Hypothyroidism

December 10, 2022 - Understand what happens when your thyroid is underactive and learn about treatment for this condition.

Hypothyroidism can contribute to high cholesterol. In rare cases, untreated hypothyroidism can cause myxedema coma.

Hypothyroidism means your thyroid gland is underactive. It isn’t making enough thyroid hormone. The most common cause is when your immune system starts to attack itself.

February 18, 2024 - The most prevalent etiology of primary hypothyroidism is an iodine deficiency in iodine-deficient geographic areas worldwide. Autoimmune thyroid diseases are the leading causes of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient regions. Hashimoto thyroiditis is the most commonly seen etiology in the US ...

April 24, 2025 - Medications, thyroiditis, and certain deficiencies can all cause hypothyroidism. Here we explore the most common causes of primary and secondary hypothyroidism.

In the UK, the main cause of an underactive thyroid is an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's disease.

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October 3, 2025 - Less often, hypothyroidism is caused by too much or too little iodine in the diet or by disorders of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.1 Iodine deficiency, however, is extremely rare in the United States.

September 10, 2015 - Hypothyroidism happens when the thyroid doesn’t make enough hormones.

1 month ago - Hypothyroidism is commonly caused by inflammation that damages cells in the thyroid gland, known as thyroiditis. The thyroid gland can become inflamed due to an autoimmune reaction, because of a viral or respiratory infection, or after pregnancy (postpartum thyroiditis).

Acquired hypothyroidism is most frequently caused by an autoimmune disorder called chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT). In this disorder your child’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland, leading to damage and decreased function.

March 11, 2024 - Rarer causes of hypothyroidism include some inherited disorders in which an abnormality of the enzymes in thyroid cells prevents the gland from making or secreting enough thyroid hormones (see also Hypothyroidism in Infants and Children).

In children, hypothyroidism can be present at birth (a condition called congenital hypothyroidism) or develop later in childhood. The most common cause of hypothyroidism in children and adolescents is Hashimoto thyroiditis (also called autoimmune thyroiditis).

October 5, 2022 - There are 10 well-studied causes of the disease, including pregnancy, thyroid surgery, and certain medications. Here’s what to know. ... Hypothyroidism, when your thyroid gland is underactive, develops when your thyroid doesn’t make enough ...

The following conditions can damage or destroy the thyroid gland leading to low thyroid hormone production or hypothyroidism: Hashimotos’s disease or Lymphocytic thyroiditis – an autoimmune thyroid disorder in which the thyroid gland is attacked by abnormal antibodies in the body. Thyroid removal surgery – to treat thyroid problems. Radiation therapy – to treat head and neck cancer. Radioactive iodine treatments or anti-thyroid drugs – to control an overactive thyroid. Iodine deficiency used to be a cause of hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism can sometimes be a sign of an autoimmune disorder called Graves’ disease. Similarly, hypothyroidism can sometimes be a sign of an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto’s disease. But whether it’s due to one of those conditions or something else entirely, any glandular dysfunction can cause symptoms if it’s severe enough.

February 10, 2024 - “Hypothyroidism is having an under-active thyroid or a thyroid that is not able to produce enough hormone.” · The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, where the immune system attacks ...

September 25, 2024 - In primary hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland fails to produce adequate amounts of thyroid hormone. The most common cause globally is iodine deficiency, while autoimmune thyroid diseases are the leading cause in iodine-sufficient regions.

May 15, 2021 - Causes may include primary gland failure or can be iatrogenic, transient, or central (Table 1).1–4 Central causes, such as low levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4), are rare.

This is called congenital hypothyroidism. It is not common. It's usually picked up during newborn bloodspot screening soon after birth. A problem with the pituitary gland can lead to an underactive thyroid. The pituitary gland sits at the base of the brain. It regulates the thyroid. If it's damaged it may lead to an underactive thyroid. Some medicines may cause an underactive thyroid.