Does anyone know about thryoid problems globally - is it more prevalent in some countries than others? Why?

I know India has low naturally occurring iodine levels, which causes thyroid problems (not auto-immune) and therefore have a much higher instance, no idea about other countries

....I live in Crete and the incidence here is VERY high - they of course blame the NATO base in Souda Bay and the contamination from submarines. They may well have a point.

I also think it seems high here because they are more open-minded with taking care of the whole body and the testing is more thorough. I had the full profile prior to my diagnosis. Therefore more cases diagnosed. Low rates for MRSA because they don't test for it !!

Also could be to do with Chernobyl and the contaminated fall-out that blew down this way....after blowing over the UK. I understand that Thyroxine is the second highest prescribed medication in the States. Just imagine if everyone who had symptoms was treated then it could well be the highest. They say that Hashimotos - Auto-immune Thyroiditis - is the most common thyroid illness throughout the world. So that really comes down to the changing patterns in eating/diet/stress/pollution/lifestyle/toxins/technology.......and so on ! And here I am bathing myself in EMF's typing away - so time to go...!

There was a significant study of China performed in conjunction with the British Geological Survey.

What was interesting about that was the way that levels of both iodine and selenium vary hugely, in some areas almost village by village, across the country. So the effects of low iodine/low selenium, low iodine/high selenium, high iodine/low selenium and high iodine/high selenium need to be considered. It means that overall national levels are almost entirely meaningless for that country. (Might be very much more meaningful for other countries.)

In north America there is a large area known as the goitre belt precisely because of the low iodine. Ironically the wheat growing areas of north America seem to e mostly fairly high in selenium.

Simple? Never when thyroid is involved.

Rod

Tea is also a cause of underactive as it is grown in fluoride rich soil. Fluoride was at one time used for overactive thyroids to bring it back down to "normal". I do drink tea but I do not use fluoride toothpaste.

Jo xx