Home » Health & Wellness » Thyroid Disease » Women Over 65 + Low TSH = Increased Risk of Broken Bones

Women Over 65 + Low TSH = Increased Risk of Broken Bones

© Keri

In a long term study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine researchers concluded that for women 65 and over a TSH (a test measuring the level of thyroid stimulating hormone) of 0.1mlU/L or less increases the risk of fracture two to three times that of women with normal levels.

The study began in 1988 when Dr. Douglas C. Bauer and colleagues at the University of California at San Francisco collected blood samples from 9704 women. After the baseline visit, samples from 148 women with new hip fractures and 149 with new vertebral (backbone) fractures were compared with 373 women selected randomly. Of these 373, 100 had fractures after they were included into the study.

After adjusting for variables such as the use of estrogen, age, previous hyperthyroidism and body weight, the risk of hip fracture was 3 times higher in women with a low TSH. Adjusting for bone density dropped the risk to about 2 times greater. History of hyperthyroidism was a definite risk factor.

Higher levels of thyroid hormone in the body decrease the amounts of TSH that the pituatary gland produces. This high level of thyroid hormone (T4 and T3, etc.) causes a rapid turnover in bone metabolism. This may be the cause of the increased risk of fracture rather than osteoporosis (a reabsorption of the calcium from the bone).

The researchers recommend that replacement therapy maintain the levels of TSH within the normal range (0.1 to 5.0) to avoid this risk. They also suggest that deliberate suppression of TSH in benign (non-cancerous) conditions be further evaluated in light of these findings.

For further information:

Bauer, et al Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Ann Intern Med 2001;134:561-568

Low Serum TSH Levels Increase Risk of Fracture In Elderly Women

Osteoporosis

Update on Osteoporosis and Calcium Supplement

The copyright of the article Women Over 65 + Low TSH = Increased Risk of Broken Bones in Thyroid Disease is owned by . Permission to republish Women Over 65 + Low TSH = Increased Risk of Broken Bones in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.