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Who is most at risk of an underactive thyroid?

Who is most at risk of an underactive thyroid?

The thyroid gland, a small butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck, is responsible for producing thyroid hormones which play important roles in many of the body's key functions.  Hypothyroidism - more commonly known as having an underactive thyroid - occurs when your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. These hormones control the way your body uses energy and affects all our cells and organs. Without enough thyroid hormone many of your body’s functions slow down.

How common is hypothyroidism?

In the UK, 15 in every 1000 women and 1 in every 1000 men have an underactive thyroid¹. However, most cases are mild and have few obvious symptoms.

Who is most at risk of developing an underactive thyroid?

Women are much more likely to develop hypothyroidism than men.  Your chances of developing the condition also increase with age,  as cases are much more common in people over 60 years old.

There are other factors too that can place you at a higher risk²:

  • You have a family history of hypothyroidism or other autoimmune disease
  • You have taken anti-thyroid medications or have been treated with radioactive iodine
  • You have had thyroid surgery
  • Your upper chest or neck area has been exposed to radiation
  • You were pregnant or had a baby within the last six months

Your thyroid is also more likely to be underactive if you have other health problems including³:

  • Coeliac disease
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Pernicious anaemia
  • Lupus

Even if you have several of these risk factors, this does not mean that you will necessarily go on to develop an underactive thyroid. Nor does it mean that if you have none of them, the condition won’t affect you. It simply means that your risk of developing it is greater.

What are the main symptoms of an underactive thyroid?

Because hypothyroidism develops slowly, you may not notice symptoms of the disease for months or even years but those who do, typically complain of⁴:

  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Weight gain
  • Dry, coarse hair
  • Dry, rough, pale skin
  • Hair loss
  • Intolerance to the cold
  • Muscle cramps and aches
  • Constipation
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Memory loss
  • Abnormal menstrual cycles
  • Reduced libido

How can I tell if I have an underactive thyroid?

If you suspect you might have an issue with your thyroid, you can check by taking one of My Health Checked’s Thyroid at-home tests.

MyHealthChecked’s Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Rapid Test is a quick and easy way to screen for hypothyroidism. Since abnormal levels of TSH suggest a disruption of your body’s normal thyroid function, this test will give you a good indication within 10 minutes if your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are normal. If they are higher than normal, this suggests you may have an underactive thyroid.

MyHealthChecked’s Thyroid Profile Blood Test goes one step further. This self-test kit can also be performed at home but you’ll then need to send your sample to be analysed at our laboratory where we will check the levels of both your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and Thyroxine (T4) to assess whether you may have either an underactive or overactive thyroid.

Is hypothyroidism serious?

If your test suggests you might have any type of thyroid disorder, you should always seek medical advice. The good news is that hypothyroidism is usually easy to treat. With proper treatment, most people with an underactive thyroid can lead a normal, healthy life but if left untreated, it can lead to complications including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, mental health issues, problems during pregnancy, infertility and in some cases, even heart disease or heart failure.

It can also cause the thyroid gland to become enlarged, leading to the formation of a goitre, a lump or swelling at the front of the neck that can cause difficulty breathing and swallowing, hoarseness and a cough.

Reviewed by Dr David Nichols

References

  1. NHS Scotland. (n.d.). Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Retrieved from https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/glands/underactive-thyroid
  2. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2017). Insulin resistance. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519536/
  3. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH. (n.d.). Hypothyroidism. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism
  4. EndocrineWeb. (n.d.). Hypothyroidism. Retrieved from https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism