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| Thyroid disorder may cause high
cholesterol |
A high blood cholesterol level may be an indication
that the thyroid gland in the neck is underactive, rather than the result of
poor dietary habits. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
(AACE), notes that after diet, thyroid disease is the most common secondary
cause of high cholesterol. Somewhere between one-quarter and one-half of
patients with underactive thyroids will have high cholesterol levels. The
cholesterol level responds just by diagnosing and treating the thyroid
disease. Conversely, about 10% of persons with high cholesterol have
underactive thyroids. A survey released by the AACE shows that fewer than
half of the adults who had been diagnosed with high cholesterol knew if they
had ever been tested for thyroid disease. Everyone with a high cholesterol
level should be screened for thyroid disease.
COMMENT: Many traditional doctors forget to check
the thyroid in patients with high cholesterol. If your cholesterol is high
despite following the diet I advocate, then you should definitely have your
thyroid checked. You can also check
recommendations on how to screen for thyroid function.
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