References
- Iron Deficiency (1) Ref
- Thyroglobulin (2) Ref (3) Ref
- Zinc (4) Ref
- Iodine (5) Ref
- Vitamin D (6) Ref
- Selenium (7) Ref
References
Hashimoto’s And PCOS: What Is The Connection?
Do you have both hypothyroidism and PCOS? Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in women. PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is the commonest hormone disorder affecting women of all ages. It is not a coincidence that some of you have both Hashimoto’s and PCOS.
How common is it?
It is relatively common. One study from eastern India looked at 106 women, 13-45 years old, with hirsutism and menstrual irregularities. Out of this group of women, 80 were diagnosed with PCOS. Most of the women with PCOS were very young, 15-20 years old. More than half were overweight. An alarming finding was the presence of high blood pressure in many of these young women.
The researchers tested all the women for thyroid functions. Besides TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and Anti-TPO antibodies, they had a thyroid ultrasound as well.
What did they find:
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis was present in many women with PCOS, a number much higher than in women without PCOS. (1) Ref
A study from Germany reported in the European Journal Of Endocrinology in 2004 found Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis was three times more common in women with PCOS than in women without PCOS. (2) Ref
What are the connections between PCOS and Hashimoto’s?
[Read more…]References
Vitamin D And Autoimmunity
(This was posted earlier in June 2016. Updated Oct 2019)
In recent years vitamin D deficiency has become like an epidemic all over the world. .Many people are surprised when I talk about severe vitamin D deficiency in my patients from India. In fact studies (1) 1have shown that the incidence of vitamin D deficiency is 40-99% in India! We have become vitamin D deficient because we do not spend adequate time in the sun. But I am not sure how many of you will be outdoors in minimal clothes at temperatures of 40 degrees C and 90%+ of humidity! 🙂 If vitamin D deficiency is so common, should you be concerned about it?
Consequences Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Most of you are familiar with the action of vitamin D in protecting your bones and maintaining blood calcium levels—the “classical” actions of vitamin D.In fact,Sir Edward Mellanby (1884–1955) discovered Vitamin D and its potential role in preventing rickets about a hundred years ago. (Rickets is a softening and weakening of bones in children, causing severe deformities. This is a consequence of severe and prolonged vitamin D deficiency.) However, scientific studies in the last several years have shown that vitamin D has several other actions as well—the “non-classical” actions.
[Read more…]References