Dementia is more likely to strike older people with hypothyroidism. If you have hypothyroidism and need to take thyroid hormone replacement treatment, your risk is significantly greater.
Neurology’s July 6, 2022 online edition released research on July 6, 2022, which found that older persons with hypothyroidism (also known as underactive thyroid) were more likely to acquire dementia. People with thyroid conditions who needed thyroid hormone replacement therapy had a considerably greater chance of getting dementia.
When the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism ensues. The metabolism may be slowed as a result. Tiredness, weight gain, and hypersensitivity to cold are only some of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. When the thyroid generates an excessive amount of hormone, the condition is known as hyperthyroidism, sometimes known as an overactive thyroid. This has the potential to improve one’s metabolic rate. Unwanted weight loss, a fast or irregular heartbeat, and a worried or anxious state are all symptoms.
The link between thyroid problems and dementia
The symptoms of dementia may be linked to thyroid problems, which may be treated. The authors assessed the medical records of 7,843 persons in Taiwan who had just been diagnosed with dementia to the data of the same amount of people who weren’t. Their ages ranged from mid-fifties to late-sixties. People with a history of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism were examined by researchers.
Hypothyroidism affected 102 persons, whereas hyperthyroidism affected 133. Dementia was not shown to be linked to hyperthyroidism, according to the study. 68 persons (or 0.9% of those with dementia) had hypothyroidism, compared to 34 (or 0.4% of those without dementia).
After adjusting for other risk factors, such as gender, age, high blood pressure, and diabetes, researchers discovered that those over 65 with hypothyroidism were 80 percent more likely to acquire dementia than those of the same age who did not have thyroid issues.
Having a family background of hypothyroidism was not linked to an elevated risk of dementia in adults under the age of 65. Researchers showed that individuals who used hypothyroidism medicine had a threefold increased risk of dementia than those who did not. Scientists were unable to add information regarding how extreme the hypothyroidism was for the patients in the study.
The findings will be published in Neurology.
