Guest Author - Jim Lowrance
Recently while conducting a search on the connection of anxiety symptoms to thyroid diseases and other health disorders, I found the below research article. This one is published by the American Psychiatric Association. In the study, they found a strong association between Mitral Valve Prolapse (common heart murmur), thyroid autoimmunity (presence of TPO antibodies) and Panic Attacks.
Here is their conclusion from the study:
"These observations suggest that panic attacks, mitral valve prolapse, and autoimmune thyroid disorders are associated."
Research Article Link
Other research articles associate anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders with “thyroid autoimmunity”. While some doctors believe anxiety only happens with hyperthyroid conditions, including the more common Graves’ Disease caused hyperthyroidism, some medical research states that autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) can also be a cause of chronic anxiety conditions.
Here is a PubMed research article in regard to anxiety with Hashimoto’s:
”A case control study on psychiatric disorders in Hashimoto disease and euthyroid goitre: not only depressive but also anxiety disorders are associated with thyroid autoimmunity”
Research Article Link
Yet another research article, calls for more research on the subject of anxiety disorders, associated with “thyroid autoimmunity” (quote/link follows below). I completely agree with more research needing to be done on this subject. As I have mentioned in other articles, hypothyroid patients have written me, by the dozens over the past few years, complaining of severe anxiety symptoms. Their doctors however, will sometimes tell them their thyroid disease is not the cause because they do not have hyperthyroidism. These research articles, including the one following, are saying otherwise, including autoimmune hypothyroidism as a cause of severe anxiety conditions.
Also from PubMed:
"The study seems to suggest that individuals in the community with thyroid autoimmunity may be at high risk for mood and anxiety disorders. The psychiatric disorders and the autoimmune reaction seem to be rooted in a same (and not easy correctable) aberrancy in the immuno-endocrine system. Should our results be confirmed, the findings may be of great interest for future preventive and case finding projects."
Research Article Link
Here we have just cited three medical research articles on the connection of anxiety and anxiety disorders, to “thyroid autoimmunity” specifically. This makes it very clear that thyroid antibodies that result in hypothyroidism, can indeed cause chronic anxiety as part of the symptoms.
