The Study
Impact of severity, duration, and etiology of hyperthyroidism on bone turnover markers and bone mineral density in men
This study looked at men with overactive thyroids and noticed their bones seemed to break down faster than in healthy men. But it didn’t change anyone’s thyroid — it just looked at what was already happening. So we can say the two things are connected, but we don’t know if the thyroid problem is the cause or if something else is making both happen.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
When the thyroid makes too much hormone, it speeds up bone remodeling so much that bones break down faster than they rebuild, leading to weaker bones over time.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 535 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — a Z-score of -1.7 means bone density is lower than 95% of healthy men their age, increasing fracture risk.
- 2Men with hyperthyroidism had bone turnover markers 2-8x higher than healthy men, and their bone density was 1.6–1.7 standard deviations below normal.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
BMC Endocrine Disorders
Year
2011
Authors
E. H. M. El Hadidy, M. Ghonaim, Soma Sh Abd El Gawad, Mohamed Abou El Atta
Related Content
Claims (6)
Hyperthyroidism leads to faster breakdown and rebuilding of bone, which causes higher levels of alkaline phosphatase in the blood.
In men with an overactive thyroid, bone breakdown occurs faster than bone building, causing a gradual decrease in bone density over time.
People with hyperthyroidism for longer periods have lower bone mineral density in the radius and higher levels of bone turnover markers.
Higher levels of thyroid hormones free T3 and free T4 are associated with increased bone turnover, but not with lower bone mineral density at the radius in this group of people.
In men with hyperthyroidism, whether the condition is caused by Graves' disease or toxic multinodular goiter does not change the levels of bone turnover markers or bone mineral density.
Men with hyperthyroidism have higher levels of specific biochemical markers in their blood and urine that indicate accelerated bone breakdown, along with lower bone density in the radius, confirming a state of accelerated bone loss.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.