|  | Conditions Treatments | Thyroid Disease

Lithium & an Underactive Thyroid

Lithium is a mood stabilizer often used to treat manic depressive illness, more commonly known as bipolar disorder.
The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland in the neck that secretes hormones into the bloodstream. Lithium and an underactive thyroid are often linked.

Women are at risk more than men and the older one gets, the higher the chances of developing an underactive thyroid, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  1. Lithium Side Effects

    • Some side effects of lithium include excessive thirst, seizures, hallucinations, loss of coordination, an irregular heart beat and weight gain. The weight gain is linked to lithium's affects on the thyroid and metabolism.

    An Underactive Thyroid

    • An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, is a condition in which certain hormones are not adequately produced by the thyroid glad, according to the Mayo Clinic. Without proper amounts of the hormones being released by the thyroid gland, a variety of symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, weight gain, hair loss, depression and memory loss can occur. According to the Mayo Clinic, if left untreated, an underactive thyroid can also cause joint pain, infertility and heart disease.

    Lithium's Effects on the Thyroid Gland

    • Lithium affects the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, preventing the release of enough hormones that control metabolism. This is why some people taking lithium complain of uncontrolled or unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

      According to a study by Chantal Henry in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, weight gain during a patient's first year of lithium treatment is the most predictive sign of hypothyroidism without the use of biological evidence such as blood work.

    Other Risk Factors

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, hypothyroidism occurs mainly in women older than 50, although no one is immune. Other risk factors include having a close relative with an autoimmune disease, having received radiation between the neck and upper chest, and having had partial thyroidectomy.

    Prevention/Solution

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, although it may take years for hypothyroidism to present itself in tests, periodic testing of thyroid functioning through blood work is essential for those presenting symptoms or those at risk. Your doctor would advise you of symptoms or risk factors. For treatment, a thyroxine replacement levothyroxine is often prescribed, according to Bupa, a UK international health care company. For those taking lithium, a lower dosage may be prescribed.

Thyroid Disease - Related Articles