Factors that increase your risk of having thyroid problems

When the thyroid is well, you won’t give it a second thought. But when the humble gland is diseased, your entire existence can be affected. You may gain or lose weight, feel hot or cold, and notice changes in your energy levels.

While anyone can develop thyroid disease, there are certain factors that can make you more likely to develop a thyroid problem than the person who doesn’t have that risk. Following are some of the main risk factors that can affect thyroid health.

• Gender and Age

No doubt, being a woman makes you more vulnerable to thyroid disease. In fact, 1 in 8 women between the ages of 35 and 65 has thyroid disease, with most cases having hypothyroidism (Source: American Thyroid Association). And as you age, the risk gets even higher: 20 percent of all women over 65 have thyroid problems.

Being female is also the biggest risk factor for Grave’s disease, which afflicts women 8 times more than men. But Grave’s is not necessarily a condition of advancing age. Rather, most people develop Grave’s disease between ages 20 and 40.

• Personal and Family Health History

If you’ve ever had a problem with your thyroid in the past, your risk for thyroid disease now is higher than normal. For instance, even a brief thyroid problem after pregnancy makes you more vulnerable.

Also Read: Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease: Answering Important Questions

You are also at greater risk for an autoimmune thyroid disease if you have autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, or psoriasis. Two forms of thyroid disease, Hashimoto’s disease and Grave’s disease are also autoimmune diseases.

Thyroid problems are also common in women who have endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

The same risk applies to your family members. If a first degree relative had or has thyroid disease, then you are more likely to have a thyroid problem. For instance, if your mother had a postpartum thyroid disease after delivery years ago, your risk is slightly higher than someone whose mother didn’t have the condition.

But remember, having a personal or family history of thyroid disease or autoimmune disease doesn’t mean you will necessarily get thyroid disease. It simply means that your chances of doing so are slightly higher than those of a person who doesn’t have that history.

• Smoking

It’s safe to say that everyone knows about the toll cigarette smoking have on the health of the lungs and heart. But smoking also causes serious problems for the thyroid gland. Many studies have shown that smoking may increase the risk of disease development, may reduce the effectiveness of thyroid treatment, and eventually induce relapse (Source: NCBI). Smoking also acts as a predictor of Graves’ disease.

For these reasons, among so many others – people with a personal or family history of thyroid disease or autoimmune illnesses are generally advised not to smoke. And if you find out you have thyroid disease, do everything you can to quit!

• Hormonal Disturbance

Many women will develop thyroid disease during periods of tremendous hormonal shifts, especially during or after pregnancy and just before or during menopause. In fact, some women will develop a condition called Postpartum thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland that usually lasts just 6 to 9 months, then disappears on its own. It is often the reason for postpartum depression.

Thyroid disease when occurs around menopause often goes undiagnosed as symptoms of thyroid like depression, dry skin, and hair fall coincides with the hormonal shift.

• Radiation Exposure

Studies suggest that exposing the thyroid gland to significant radiation can raise your risk for thyroid disease, including thyroid cancer. What is of concern is radiation done to the head, neck, and throat region, such as that used to treat cancers in these parts of the body. In addition, studies have found that women who undergo multiple X-rays during pregnancy were more likely to give birth to low-weight babies, an effect that the researchers attributed to the probable effect the X-rays had on the thyroid.

No single factor has been identified as a definite cause of thyroid disease. All that’s clear is that you are more likely to develop thyroid problems if you have one or more of these risk factors.

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