The Study
Helicobacter pylori eradication effects on thyroid hormones and autoantibodies in levothyroxine-resistant hypothyroid women
This study looked at whether having a stomach bug (H. pylori) is linked to thyroid problems in some women. It found that when women had the bug, their thyroid blood tests looked worse — but that doesn’t mean the bug caused the problem. It could just be that people with thyroid issues are more likely to have the bug for other reasons.
Analysis score
Maximum 58 for a case-control study.
Where the score came from
Some women with tired thyroid symptoms that don't improve with medicine also have a stomach bacteria called H. pylori. This study checked if killing that bacteria helps their thyroid.
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 540 / 100
Quality score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — normalizing TSH and thyroid hormones means better energy, mood, and metabolism, which many patients struggle with despite taking thyroid pills.
- 2After treatment, thyroid antibodies dropped by 15-20%, TSH fell from 11.9 to 2.6, and thyroid hormones (fT4/fT3) rose significantly over 4 months.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine
Year
2026
Authors
S. Mwafy, M. Laqqan, M. Yassin
Related Content
Claims (10)
In women with hypothyroidism that does not respond to levothyroxine and who have a confirmed Helicobacter pylori infection, removing the infection leads to lower thyroid autoantibody levels and improved thyroid hormone levels over four months.
Women with a form of hypothyroidism that does not respond to levothyroxine and who are infected with Helicobacter pylori have higher levels of specific autoantibodies in their blood than women without these conditions.
Women with both levothyroxine-resistant hypothyroidism and Helicobacter pylori infection have lower levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cells, and white blood cells than women without these conditions.
In women with hypothyroidism that does not respond to levothyroxine, higher levels of antibodies indicating past Helicobacter pylori infection are associated with higher levels of thyroid autoantibodies and TSH, and lower levels of free T4 and free T3.
Women with levothyroxine-resistant hypothyroidism who have Helicobacter pylori infection have higher TSH levels and lower free T4 and free T3 levels than women without the infection.
In women with hypothyroidism that does not respond to levothyroxine and who have a Helicobacter pylori infection, removing the infection leads to lower levels of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and improved thyroid hormone levels over four months.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.