Thyroid autoimmunity: a cause or an outcome of thyroid damage?

It always puzzled me, as an immunologist, how an autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis could arise. I suspected that autoimmunity — the presence of auto-antibodies against thyroid proteins, such as thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (Tg) — could have been an outcome rather than the primary cause of thyroid damage. Normally, these proteins are safely tucked in on the inner side of the thyroid follicle away from the immune system access. Massive thyroid cell death or follicle structure disruption would be required for these auto-antigens to get exposed, taken up by antigen-presenting cells in the context of a “danger” signal to stimulate the autoimmune reaction.

Recently, I came across a study done 25 years ago, which seemed to have gone unnoticed both in the mainstream and the alternative medical communities. The study reported that an endogenous estrogen metabolite 2-methoxyestradiol can kill thyroid cells and disrupt structural integrity of thyroid follicles in physiologically relevant amounts.

Unlike some other potential causes of damage to the thyroid gland, which are common to both men and women (e.g., EBV or other infections, excess iodine or environmental toxins), this hormonal source of thyroid damage would be specific to women. This could explain why cases of hypothyroidism in general and Hashimoto’s in particular are so much more prevalent in women across the globe.

I’ve launched the Personal Health Education (PhE) channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@PersonalHealthEducation) to highlight insightful studies like this one in short 5-min videos.

Watch my video that goes over how to improve 2-methoxyestradiol detox in the liver and the research in mice on the potential of the thyroid gland to restore itself after a damaging agent is removed. Please share with women who need this information.