The handling of thyroid in the UK is often woefully inadequate. So we lament the NHS and the private sector. Every so often, though, it might be interesting to read about elsewhere in the world.
India's cities in the grip of thyroid disease as new study reveals one in ten suffer from disorders
At least one in every 10 persons in India is suffering from hypothyroidism, a study published in Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed.
The study was conducted in eight major cities - Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata - to study the prevalence of hypothyroidism among the adult population.
"The nationwide prevalence of thyroid disorders, particularly hypothyroidism, was assessed in adults residing in various urban cities that represent diverse geographical regions of India.
"The prevalence of hypothyroidism was high, affecting approximately one in 10 adults. Female gender and old age were found to have significant association with hypothyroidism," stated the study.
Do follow up - though I am afraid I cannot find the original paper.
It does very much raise further the questions over why this wave of thyroid disorder seems to be everywhere.
Rod
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helvella
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Very interesting piece looking at another country. You pose a good question too - is there a hypo epidemic or is it that more prople are aware and are coming forward and being diagnosed? Perhaps in the past, so many just thought this was their lot, they aged very rapidly and died relatively young?
er.. may I dare to say a lot of Indians don't eat meat? didn't Dr K get in trouble for prescribing fellow UK Indians B12? (& making them better?)
Vitamins/minerals are building blocks to health, deficiencies are not recognised much by doctors in favour of 'meds' ?? OK not read the study, will do - just my thoughts for now J
...as most thyroid illness in the world is auto-immune - then it could be due to the changes in peoples diets from traditional to more Western. The health of the gut is paramount in preventing any auto-immune condition. Then the mal-absorption of vitamins and minerals follows creating problems for the thyroid or whichever part of the anatomy the antibodies decide to attack. Or could it be chicken and egg - and that the gut lining is degraded due to low levels of vitamins....ummm and so the thoughts keep tumbling around !
I understand in the Middle East RA is prevalent due to everyone being well covered from the sun. VitD is so important for us all - and of course our pets know this and seek out those sunny spots whenever possible !
What about the use of antibiotics causing dysbiosis and leading to lack of vitamin B12 being made by the gut bacteria, and problems with absorption of all minerals and vitamins due to the wrong sorts of gut bacteria replacing what has been killed off.
My sense too is that steadily intensifying dietary (too much sugar, milk, white flour, trans fats and the like), nutritional deficiencies (absence of key foodstuffs and/or deficient intensively farmed crops), lifestyle (chronic stress/busy-busy mental intensity), medicines (overuse of antibiotics as Fennel says) and environmental factors/toxicities/pollution act with whatever inherited tendency to produce thyroid disease and chronic fatigue.
That the incidence of thryoid trouble is as a result rising rapidly, and that we're headed for a major epidemic. Probably worldwide, or at least in westernised societies..
I would like to add that in addition to vit D deficiency ( the women generally cover up well and don't go out in the sun but with the darker skin they need more vit D then paler skin) the study talks about iodine deficiency being worse inland and that salt has had iodine added to it more recently. Maybe, the lack of iodine before this has had the effect of increasing the rate of hypothyroidism and the incidence may reduce with the younger generation? I wonder whether we'll be getting iodine added to our salt or other food in the uk?
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