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Hyporthyroidism is a medical problem that is indicated by inadequate output of thyroid hormones by the thyroid glands. Though iodine deficiency may cause this disorder, much of the time it is a direct result of an underlying disorder. Majority of them are autoimmune diseases, where the immune system assaults the person’s own body parts, and in the case of hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is definitely a considerable health concern since it involves other systems of the body. Below are a few of the health conditions that are typically related to hypothyroidism.

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease that is indicated by hyperthyroidism, the opposite disorder of hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid glands makes too much thyroid hormones. Those who have Graves’ disease have a malfunctioning immune system that generates antibodies that imitate thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), causing the thyroid gland to create too much. Treating Graves’ disease involves the use of antithyroid drugs, iodine-131 (a radioisotope of iodine), or thyroidectomy, which essentially suppresses or completely gets rid of the thyroid gland. This in turn will result in the hypothyroid condition of those who have Graves’ disease.

One more autoimmune condition that is related to hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It is one among the common cause of hypothyroidism in North America. In this condition, the immune system directly attacks the thyroid gland, mistaking it as a foreign body and triggering its destruction. In this case, antibodies such as leukocytes get involved with thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin, and TSH receptors. This may lead  to the inflammation and subsequently, the devastation of the thyroid gland thus creating the hypothyroid state. It’s also theorized that this ailment is hereditary.

Another autoimmune condition that is also related along with hypothyroidism is Addison’s disease. Addison’s disease is an endocrine disorder wherein the adrenal glands create inadequate quantities of cortisol and aldosterone. At times, this disorder develops in conjunction with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This disorder is called Schmidt’s syndrome. Besides the symptoms of Addison’s disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, individuals who have Schmidt’s syndrome may also acquire vitiligo, type 2 diabetes, myasthenia gravis, pure red cell aplasia, pernicious anemia, Graves’ disease, alopecia, sarcoidosis, or immunoglobulin A deficiency.