Can stress affect your thyroid health?
Ask the doctor
Q. Can a thyroid condition be brought on by stress?
A. Right now, the answer is no. Stress does not cause a thyroid condition. However, we constantly learn about connections to diseases and conditions that we never thought could be true. For example, who would have believed that a bacteria living in the stomach could cause ulcers? But today we know this is the most common cause of peptic ulcers.
While stress does not appear to cause thyroid problems, a person with an overactive thyroid would typically be anxious and could definitely feel more stressed than usual. Also, if you take thyroid hormone pills for an underactive thyroid gland, your dose may be too high. While this should not bring on stress, it could make stress feel more uncomfortable.
A simple blood test called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) can determine if your thyroid hormone level is in the normal range.
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About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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