Thyroid Diseases News and Research

The Heart and Your Thyroid: What You Need to Know

06/27/2018 - For the first time, researchers provide evidence that people with hyperthyroidism or Graves' thyroiditis are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and even when the most effective thyroid treatment leaves patients at risk for up to 20 years. A heart-healthy diet and low blood pressure are important strategies to reduce cardiac risk.

Hypothyroid and Cholesterol: Too Little Thyroid Hormone, Too Much Cholesterol

06/22/2018 - Hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis, may increase patients' risk for heart disease. Patients with a high TSH should have their blood cholesterol checked as they are at twice the risk for cardiovascular disease if both go untreated.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and PCOS: Is There a Connection?

05/23/2018 - There is a 3-fold higher likelihood of having Hashimoto's thyroiditis in women who have been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Both conditions raise the risk of infertility and cardiovascular disease, necessitating careful hormone management.

Barbara Bush Lived a Full Life with Graves' Disease

04/18/2018 - Barbara Bush lives for decades with Graves' disease but died at age 92 from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Hypothyroid and Older? You May Not Need Treatment

05/09/2017 - If you've been diagnosed with mildly low thyroid function and you're an older adult, you may not get symptom relief from the commonly prescribed medication, according to new study published in New England Journal of Medicine.

Some Pregnant Women Should Be Treated for Subclinical Hypothyroidism

02/03/2017 - Women treated for subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) during pregnancy are less likely to experience pregnancy loss, a new study shows, but they face a greater risk of complications such as preterm delivery, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

Low Iron and Low Thyroid: A Link in Pregnant Women?

12/14/2016 - Iron deficiency and hypothyroidism may share a connection, a recent study from Belgium suggests.

Does Hyperthyroid Diagnosis Equal Higher Breast Cancer Risk?

10/17/2016 - A new study has found a link between hyperthyroidism and a slightly higher of breast cancer risk, according to research from NH Dartmouth Family Medicine Residence at Concord Hospital, which was presented at the American Thyroid Association's 86th annual meeting.

Low Thyroid Hormone Raises Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

10/11/2016 - People with prediabetes and low thyroid function were more than twice as likely to progress to full-blown type 2 diabetes compared to those with normal thyroid-hormone levels in a new study published September 30 in the journal BMC Medicine.

Does Underactive Thyroid Lead To Weight Gain—Or Vice-Versa?

10/04/2016 - New research shows that excess weight may be slowing down the thyroid, instead of a slow thyroid making it easy to pack on the pounds, says Cari Kitahara, PhD, MHS, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute who presented her findings on obesity, thyroid function and weight at the 86th annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association in Denver Sept. 24.

Thyroid Cancer: Epidemic or Overdiagnosis?

09/23/2016 - Many experts are now saying that not everyone with thyroid cancer may need immediate treatment—or any treatment at all—according to a Mayo Clinic expert speaking at the opening session of the American Thyroid Associaiton's 86th annual meeting in Denver.

Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism During Pregnancy

08/02/2016 - A large study from Denmark found that exposure to levothyroxine, used to help a sluggish thyroid (hypothyroidism), had no impact on birth weight and other factors. However, treatment with anti-thyroid medications for overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) was linked with a higher risk of preterm births, low birth weights and infant death.

Soy & Your Thyroid: How Much Is Too Much?

07/29/2016 - Eating large amounts of soy foods may not be good for some women's thyroid functioning, according to new research from Loma Linda University in California.

Levothyroxine for Sluggish Thyroids: Weekly or Daily?

07/06/2016 - Weekly doses of levothyroxine may improve compliance and work as well as daily, study finds. Not everyone thinks it's a good idea.

Common Thyroid Tumor Downgraded to Non-Cancerous

04/20/2016 - An international panel of pathologists and clinicians has decided to rename a type of thyroid tumor—until now deemed malignant—as non-cancerous.

For Best Thyroid Surgery Results, Pick Doctor With 25-Plus Cases a Year

03/22/2016 - Patients who need to have their thyroid gland removed, due to cancer or other conditions, should seek out a surgeon who performs more than 25 such operations each year, according to new research.

Hypothyroidism Linked to Flame Retardants

12/23/2015 - Younger women exposed to chemicals called PDBEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) may be at higher risk of having a sluggish thyroid, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Mild Thyroid Disorder Could Hurt Brainpower

11/11/2015 - People younger than 75 with subclinical hypothyroidism are at “significant risk” of cognitive impairment and even dementia, according to a new review of studies published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

When Graves' Disease Patients Should Stop Methimazole Before RIT

10/20/2015 - For years, there's been no clear agreement on the best time for Graves' Disease patients to stop taking methimazole (Tapazole) before they undergo radioactive iodine therapy or RIT. Now a new study finds that there may be a wider window in which to safely stop the medication.

Study Links Low Selenium Diet with Thyroid Disease

09/14/2015 - A new study from China supports previous research showing an association between adequate dietary selenium and heathy thyroid function. The study also found that low intake of the mineral, reflected by serum levels, correlates with increased risk of a variety of types of thyroid disease.

Time to Rethink Thyroid Nodule Biopsies?

07/28/2015 - A new study makes a case for reducing the fairly aggressive surveillance that’s recommended for thyroid nodules. The results of the study, published in the journal JAMA, found that most thyroid nodules are very slow growing if they grow at all. Yet guidelines recommend frequent follow-up and testing to monitor the nodules for cancer.

Untreated Low Thyroid Function During Pregnancy Can Cause Trouble

07/23/2015 - Untreated hypothyroidism in pregnancy is linked to high blood pressure, preterm birth, miscarriage and even fetal death. Now new research from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says more follow-up screening and treatment may help head off serious outcomes for mom and baby.

Thyroid Cancer?: When Testing vs. Surgery Makes a Whole Lot More Sense

07/22/2015 - The number of thyroid surgeries for suspected cancer has dramatically risen in recent years, and several new molecular thyroid cancer tests may be able to slow the trend.

Gut Bug Slims Waistlines, Improves Blood Sugar

07/02/2015 - A common gut microbe with a tongue-twisting name — Akkermansia muciniphila —helped overweight and obese people lose more belly fat and gain better blood-sugar control in a recent study from the Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and Hormone Health

05/12/2015 - Endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, are chemicals that act the same as, block, or change the way that natural hormones act in the body. Learn more about EDCs and how you can avoid exposure to these chemicals.