Do the Covid vaccines alter the Thyroid blood t... - Thyroid UK

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Do the Covid vaccines alter the Thyroid blood test results?

telephonejunkie profile image
11 Replies

Many of my friends who are diabetic have experienced elevated blood glucose levels after their Covid vaccination. There appear to be many more diabetic/prediabetics experiencing this than have been reported.

I have just been searching the internet to see if there is are any reports of the Thyroid markers alternating after patients have their vaccination. I have found the notification of a clinical trial and plenty discussing that anything that impacts the immune system will change our blood results, but nothing else.

So, turning to our patient group, has anyone else experienced a change in their blood test results after the vaccination?

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telephonejunkie
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RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator

telephonejunkie,

I doubt many thyroid patients have actually had their thyroid levels checked at appropriate times (i.e. both before and following vaccinations) and within what might be considered to be relevant time scales to be able to say for sure one way or the other.

While you're waiting for others to offer their thoughts on your question, you could browse through the comments on our three Covid vaccine polls to see if anyone has mentioned this.

Booster Poll healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Second Vaccine Poll healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

First Vaccine Poll healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

See this post from yesterday:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

telephonejunkie profile image
telephonejunkie in reply toSeasideSusie

Thanks for this.

diogenes profile image
diogenesRemembering

This paper summary describes the action of covid on the thyroid.

Thyrotoxicosis in patients with COIVD-19: the THYRCOV study.

Eur J Endocrinol. 2020. doi: 10.1530/ EJE-20-0335.PMID: 32698147.

Along with multiple organ systems that may be affected by COVID-19 is the thyroid gland. In some patients, infection with COVID-19 may cause a hypersensitive immune reaction and widespread inflammation known as a “cytokine storm”. Since the most common causes of thyroid problems result from antibodies attacking the thyroid (autoimmune thyroid disease), this immune system activation may also cause inflammation and dysfunction of the thyroid. The thyroid also can be affected indirectly as a result of the overall severity of the infection. These 2 studies report changes in thyroid function in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Lania et al sought to characterize thyroid function in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection. The goal of the study was to assess thyroid function in all patients admitted to the hospital with confirmed COVID-19 to determine if this infection was associated with abnormalities in thyroid function.

Muller et al report the association of subacute thyroiditis and COVID-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency subacute thyroiditis in COVID-19 patients as compared to non-COVID patients admitted to the intensive care unit in Italy.

THE FULL ARTICLE TITLE
Lania A et al on behalf of Humanitas COVID-19 Task Force. Thyrotoxicosis in patients with COIVD-19: the THYRCOV study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2020. doi: 10.1530/ EJE-20-0335.PMID: 32698147.

SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
This study is a medical record review that examines thyroid function in patients hospitalized in one center in Italy with COVID-19 infection. They excluded all patients who were on treatment for either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Additionally, patients were not included if they were taking drugs known to alter thyroid function or if they were critically ill requiring ventilator support. TSH was measured routinely and Free T4 and Free T3 levels were assessed if the TSH was abnormal. A marker of inflammation (Interleukin- 6 (IL-6)) was also measured.

A total of 287 patients were included in the study, of which 214 (74.6%) demonstrated normal thyroid function. Of those with abnormal thyroid tests, 58 (20.2%) showed lab tests consistent with hyperthyroidism (low TSH) and 15 (5.2%) with hypothyroidism (high TSH). Of those with a low TSH, most were mildly low, but 31 of 58 patients (53%) had elevated FreeT4levels indicating overt hyperthyroidism. In addition, 10 patients with overt hyperthyroidism had atrial fibrillation, a known heart complication of hyperthyroidism. TSH was lower with increasing age and higher IL-6 levels. Lower death rates were seen in patients with normal TSH levels.

Overall, the results of this study indicated that abnormal thyroid function is common in patients with COVID-19, particularly hyperthyroidism, and that TSH suppression appears to be associated with higher levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Although more research is needed, these investigators suggest that COVID-19 associated with systemic immune activation may possibly cause thyroid inflammation and result in hyperthyroidism.

diogenes profile image
diogenesRemembering

There is also this downloable paper

Derangements of Biochemical Markers and Thyroid Function Analysis Among COVID-19 Positive Patients: A Developing Country Single-Center Experience

July 2021Journal of Medical Virology 93(10):5172-5171

DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27174

Muhammad Sohaib Asghar, Farah Yasmin, Kartik Dapke .Muhammad Daim Bin Zafar.

telephonejunkie profile image
telephonejunkie in reply todiogenes

Thanks for adding these. Most of the published work, understandably, is on patients in hospital with Covid. I was interested in the impact the vaccines may be having on "well" patients taking Levo/T3 .

diogenes profile image
diogenesRemembering in reply totelephonejunkie

In this case I think the picture would vary. Symptomless carriers I would think would not show any problem elsewhere, but as the severity of infection climbs (not necessarily to hospitalised levels) I would think the body would show both nonthyroidal illness symptoms, which may have accompanying thyroid function changes, or may not. It seems that Covid is quite random in its effects on the individual.

TaraJR profile image
TaraJR in reply todiogenes

I am positive my thyroid level spiked after the Pfizer booster, having thyrotoxic symptoms. My first 2 doses were Astra Zeneca.

I lowered my T3 so I could adjust quickly, which worked. I then started feeling very 'under' so gradually raised my T3 again.

All in all, feeling 'over' and 'under', it took several weeks to normalise. But I'm fine now.

userotc profile image
userotc

I trust that all with adverse health symptoms after vaccination have completed an MHRA yellow card or their country's equivalent!

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply touserotc

Since you've mentioned it userotc , I'll add the link to our pinned post about Vaccine Yellow Card reporting 😊 healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

userotc profile image
userotc in reply toRedApple

👍😀

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