Thyroid hormone and the Liver: Liver issues - non... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid hormone and the Liver

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator
10 Replies

Liver issues - non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, various lipid issues, etc., are very commonly discussed here.

This paper appears to be worth a look.

Thyroid hormone and the Liver

Soares De Oliveira, Lorraine; Ritter, Megan J.

Author Information

Hepatology Communications 9(1):e0596, January 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000596

Abstract

It is known that thyroid hormone can regulate hepatic metabolic pathways including cholesterol, de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, lipophagy, and carbohydrate metabolism. Thyroid hormone action is mediated by the thyroid hormone receptor (THR) isoforms and their coregulators, and THRβ is the main isoform expressed in the liver. Dysregulation of thyroid hormone levels, as seen in hypothyroidism, has been associated with dyslipidemia and metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease. Given the beneficial effects of thyroid hormone in liver metabolism and the advances illuminating the use of thyroid hormone analogs such as resmetirom as therapeutic agents in the treatment of metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease, this review aims to further explore the relationship between TH, the liver, and metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease. Herein, we summarize the current clinical therapies and highlight future areas of research.

Open access here:

journals.lww.com/hepcomm/fu...

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helvella
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elaar profile image
elaar

Thanks for posting. Personally I think people should be medicated loosely based on past (normal) Cholesterol levels (assuming patients know of previous healthy cholesterol readings they've had, and also that there's no other diseases involved which can also affect cholesterol).

It wouldn't be perfect, and potentially risky in some cases, but at least with T3 titrated to bring cholesterol levels to the normal range, you would *hope* that other liver abnormalities (bile acid, malabsorption etc.) would also fall into line.

That's my theory anyway, and anything is better than relying on TSH only.

sparkly profile image
sparkly

Yep, had both fatty liver and iffy cholesterols for years until recently. Wish I could understand medical papers..struggling to understand anything anymore

Zephyrbear profile image
Zephyrbear in reply tosparkly

You’re not alone… I used to be able to read and comprehend most things but now I’m reduced to merely reading. 😢

sparkly profile image
sparkly in reply toZephyrbear

I've already had early onset dementia ruled out but things are really bad now. I feel my thyroid is involved in someway

elaar profile image
elaar in reply tosparkly

To be fair, I think the majority of people fail to understand at least some of text in these papers, with dozens of acronyms and funny named enzymes, co-facters, gene-expressions, proteins etc etc.. Half of it is a different language, it's certainly not easy reading, and I gloss over a lot of it to try to find key points.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply tosparkly

I think the majority are too difficult to fully understand.

Sometimes, though, the important thing is to know that there are such connections. To realise if someone tries to dismiss the issues. And not be in a position of actually accepting and believing everything we are told.

jgelliss profile image
jgelliss in reply tohelvella

Thank Helvella for a Great Post. I'm interested to understand that if one is not dosed Optimally that fatty liver is possible to have?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply tojgelliss

As I read it, yes.

But simply taking thyroid hormone(s) - or increasing doses - has not always been viable. That is because doing so can mean too much in other parts of the body. Hence the interest in substances which have a similar effect to thyroid hormones but for some reason affect one part more than another.

jgelliss profile image
jgelliss in reply tohelvella

Amazing . Thank you so much for Helvella for clarifying it for me. Much appreciated.

Pandora777 profile image
Pandora777

I have had some strange liver function test results over the years which have been retaken and turned out normal. There is a very close connection between your thyroid and your liver. I probably have a fatty liver lot of people do and don’t know about it. I don’t really want to know if I am being honest because it will be yet another thing to add to my list of things to worry about. I am not overweight and eat a balanced diet so I am going to stick at what i am doing for now.

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