Treating Even Mild Hyperthyroidism
Makes for Stronger
Bones and Muscles in Women, Especially Important for Elderly
(VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 30, 2004)—Women who receive treatment
for a mildly overactive thyroid that is only detectable through
a blood test — called subclinical hyperthyroidism —
see an improvement in bone mineral mass and skeletal muscle strength,
according to a new study being presented on Thursday, Sept. 30,
at the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Hyperthyroidism may cause overt symptoms and signs or appear as
a subclinical condition, meaning that it exists without obvious
signs. It does, however, have a typical biochemical profile that
is detected through a blood test. Overt hyperthyroidism causes clinically
significant muscle wasting and weakness and is associated with a
decrease in bone mineral density. This combination may lead to falls,
which can lead to other health problems, particularly among the
elderly who may have coexistent sarcopenia — the loss of lean
muscle — as well as bone loss that comes with aging.
“There has been little or nothing in the literature that
specifically and prospectively addressed the potential beneficial
impact on muscle of treating subclinical hyperthyroidism,”
said Michael Brennan, MD, a Consultant in the Division of Endocrinology
and Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Minn. Therefore, he and his colleagues Laura Greenlund,
MD, PhD, and K.S. Nair, MD, decided to change that.
The researchers designed a study to look at the effects of treating
both varieties of hyperthyroidism on muscle, bone, and fat mass.
They treated 24 women with overt and 23 women with subclinical hyperthyroidism
to normalize thyroid function tests and monitored body composition
by dual X-ray absorptiometry and CT scanning. In both overt and
subclinical hyperthyroidism, treatment led to an increase in lean
body mass, thigh muscle cross-sectional area, and bone density.
The data suggest that significant benefits with increased muscle
mass and bone mineral content can be gained with treatment of both
overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism. Elderly study participants
gained as much muscle and bone mass as did younger ones. The researchers
say that this treatment benefit may be particularly important to
prevent frailty, falls, and fractures in this age group.
“Based on these findings, identifying hyperthyroidism in
the elderly is important,” said Dr. Brennan, who is the senior
author of the study, “as muscle wasting is common in the elderly
and may lead to falls. Hyperthyroidism of even a mild degree may
compound the problem.”
The ATA is a nonprofit professional medical society composed of
physicians and scientists dedicated to enhancing the understanding
of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology, improving diagnosis and
treatment of thyroid diseases, and promoting the education of physicians,
patients, and the public about thyroid disorders. Co-sponsors of
the public education forum include the Thyroid Foundation of America,
Endocrine Nurses’ Society, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’
Association, National Graves’ Disease Foundation, and Light
of Life Foundation.
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