A less active thyroid may mean more years added to your life, suggests a new study.
A less active thyroid may mean more years added to your life.
Earlier studies have suggested that middle-aged children of long-lived siblings have lower thyroid function compared to controls from the general population. To assess whether in the generation of the long-lived siblings low thyroid function was related to enhance survival of the parents of the siblings as well, Dutch researchers studied 859 siblings from 421 long-lived families. Their average age of 93 years old far exceeded current U.S. life expectancy of about 78 years.
After rating the longevity of these siblings' parents, the researchers analysed the thyroid hormones in the siblings' blood. The two sets of values appeared to be strongly linked, supporting previous findings of heritability in decreased thyroid functioning and its relationship to long life. This result held up even after accounting for critical illness, which can also affect thyroid activity.
The thyroid gland, located in the neck, secretes hormones that affect metabolism. The researchers suggest that the lower activity of thyroid hormones could shift the body's energy expenditure away from growth and proliferation in favor of protective maintenance, keeping the body healthier longer. However, other factors could be associated with both thyroid function and longevity, removing credit from the thyroid.
The researchers, however, emphasize that the finding still does not prove that decreased thyroid function is the fountain of youth and further studies to test whether treating mild decreases in thyroid function with thyroid hormone supplementation is effective in the elderly.
Earlier studies have suggested that middle-aged children of long-lived siblings have lower thyroid function compared to controls from the general population. To assess whether in the generation of the long-lived siblings low thyroid function was related to enhance survival of the parents of the siblings as well, Dutch researchers studied 859 siblings from 421 long-lived families. Their average age of 93 years old far exceeded current U.S. life expectancy of about 78 years.
After rating the longevity of these siblings' parents, the researchers analysed the thyroid hormones in the siblings' blood. The two sets of values appeared to be strongly linked, supporting previous findings of heritability in decreased thyroid functioning and its relationship to long life. This result held up even after accounting for critical illness, which can also affect thyroid activity.
The thyroid gland, located in the neck, secretes hormones that affect metabolism. The researchers suggest that the lower activity of thyroid hormones could shift the body's energy expenditure away from growth and proliferation in favor of protective maintenance, keeping the body healthier longer. However, other factors could be associated with both thyroid function and longevity, removing credit from the thyroid.
The researchers, however, emphasize that the finding still does not prove that decreased thyroid function is the fountain of youth and further studies to test whether treating mild decreases in thyroid function with thyroid hormone supplementation is effective in the elderly.
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