Risk Factors for Thyroid Disease
Some of the key risk factors for thyroid disease include...
• Female: Women are at greater risk than men.
• Age - being 50 and above poses the highest risk of thyroid disease, though it can strike at any age.
• A personal or family history of thyroid and/or autoimmune disease increases risk.
• Surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid, or radioactive iodine treatment to the thyroid -- both which typically result in an underactive thyroid.
• Being left-handed, ambidextrous or prematurely gray mean greater risk of autoimmune disease, including thyroid problems
• Being pregnant or within the first year after childbirth
• Current or former smoker
• Recent exposure to iodine via contrast dye or surgical antiseptic
• Iodine or herbal supplements containing iodine, in pill or liquid form
• Living in an iodine-deficient area
• Various medical treatments, including Interferon Beta-1b, Interleukin-4, immunosuppressants, antiretrovirals, monoclonal antibody (Campath-1H), bone marrow transplant, Lithium, amiodarone (Cordarone), and other medications
• Overconsumption of raw goitrogenic foods, i.e., Brussel sprouts, turnips, cauliflower, soy products and others
• Overconsumption of soy foods and soy isoflavones
• Recent neck trauma, biopsy, injection or surgery
• Radiation exposure, through radiation to neck area, or exposure to nuclear facility or accident, i.e., Chernobyl
• High stress life events
