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 [ + ]
