Osteoporosis and thyroid hormone

[Nanaedake]

Does anyone have up to date links to scientific articles on how thyroid hormone affects bone with respect to osteoporosis? Of particular interest would be anything on how lack of T3 causes loss of bone. The most recent links I've found are 2014 but I would think there must be something more recent.

[jgelliss]

Nanaedake

I love your TOPIC . I myself would love to hear what others have to say . And read some research papers . It would be GREAT to know . Very interesting and very valuable TOPIC .

Thank you !

[moniacho]

I also think it’s a good question, although I don’t know the answer;). At my last endo appointment, I was told I need to decrease my levo because my TSH is suppressed and suppressed TSH causes osteoporosis. I told her that I don’t want to decrease levo since I still have symptoms and I don’t want to feel even worse. I also asked her with doubt in my voice how is suppressed TSH causing osteoporosis since it is a pituitary signal to thyroid. Whats the connection to bones? She did not have the answer, just mumbled something and repeated that suppressed TSH leads to osteoporosis. Made me laugh inside a bit… Anyway, it would be good to know the answer, although I thought it’s the opposite: too much T3 (therefore suppressed TSH) causing it.

[SilverAvocado in reply to moniacho]

Yes, this is a bit confusing! The doctors claim is that too much T3 causes osteoporosis.

But too little T3 causes problems everywhere. I think Nanaedake is particularly searching for a source that shows too little causes reduced bone density.

A lot of the idea a suppressed TSH causes bone density loss is from hyperthyroid patients, who do suffer bone loss. But then the two groups get lumped in together. Overall patient groups don't really believe a reasonable freeT3 does cause loss of bone density.

[MariLiz]

I too would like to know if there is a link, I’ve been on Levothyroxine for about 17years and have never been sent for a bone scan by my GP. I want to ask for it to be done as I had two falls last year. It would help if there was any research paper I could refer to.

[Marz]

endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/...

Quite a lot of info when I googled and found the above ....

[Summer64 in reply to Marz]

Read it but I didn't understand a word of it lol

[Marz in reply to Summer64]

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Osteopo...

T3 does not cause osteoporosis - see above link for some of the causes - mostly lifestyle.

[Summer64 in reply to Marz]

Oh and I love my dairy especially cheese. I thought I was doing right by eating yogurt and cheese.

[Chrisandbob in reply to Marz]

Thank you Marz for posting this article which I found extremely informative and thank you Nanaedake for raising the issue. I haven’t got osteoporosis as far as I know, but it’s always interesting to have another piece for the thyroid jigsaw puzzle - or lack of thyroid in my case!

[PatsyCline in reply to Summer64]

No I didn’t either!

[Summer64]

That's interesting Nana as the CCG told me one of the reasons they don't want us to have T3 is because it causes osteoporosis. I told them so does T4 if you have too much but I have never heard of it in reverse before. I have osteoporosis and that happened when I had the Graves Disease. I would like to see the 2014 literature if you can give me a link please.

[Nanaedake in reply to Summer64]

This is an older paper but the conclusion is easy to understand.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

2014 paper on thyroid hormone and bone health

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...