Environmental Threats to Thyroid Health: Recent Findings and an Action Plan for Prevention

Thyroid function is an enormously complex bodily process that researchers are only just beginning to fully understand. Even minor variations in the thyroid’s ability to do its job properly can cause major health problems. As a result, recent studies have sought to pin down the factors and variables that are behind the most common thyroid problems and disorders.

In many cases, it appears that thyroid-related illnesses stem from within the body itself. Normal hormonal fluctuations that occur over the course of a lifetime, such as childbirth and menopause, can upset the delicate balance of the endocrine system and increase the risk of thyroid dysfunction. Other types of imbalances in the body can also foster thyroid problems, as well.

But some researchers are beginning to consider factors outside of the body as possible causes of thyroid problems. Due in large part to the rapid influx of man-made pollutants and impurities that have been released into the atmosphere in the last century, our environment is rapidly changing.

A growing number of scientists believe that these changes may also impact the thyroid’s ability to function properly. According to some preliminary hypotheses, these environmental influences could account for the sudden increase in some thyroid-related illnesses that has been observed in recent years. Most notably, the reported rate of thyroid cancer has more than doubled over the course of the last several decades.

Recent Findings Illuminate the Thyroid-Environment Relationship

Over the course of the last several decades, hundreds of studies have been conducted seeking to identify the nature and extent of the relationship between different environmental factors and thyroid conditions. Although numerous connections have been found, the three chief environmental culprits believed to cause or worsen thyroid disorders are pesticides, chemical compounds, and radiation.

In the twentieth century, the quest to perfect the mass production of food led to the development and introduction of a number of increasingly potent pesticides. After years or even decades of use, some of the most widely-applied pesticides have subsequently been linked to health problems and taken off the market.

Health problems that are related to pesticides often take many years to become fully apparent. Scientists suggest that we are still discovering some of the long-term health impacts of the pesticides that were widely used in the past.

Several studies have suggested a link between pesticides in current and past usage and thyroid problems. Of particular concern are ethylenebisdithiocarbamates, commonly referred to as EBDCs. These potent fungicides are sprayed on fruits, leafy vegetables, and some grains to prevent the growth of crop-destroying fungi.

Since the 1960s, EBDCs have been linked with thyroid disorders, such as decreasing the body’s natural ability to take in iodine and increasing the risk of goiters. Although the results are somewhat inconclusive, pesticides in this class have also been linked to thyroid cancer in rats and mice.

The mass production of consumer goods has led to a rapid increase in the number of manmade chemical compounds that have been released into the environment as the byproduct of manufacturing processes. Several manmade chemical compounds have been linked to thyroid disorders, with PCBs and perchlorate identified as two of the most potentially harmful substances.

Although polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) has been banned in the United States since 1979, these potent chemicals, once used to manufacture electrical components, have been shown to have accumulated in many areas of the natural environment. Exposure to excessive PCB levels can disrupt the balance of the hormones released by the thyroid, causing improper function of the endocrine system. PCBs have also been linked to a heightened overall risk of cancer.

Perchlorate is an oxygen-based compound that is used in the process of synthesizing rocket fuel. This chemical is often found in the water supplies of areas of the United States that have supported the development of space travel technology, with the highest concentrations seen in the American Southwest. Like PCBs, perchlorate inhibits the thyroid’s ability to take in sufficient levels of iodine, causing slow thyroid function and, in some cases, goiter development.

Radiation has long been known to be a source of thyroid disorders, but over the course of the twentieth century, the amount of environmental radiation most people are exposed to on a daily basis has increased considerably. Large-scale radiation releases such as the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster in Russia and the atomic bomb deployment in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, have both been linked to the most severe risks of thyroid cancer and other thyroid related diseases.

Today, however, scientists are beginning to expand the scope of their search for the impact of environmental radiation on thyroid diseases. In addition to nuclear testing and bomb deployment, researchers are now considering the impact of significant x-ray exposure or living in close proximity to manufacturing or test facilities where radiation is emitted. It is believed that future studies will further expand our understanding of the impact of environmental radiation on thyroid problems.

Action Plan: Reduce Your Risk of Environmental Exposure

Because we are still discovering environmental factors and variables that can negatively impact thyroid health, it’s virtually impossible to completely eliminate the possibility that your thyroid function will suffer from unseen elements in your surroundings. However, by following a few simple guidelines, you’ll be able to significantly decrease your risk of experiencing environmentally-related thyroid problems.

• Opt for organic produce. If organic produce supplies in your area are scarce or too costly, you can still reduce your risk by thoroughly scrubbing all fruit and vegetables to remove pesticide residue.

• Filter your water. Invest in the highest-grade filter system you can afford in order to remove chemical compounds from your tap water. Whether it’s a faucet unit or a stand-alone system, you’ll be reducing your intake of compounds that can be hazardous to your health.

• Buy biodegradable. By looking for products that are ecologically sound, you’ll not only be helping the environment, but you’ll also reduce your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

• Limit x-rays. Today, most diagnostic x-rays are conducted in a very safe manner, but it’s still smart to question their necessity if the number of trips you’re asked to take to the radiologist starts to seem like it may be excessive.