and pages subscribed to by representatives of your target audience.

Popsters

If you have not yet collected an audience on the site or in social networks, you can analyze the audience of competitors. Of course, doing it manually is difficult, and you don’t have access to the statistics of other people’s pages on social networks.

Use tools that allow you to explore any page and help you quickly build a portrait of your target audience.