Glucose & Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disease is a common condition that studies show often co-occurs with diabetes, affecting glucose control and overall management of the autoimmune disorder.

Identification

• Diabetes is characterized by an overabundance of glucose in the system; thyroid problems involve a hormone called TSH and the overproduction of it, called hyperthyroidism, or under-production of TSH, called hypothyroidism. Both thyroid disease and diabetes indicate problems within the endocrine system, which helps regulate various parts of the body's metabolism.

Significance

• ThyroidToday.com reports that almost one third of people with Type 1 diabetes have been found to have thyroid disease. Type 2 diabetics are also at risk for hypothyroidism, as both conditions tend to appear at later ages.

Risk Factors

• Women are more likely to suffer from thyroid disease and diabetes; young women with Type 1 diabetes and post-partum women are at higher risk for thyroid disease, though both hypothyroidism and Type 2 diabetes are shown to occur in older women. Newborns and the elderly are also at risk for thyroid disease.

Prevention/Solution

• The American Diabetes Association recommends regular thyroid screening for Type 1 diabetics, though Type 2 diabetics are also prone to thyroid disease; if tests indicate thyroid disease, the patient will be given medication to replenish or deplete the hormone. Hypothyroidism may decrease the insulin requirement.

Warning

• Symptoms of thyroid disorders and of diabetes are similar and may be attributed to other medical conditions. Hypothyroidism symptoms are often present in Type 2 diabetics and symptoms may often be blamed on poor diabetic control in Type 1 diabetics.