I was listening to a podcast, which covers immunity/autoimmunity. According to the doctor, women can sometimes produce more prolactin, which puts a stress on the body, increasing likelihood of developing autoimmune disease. Hypothyroidism stimulates the production of prolactin, and so causes autoimmune disease.
I'm a little confused if this is the case though, because for most of us, the autoimmune disease comes first, and the hypothyroidism comes later? It's just hat doctors don't test for autoimmune disease until after they diagnose hypothyroidism...
If anyone wishes to listen to what she says, here's the link, and that little section starts at 23mins 40s:
It's a theory like any other but there's a big snag to it. Men also get autoimmune thyroid disease, even at lesser frequency. I wouldn't think high prolactin will influence them. No one yet knows precisely how autoimmunity arises, but since so often women become hypothyroid after delivery of children, there could be something in the genetic clash between mother and baby that triggers problems. After all , mothers still have some cells from the baby in them probably for the rest of their lives. We all have some cells directly coming from our mothers that have lasted - not many, but they are spread throughout our bodies. Mother-baby relations are not 100% unique in this regard. Perhaps occasionally genetic clashes occur that trigger autoimmunity. Just another theory.
They said the body produces prolactin to stimulate breast milk production, which could also explain the link.
I have to wonder if it's a case of correlation being interpreted as causation... Because you're right, men don't have this hormonal imbalance, but they still get the condition.
Hmm, this does seem to be coming back to my chicken and egg analogy.
I think there's more to it than meets the eye, I'm not sure what. I don't know whether they have blood works from before and after the patients were hypo, or whether they simply have one blood test that happens to show both, and have theorizes which came first.
I've not listened to the podcast so can't comment on the specifics; but in saying that hyperprolactinemia plays a role in autoimmune disease development, that doesn't contradict or rule out disease development by other causes or triggers too, of which, there are probably many. From what I've read, it's been known for a couple of decades or so, that elevated prolactin levels can play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity, including both manipulating and perpetuating disease. Obviously, hormonal homestasis has a crucial influence on achieving a a healthy immune system; and Prolactin is both a hormone and a cytokine, so directly relevant to that. Any excess is therefore going to have a direct influence on immunity not least because prolactin interferes with immune system modulation.
Interesting. So is it he case that hypothyroidism stimulates prolactin production?
I suppose I'm viewing this as a chicken and egg situation. For me the autoimmune condition definitely has come first, and hypothyroidism will come later. And with one autoimmune condition, I have a higher likelihood of another (which could be because of heightened prolactin). But is there a flip-side that people develop hypothyroidism, and then because of the heightened prolactin, develop hashimotos and other syndromes second?
Yes, there is an hypothyroidism:prolactin link. See here for instance, where it states "An underactive thyroid or inadequate thyroid hormone replacement can also raise prolactin levels, as can kidney disease, pregnancy, stress, and chest trauma."
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