![]() ![]() Or is that hypothyroidism causes low levels of thyroxine which then leads to heavy menstrual periods?.Is it that heavy periods lead to low iron levels and anaemia which then affects the thyroid function?.It is generally acknowledged that heavy periods and hypothyroidism is linked but which is the cause? The link between heavy periods and hypothyroid patients So if, having allowed a reasonable time for your medication to take effect, you still feel unwell despite being treated for hypothyroidism you may want to request a check for iron deficiency. What is perhaps more clear is that hypothyroidism is worse when you also have an iron deficiency. This research demonstrates the particular challenge in finding clear cause and effect links…something which is further complicated by the fact that iron deficiency symptoms closely match the symptoms in hypothyroid patients for example: See the more detailed article on this research just here The researchers themselves acknowledged that the sample was small (31 patients) and that only a fraction of the factors that influence the proteins involved in iron metabolism were actually measured but the conclusion was that hepcidin (a key iron metabolism regulator) was affected by Graves’ disease and that the chief functional cells within the liver known as hepatocytes were being directly affected by thyroid hormones. In September this year research was carried out to see whether Grave’s Hyperthyroidism interferes with iron metabolism and raises the levels of ferritin (an iron-containing protein) The researchers at the time said it was too soon to tell whether the low iron led to hypothyroidism or the other way round.įor full details of the research as presented in the European Journal of Endocrinology please click here In those women with normal iron levels 16% had low thyroid levels and 6% had high thyroid antibody levels. Amongst those 20% had subclinical hypothyroidism and 10% showed signs of immune-system damage to their thyroid gland. In 2015 researchers from Saint Pierre University Hospital in Brussels tested 1900 women in their first trimester and discovered that just over a third had low iron levels. However we don’t conclusively know whether thyroid levels directly influence iron metabolism We do know that normal thyroid hormone metabolism requires trace elements of iodine, iron, selenium and zinc and that imbalance in the usual combination can impair thyroid function. One body of research that has yet to be confirmed is the link between hypothyroidism and low iron levels. Ongoing trials, research and studies regularly reveal new information - some confirm what we already believe, some contradict long held opinion and others remain inconclusive.
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