Is there a higher prevalence in parts of our co... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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Is there a higher prevalence in parts of our country or others?

NWA6 profile image
NWA6
51 Replies

Does anyone know if there are statistics showing higher numbers of Hashimotos/under active/thyroid cancer in areas of UK OF GB or the World?

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NWA6 profile image
NWA6
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51 Replies
crimple profile image
crimple

I think it would be interesting to see where Chernobyl fallout affected us. At the time 1986 I think) Lamb was off the menu in Cumbria and other places!!

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply tocrimple

Oooo really? I would have been too young in the 80’s to have known much about it but it was the era of hiding under your desks! Lol although growing up in N.I we had our own home grown worries to think about so not so much about nuclear fall out!

But that’s a really interesting thought.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply toNWA6

Lamb was off the menu??

crimple profile image
crimple in reply toNWA6

Yes farmers in Cumbria and other upland areas were not allowed to sell their lambs for consumption! It was kept pretty quiet, like the government does with most things we need to know about such as the haemophiliac bloods scandal!!

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply tocrimple

Well as I was a child and lamb would have been too expensive for my family at the time I’d have had no idea! But I’m not surprised as an adult! But still one learns so much!

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply toNWA6

I always hit send too soon! I gave more questions!! Lol. Do you mean the mad cows with the Haemophiliac scandal?

crimple profile image
crimple in reply toNWA6

mad cow disease and haemophilia are two entirely separate issues. The first causes a type of dementia, the second was people with haemophilia being given blood clotting factor contaminated with HIV virus, and NHS doing nothing about it for years.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply tocrimple

Ah I see! I was getting confused with people who contracted mad cows!! 😬 Yes I see your point now. 🤪 Where does my brain go sometimes! Why would haemophiliacs get blood from a cow 😂😂 Do excuse me I’ve had a glass or two and that’s my story for stupidness 🥳

crimple profile image
crimple in reply toNWA6

Need some red wine myself to keep sane LOL

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply tocrimple

Except there was a chap on radio yesterday infected with a form of hepatitis from those transfusions who had been told he was liable to get CJD ( mad cow disease) but I did not hear how this was connected .

nightingale-56 profile image
nightingale-56 in reply toTreepie

Treepie are you confusing the injections of Human Growth Hormone leading to CJD. My son had this injection until the age of 7 when synthetic Growth Hormone was given. We are living under this cloud.

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply tonightingale-56

No Maisie Gray sent me a link to anBBC report from 2009 .The chap was haemophiliac (I have edited my post) and had blood transfusions at some point.

In all these cases there has been gross incompetence by the Ministers and Health Service at the time.

nightingale-56 profile image
nightingale-56 in reply toTreepie

They are all to buy making money out of what should be a caring service Treepie . So good to have this forum to keep each other informed of medical mistakes and other useful information.

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply tonightingale-56

Not sure that this was about making money in the UK but not ensuring the blood was coming from a legitimate source rather than from US prisoners who were paid for donating blood .

nightingale-56 profile image
nightingale-56 in reply toTreepie

No, probably not, but think it probably was buying the cheapest source to save money. As in this case, it doesn't always pay though. The CJD problem was just bad luck though.

LAHs profile image
LAHs in reply tocrimple

Oh my god, I didn't hear about that! Blood with HIV contamination, I thought they had sorted that out 20 years ago. My friend's father died as a result of that - but, like I said, many years ago. That makes me feel faint.

MiniMum97 profile image
MiniMum97

I’ve seen a graph which shows there are significantly higher rates or autoimmune disease in both US and U.K. compared with other parts of world. Will try to find it.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply toMiniMum97

Oooo that would be good! I think I’m thinking about my heritage and how it’s been passed down 4 generations. I want to know if there are correlations!

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator

One paper which discusses prevalence:

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

AmandaK profile image
AmandaK in reply tohelvella

Also another excellent article refuting the practice of TSH-only testing.

Redditch profile image
Redditch

I was recently on holiday in Pennsylvania and went to Hershey, the Bourneville of America. Hershey is 2 miles away from 3 mile island which blew a reactor in 1979 and they certainly have a much much higher incidents of Hashimotos and Thyroid cancer, so did chernobyl. Lamb, you are quite correct was off the menu, nationally, I stopped eating lamb then and haven't since. But the thyroid cancers are caused by the radioactive iodine that is emitted in a nuclear accident, our thyroids absorb iodine and they don't know the difference to they were soaking up all this radioactive iodine and becoming very sick thyroids. Sheep, unlike cows only have one stomach, so they eat grass which has been rained on by nuclear emission rain, and the radiation gets into their flesh. Cows, apparently, get rid of radiation in their digestion process.... Not sure how lamb flesh would affect thyroid though, I think that would actually cause any number of cancers if it was going to, rather than the radioactive iodine in the air.

If you live near a nuclear power station there is likely to be a bit more radioactive iodine in your atmosphere.

If you lived in an area that put flouride in the water and you drank gallons of it, you are also likely to have thyroid trouble. Flouride is a paired element with iodine so one cancels the other out almost. If you have loads of flouride you are definitely iodine deficient which would give you regional thyroid issues.

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply toRedditch

Not stopped eating lamb ,too good but expensive. Perhaps you should eat NZ lamb if you can find it.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toRedditch

There is a relationship between radioactive iodine and thyroid cancer.

Yes, that is why iodide tablets are distributed when there is a release of radioactive iodine.

BUT - it is a short-term issue. Most isotopes of iodine have half lives measures in hours or days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoto...

By the time the iodine has entered the sheep and then they have been processed, most of that radioactivity will have disappeared. With any responsible movement and slaughter restrictions, it is unlikely to be an issue.

It is other radioactive elements such as cesium that continue as radioactive sources over a longer timescale.

You might find this interesting:

endocrineweb.com/conditions...

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply tohelvella

I think I’d have been protected by the power of Dulse! Lol I had a fair bit as a child.

in reply toNWA6

Yuk i never liked the stuff..

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply to

I loved it! We lived by the sea and used to pick it fresh and Winkles! 🤮 😂

in reply toNWA6

Horrible rubbery salty stuff. Northern Ireland delicacy only 😀.. My dad loved it.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply to

Well I’m a Belfast girl so yep! Definitely an Irish thing 😂

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toRedditch

All ruminants, sheep and cattle, have one stomach - but divided in four parts.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruminant

But colloquially we do often refer to four stomachs.

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply toRedditch

Interestingly enough, both times I worked in a nuclear power station my health physics tests showed lower radiation than you'd expect for the general population

Muffy profile image
Muffy

Where fluoride is added to the water, thyroid problems have been known to increase. The late Dr Skinner noted the increase. Many years ago, Fluoride was used for the treatment of an overactive thyroid.

vocalEK profile image
vocalEK in reply toMuffy

Floruide is also added to most of our toothpaste products here in the U.S. Usually Stannous Flouride.

janeroar profile image
janeroar

I lived in wales in 1986 when Chernobyl occurred which like Cumbria had bans on eating the lamb. Radioactive levels were v high and I’ve often wondered what effect it has had on my thyroid. Would be good to know if these part of the UK have got higher levels. See link below re radiation levels still an issue 30 years on. Many sheep in wales failing radiation tests still.

janeroar profile image
janeroar in reply tojaneroar

dailypost.co.uk/news/north-...

busterboy profile image
busterboy in reply tojaneroar

Moved to Western Isles many years ago - Chernobyl - whole islands saturated with the stuff, some crofters were told no sheep selling, with nuclear fallout it takes 100s of years to rid the soil of it, some scientist go with a higher number. Japan is a case in point and they are sending the athletes to take part in the games - duh! Plenty on the www if you care to research it. Now add fluoride into the mix and other questionable factors, just have to do the best you can but do start using the brains God has given us and question everything that is spewed out on the media and elsewhere. No government will admit to any of the above and have their well paid 'scientist' to say what ever the script is, the real scientist don't get a look in.

Places like this is a lifeline to many, many folk and God bless them all.

littlecandle profile image
littlecandle

Also if you live in an area with a naturally high Radon gas level it leaves you more vulnerable. Thyroid issues run in the female side of my maternal family and we are all from the Aberdeenshire area where there is a higher than average Radon level because of the granite.

Violetta25 profile image
Violetta25

Just note you'll get more radiation eating a brazil nut than you'd get spending a day at a Nuclear power station.

Treepie profile image
Treepie

I believe radon is high in parts of Derbyshire.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6

So glad you can use the past tense! 🥳🥂 to a better year 🤗

Yes, in the midlands they're are higher incidences of Hashimotos compared to Manchester, as fluoride is added to the water in the midlands

Treepie profile image
Treepie

Article about Chernobyl in todays Times.

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17

Hmm, interesting. I was out walking in the rain (door to door collection/deliveries) when unbeknown to me the 'cloud' from Chernobyl passed over Leeds. I remember the lamb being banned. However, I did have a radioactive foot when an elderly lady accidentally urinated on me (post her radionuclide imaging), physicist put gigacounter over it and said it was within 'safe' levels.

Trufflebuggy profile image
Trufflebuggy in reply toThyroid17

😳😂

vocalEK profile image
vocalEK in reply toThyroid17

So glad your foot doesn't glow in the dark. ;-)

it would be very hard to tell what was the result of environmental issues and what was differences in diagnosis.

littlemo76 profile image
littlemo76

Its interesting subject. I was told the north east of Scotland has one of highest rates of parkinsons and MS. Also every other person you speak to has a thyroid problem. Though given small NE communities are often closely related it could heriditary. I also know a tiny place, plot of houses, outside a village where 12 people there have had cancer.

Mind you ive seen the endos and neurologist in the area, none of which consider anything like B12d, or any deficiencys/diet etc. I often wonder the connection between b12d n MS/Parkinsons/dementia.

Hi Paula - fluoride added to water supply in many regions, and in toothpaste, pan linings and other goods, can have a negative effect on the thyroid.

Areas with Fluoride added to Drinking Water and Tap Water

water-filters.co.uk/fluorid...

shows a list of the areas in the Uk with fluoride added to the water.

An article in the Daily Telegraph describes areas in the UK with fluoridation

of water. Science. There is a note to say that it can affect health from research form 2015.

fluoridenation.com/pineal-g...

BT sometimes lets me down with links but if you type them in yourself you might get better luck.

PS fluoride is not recommended for children under the age of 12 as it is potentially toxic if swallowed fluoridealert.org/issues/de...

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply to

Thanks Hawii60. Yes I had understood the dangers of fluoride. Our area is not fluoridated. My daughter used to be sensitive to SLS in toothpaste so she had to use the aloe one but she grew out of it. People used to think I was mad that my under 5’s didn’t use toothpaste. They’re all teenagers now and not one filling 🥳

NWA6 profile image
NWA6

Thanks everyone. Very interesting responses 🤗 I think I was looking for more genetic correlations maybe in ethnicities? I’m 86% Irish and a lot of my family have thyriod/Fibromyalgia/coeliacs/Diabetes/Psoriasis. Nobody is particularly unhealthy with any vices so I reckon maybe we need to outsource our genetic pool! Lol

I’ve made a start by marrying a good Englishman so maybe we can start diluting these rogue genes 😂

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toNWA6

Over the years I have read that:

Ord's thyroditis (basically, Hashimoto's without a goitre - the atrophic form) is more common in northern Europe - UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, not sure how far down Germany, Poland, or across the Baltics.

Hashimoto's is more common among African-Americans than other Americans.

I am quite sure there are many other genetic influences but no-one seems immune to thyroid disorders. :-(

And some are documented here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply tohelvella

Great article from GWAS but a bit of a tricky read for a non medical like me. But it does show that it’s genetic. Which for me makes me think that the conversion problem also runs in my family. My mum and Nan never 100% on Levo. My Nan suffered with Angina and died young at 65. Now my daughter with low FT3 (awaiting more blood results) I just want more evidence that Levo doesn’t work for everyone. Maybe ISTH?

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