Grow Youthful: How to Slow Your Aging and Enjoy Extraordinary Health
Grow Youthful: How to Slow Your Aging and Enjoy Extraordinary Health

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Causes of / Risk factors for Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for Hashimoto's thyroiditis

References

What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (lymphocytic thyroiditis) is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is attacked by the body's own immune system. The thyroid is a small gland located at the base of the neck, which produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolism. If the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, it causes inflammation and decreased thyroid activity.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause of autoimmune-induced hypothyroidism, being involved in about 90% of cases. It occurs between eight and fifteen times more often in women than in men, and is most common in women between 30 and 60 years of age, though it can occur at any age including in children.

Hashimoto's disease is more common in regions of high iodine or low selenium dietary intake, and among people who have been exposed to infectious diseases, certain pharmaceutical drugs, and those who are genetically susceptible.

Symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Hashimoto's thyroiditis usually develops slowly over a number of years. The symptoms also develop slowly, though over time the damage and symptoms become more progressive and obvious. Hashimoto's thyroiditis often results in hypothyroidism with bouts of hyperthyroidism, with the symptoms varying under these two different conditions.

Causes of / Risk factors for Hashimoto's thyroiditis

The exact cause(s) of Hashimoto's thyroiditis are disputed. Likely causes and risk factors include:

Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for Hashimoto's thyroiditis

References

1. Nacamulli D, Mian C, Petricca D, Lazzarotto F, Barollo S, Pozza D, Masiero S, Faggian D, Plebani M, Girelli M E, Mantero F, Betterle C. Influence of Physiological Dietary Selenium Supplementation on the Natural Course of Autoimmune Thyroiditis. 2009, Clinical Endocrinology 73 (4): 535-539. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03758.x. PMID 20039895.

2. Turker O, Kumanlioglu K, Karapolat I, Dogan I. Selenium treatment in autoimmune thyroiditis: 9-month follow-up with variable doses. 2006, Journal of Endocrinology 190 (1): 151-156. doi:10.1677/joe.1.06661. PMID 16837619.

3. Van Zuuren E J, Albusta A Y, Fedorowicz Z, Carter B, Pijl H. Selenium supplementation for Hashimoto's thyroiditis. (2013). In Van Zuuren, Esther J. "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews". The Cochrane database of systematic reviews 6: CD010223. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010223.pub2. PMID 23744563.

4. Ventura A, Neri E, Ughi C, Leopaldi A, Citta A, Not T. Glutendependent diabetes-related and thyroid-related autoantibodies inpatients with celiac disease. J Pediatr 2000; 137: 263-65.