Does smoking affect thyroid function?

[suzannai]

I was reading a recent post here - that for many, quitting smoking may unmask a thyroid problem. Is there any evidence that increasing smoking can do the same thing? ie: if a person goes from a low volume smoker to a higher volume smoker can they develop more hypo symptoms?

[Emidjemal]

It was around the time that I gave up smoking that my thyroid problem came to light

[suzannai]

Very interesting. It seems alot of people have had a similar experience. Sadly, it makes me not want to give up smoking until my hypo symptoms are managed as I can imagine getting worse

[humanbean]

My health got much, much worse when I gave up smoking. While I was smoking I had no reason to believe I had a thyroid problem. But once I stopped smoking my health went downhill for four years. I've managed to arrest the slide down over the last year, but getting back up the hill again is bloody difficult!

[suzannai in reply to humanbean]

So very interesting. Seems like many patients have had a similar experience to you. I am a smoker, and sadly have been smoking more this last year as my health has gotten worse. In one book that I read the author states that he has treated few thyroid patients who were not smokers. seems like hypothyroid patients tend to gravitate towards nicotine as a way to increase energy, mental function.

[suzannai in reply to suzannai]

i wonder if this is the true reason that people gain weight once they stop smoking and not to do with eating more and slowing down metabolism. or rather maybe it is the smoking that keeps the metabolism up and prevents the symptoms of hypo from being recognized

[humanbean in reply to suzannai]

I started smoking as a teenager. Before I ever started smoking I had loads of symptoms that I would now say, with hindsight, were probably caused by an underactive thyroid and/or high cortisol. Once I started smoking I became much more "normal" in some aspects of my health, odd though that sounds.

[suzannai]

Very interesting. I didnt start smoking til my twenties when I felt overwhelmed and so tired all the time being in school full time and working full time. It was a way to keep going. Likely hypo too for some time. If I look at my childhood I was always tired, always sleeping. Same thing in University,would fall asleep in class and have to nap in the afternoon. My labs have always been and still are normal however. I treated myself with an OTC preparation for 6 years called thyrocare from the US and did well on it, however I stopped last year after a stressful event and all things went down hill from there.

[Loobs39]

This may be of interest then

thyroidpharmacist.com/blog/...

[lizbott]

Really interesting. I've been diagnosed hypo since 2005 and tried to give up smoking a year ago and felt absolutely dreadful. I started smoking again about 15 years ago after stopping for 8 years. Couldn't believe the difference between the 2 times. Another bit of knowledge stored.

[suzannai in reply to lizbott]

very interesting isnt it. not an excuse to keep smoking but a very interesting thing, I wonder how many people who smoke are hypo and do it to keep them selves feeling normal.