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The Coronavirus May Mess With Thyroid Levels, Too
Early studies suggest that the thyroid is yet another organ affected by the pandemic coronavirus
As the devastating outbreak of Covid-19 spread in Italy in March, doctors became curious if the ruthless virus, which seemed to wreak unpredictable havoc on the body, was mucking with important organs like the thyroid. At the Ca’ Granda Main Polyclinic Hospital in Milan, it was feasible for them to investigate this because they routinely test critical care patients’ levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, which is an indirect indicator of thyroid health. So Ilaria Muller, MD, PhD, an endocrinologist at the hospital, began comparing blood test results from patients admitted to that critical care unit with data from other patients in the previous year to see if there was a difference in their thyroid hormones.
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland that sits below the Adam’s apple at the base of the throat, performs crucial functions in the body. It secretes hormones that maintain a person’s metabolic rate, fertility, and digestive system, just to name a few of its many responsibilities. Damage to this organ can cause a wide range of symptoms, including weight gain and brain fog, and has even been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and heart disease.
