The Study
Mercury in the human thyroid gland: Potential implications for thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism
This study looked at thyroid tissue from people who had already died and found that older people were more likely to have mercury in their thyroid cells. But it didn't check if those people had thyroid problems, so we can't say mercury caused any illness — we just know it was there.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists checked thyroid tissue from dead people of all ages to see if mercury was inside the cells that make thyroid hormones.
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 537 / 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.
- 1This means mercury builds up in the thyroid as people get older, but we don’t know if it causes any harm to the thyroid.
- 2Mercury was found in 4% of people under 30, 9% of people 30–59, and 38% of people over 60.
- 3The average age of people with mercury was 71, compared to 50 without it.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
PLoS ONE
Year
2021
Authors
R. Pamphlett, P. Doble, D. Bishop
Related Content
Claims (7)
Exposure to mercury is linked to a higher likelihood of developing autoimmune thyroid disease, and cadmium exposure interferes with the production of thyroid hormones.
Scientists found tiny amounts of mercury in cells of the thyroid gland, but they didn't check if people with this mercury had thyroid problems — so we can't say mercury causes thyroid disease.
About 1 in 5 adults have traces of mercury in their thyroid gland, and the older you are, the more likely you are to find it there — suggesting mercury builds up in the thyroid as people age.
Scientists have found traces of toxic metals like mercury, lead, and cadmium in the thyroid cells of older people, and these metals are often found together in the same spots.
People whose thyroid cells have mercury in them tend to be older—around 71 years on average—while those without mercury in their thyroid cells are younger, around 50 years old. This doesn’t mean mercury causes aging, but the two seem to show up together.
Not everyone has mercury in their thyroid gland, and when it is there, it doesn't show up everywhere—it's scattered in small patches, which might mean the thyroid picks up mercury in a selective way.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.