Is there a link between PCOS and an underactive thyroid?

The link between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and an underactive thyroid
on Wed 26 May

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid disorders are two of the most common hormone disorders in reproductive women. PCOS affects between 5% and 10% and hypothyroidism affects between 6% and 8%.

 

Although it’s not clearly understood why it should be the case, women with PCOS appear more prone to having a thyroid disorder.  2013 research found that nearly a quarter of the women they studied with PCOS had hypothyroidism; another study found that women with PCOS are three times more likely to have Hashimoto’s than the general population.

 

However, it’s not believed that an underactive thyroid lead to PCOS.

 

Although the cause and development of these two conditions are different, they do share several common features.

 

What are their common risk factors?

Those who carry a higher risk of developing either of these conditions are likely to have

  • Increased insulin resistance
  • A high level of leptin (known as the satiety hormone as this regulates food intake and energy expenditure to help the body maintain its weight)
  • Irregularities in their immune system
  • An increased BMI
  • A deficiency in Vitamin D
  • A family history of the condition

 

What are their common physical consequences on the body?

  • The ovary could have 12 or more follicles ranging in size from 2mm to 10mm. This condition is referred to as being “polycystic”*
  • There is likely to be an increased ovarian volume (more than 10ml in at least one ovary)
  • Irregularities in menstruation
  • High levels of LDL cholesterol
  • Inflammation
  • Mood disturbances
  • Hair loss or thinning
  • Fertility issues.

 

*When a woman has an underactive thyroid there is a rise in TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone) which leads to higher levels of Prolactin and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which is a possible contribution towards ovaries being polycystic.

 

Diagnosis Caution

Because hypothyroidism can lead to changes in the ovaries so that they become polycystic, your GP really does need to rule out an underactive thyroid before diagnosing PCOS.

 

If you have PCOS and are being evaluated for fertility do ask your GP to test for associated conditions –particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis - as both conditions can have an impact on the sex hormones and fertility.

 

If it’s revealed that you do have both conditions you will need treatment to bring your underactive thyroid back into a normal range as the combination of both diseases can accelerate the overall reduction in your egg count.

 

For more in-depth information on this subject, you may like to read: the following research studies here  and here

 

There are several  more blog posts on PCOS which you can access via this link

 

I hope this has been helpful.

Tags

acanthosis nigricans Acromegaly Addison's disease adolescent diabetes problems adolescent thyroid problems Adrenal crisis adrenal fatigue Adrenal glands Anovulation artificial pancreas Autoimmune Thyroiditis Bariatric Surgery blood glucose levels blood pressure breastfeeding CAH Charcot foot cholesterol CHT coffee cold and flu medications Conception Congenital adrenal hyperplasia congenital hypothyroidism Consultant Endocrinologist London coronavirus cortisol covid-19 Cushing's disease Cushing's syndrome Depression Diabetes diabetes and bone health diabetes and heart health diabetes and oral health diabetes and parkinsons diabetes and sexual dysfunction diabetes and skin conditions diabetes and thrush diabetes in China diabetes insipidus diabetes latest diabetic ketoacidosis diabetic neuropathy Diabetic prevalence diabetic retinopathy diet for diabetes diet for obesity Disability Act Down's Syndrome Dr Mark Vanderpump e-consulting endocrine system fertility folic acid Freestyle Libre frozen shoulder and thyroid Fruit sugars gestational diabetes Gigantism Glucose Monitoring Glucose Tolerance Test gluten free Goitre Graves Disease Graves Orbitopathy guthrie test hair loss Hashimoto's Disease healthcare services hearing loss Heart Disease heel prick test Hepatitis C Hormones - most important how to lose weight hyperparathyroidism Hypersecretion Hyperthyroidism hyperthyroidism and respiratory problems Hypocalcaemia Hypogonadism hypoparathyroidism hypophysitis Hyposecretion Hypothyroidism hypothyroidism and respiratory problems IFG IGT immunotherapy side effects Impaired Fasting Glucose Impaired Glucose Tolerance Insulin Resistance Iodine IR iron Labour and birth late onset hypogonadism Levothyroxine Long Covid losing weight Low testosterone Mark Vanderpump MEN1 MEN2 menopause metabolic syndrome mood changes morning sickness Multiple endocrine neoplasia neuroendocrine tumour neuropathy Obesity obstructive sleep apnoea older patients online doctor OSA Osteoporosis overactive thyroid ozempic Pancreas Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatic Diabetes parathyroid glands Patient Resources Patient Support Groups PCOS PCOS and acne PCOS and fertility PCOS and Insulin PCOS diet Phaeochromocytomas Pituitary Gland POF Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Post menopause thyroid problem Post pregnancy thyroid problem postnatal diabetes medication postnatal thyroid medication Prader-Willi Syndrome pre-eclampsia prediabetes pregnancy Pregnancy and Diabetes Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease Premature Ovarian Failure prolactinomas PTH puberty Radioactive Iodine RAI resistant hypertension semaglutide Sheehan's Syndrome Skin tags sleep and diabetes sleep and obesity soy Soya steroid dependent subacute thyroiditis T4 Tara Palmer Tomkinson testosterone Tetany The endocrine system Thyroid thyroid and menstruation thyroid cancer Thyroid disease in children thyroid nodules Thyroid Storm thyroid tests Thyroiditis Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis Thyroxine TSH levels TSH Testing tumours Type 1 diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Type 3 diabetes underactive thyroid Vitamin B complex Vitamin D Waist circumference weight gain weightloss

Please get in touch

Phone: 07565 978310