An everyday medication taken by over 3 million people in the UK to treat hypothyroidism could be silently raising the risk of osteoporosis, according to startling new findings.
The drug in question, Levothyroxine, is a go-to treatment for the condition where the thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroxine, offering crucial relief for an estimated 4% of Britons and restoring normal body functions. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers, however, have unearthed concerns that prolonged use may diminish bone density, reports NewsWeek.
Their study followed older adults with normal thyroid hormone levels—81 on Levothyroxine and 364 who weren’t. After around six years, a noticeable trend emerged: those on the medication experienced more significant bone mass reduction.
“Our study suggests that even when following current guidelines, levothyroxine use appears to be associated with greater bone loss in older adults,” explained Dr. Shadpour Demehri, one of the lead authors of the study and radiology professor at Johns Hopkins University. However, the study’s lead author, Dr Elena Ghotbi, reassured patients that they should not worry or stop taking their medication. She suggested that incorrect prescribing, rather than a problem with the medication itself, might be the cause of the findings.
Too much thyroid hormone, which can be caused by an overactive thyroid gland, can for example, also lead to bone loss. If a patient is prescribed too high a dose to restore their levels, they may inadvertently lose bone mass, reports Surrey Live.
Dr Ghotbi explained: “In individuals with reduced thyroid function, hypothyroidism, the production of thyroid hormone is disrupted, and the goal of treatment is to restore them to the reference range But in some of these people, this could be correcting a true deficit and in others it could be supplementing above a natural set point.”
She added: “An interesting possible implication of these results is that thyroid hormone is being incorrectly prescribed in some cases, even when it looks like the levels are in the correct range.”
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped organ in the neck, fails to produce enough of a hormone called thyroxine. This hormone plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions such as metabolism, energy, heart rate, digestion, muscle function, brain development and bone density.
If the body doesn’t produce enough of this hormone, it can lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms including fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, constipation, face puffiness, dry skin and muscle weakness. Interestingly, while hypothyroidism can affect anyone regardless of gender or age, it is more prevalent in women, especially those who are postmenopausal.
How is it treated?
The treatment for hypothyroidism typically involves taking a daily synthetic form of the missing hormone, Levothyroxine, which aims to restore normal thyroxine levels. The dosage is usually adjusted gradually over time under the close supervision of a GP.
However, if an incorrect dosage that is too high is prescribed, it can result in symptoms of hyperthyroidism, a condition characterised by an overactive thyroid gland producing excessive thyroxine. This condition also presents with its own set of unpleasant symptoms such as heart palpitations, high blood pressure, shakiness, anxiety, weight loss, diarrhoea, persistent thirst and itchiness. Importantly, it can also increase the risk of losing bone density.
What should you do if you are concerned about a potential loss of bone density?
If you’re worried about the risk of bone density loss, take note as Ghotbi reassures patients that those who genuinely require Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism should continue their treatment without undue worry. However, she did raise an alarm that “a significant proportion of thyroid hormone prescriptions may be given to older adults without hypothyroidism.”
With this in mind, she advises those without a definitive diagnosis to consult with their GP and weigh up the benefits and risks of the medication.