Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEffect on GlucoseEffect on InsulinOther ConnectionsWhat You Can Do
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Effect on Glucose
Effect on Insulin
Other Connections
What You Can Do
It’s not uncommon for someone to have boththyroid diseaseanddiabetes. In fact, if you havetype 1 diabetes,type 2 diabetes,insulin resistance, ormetabolic syndrome, your risk of developing thyroid disease is increased.
On the flip side, thyroid disease increases your risk of developing metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. The association is even stronger if you are overweight or obese.
Abnormal thyroid function can alter how your body responds to insulin. An underactive thyroid may even contribute to low blood sugar levels.
Verywell / Hilary Allison
This article helps explain how thyroid disease and diabetes are related. It also offers insights on how to avoid diabetes if you have thyroid disease and vice versa.
Thyroid Disease and Blood Sugar
Thethyroid gland, the butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the neck, plays a major role in regulating many of your body’s functions, includingmetabolism(how your body uses energy).
Because thyroid disease interferes with metabolism, blood sugar (glucose) that would otherwise be used for energy can instead start to accumulate. This increases your risk of diabetes, and it makes it harder to manage your blood sugar if you already have diabetes.
Hyperthyroidism(an overactive thyroid) is closely linked withhyperglycemia(high blood sugar).
Untreated metabolic syndrome can progress to type 2 diabetes.
RecapThe thyroid gland helps regulate metabolism (the conversion of food to energy). Thyroid disease can disrupt metabolism, allowing blood sugar levels to rise. High blood sugar levels increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Recap
The thyroid gland helps regulate metabolism (the conversion of food to energy). Thyroid disease can disrupt metabolism, allowing blood sugar levels to rise. High blood sugar levels increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Thyroid Disease and Insulin
Thyroid disease can also interfere with the production ofinsulin. Insulin makes it possible for cells to use glucose for energy. This lowers blood sugar.
Hyperthyroidism can contribute to insulin resistance.When you become resistant to insulin, your cells aren’t able to use the glucose in your blood. As a result, blood glucose levels stay high. People with diabetes who needinsulin shotsmay also find themselves needing higher doses.
On the flip side,hypothyroidism(an underactive thyroid) decreases metabolism. When this happens, insulin can linger, causing blood sugar to drop (hypoglycemia). For people ondiabetes medications, the drop can sometimes be extreme, leading to dizziness, disorientation, and unconsciousness.
RecapThyroid disease can affect insulin levels. Hyperthyroidism can cause blood sugar levels to rise. This can increase the risk of diabetes or make diabetes harder to control. Hypothyroidism can lead to low blood sugar.
Thyroid disease can affect insulin levels. Hyperthyroidism can cause blood sugar levels to rise. This can increase the risk of diabetes or make diabetes harder to control. Hypothyroidism can lead to low blood sugar.
In addition to problems with glucose metabolism and insulin production, there are several other links between thyroid disease and diabetes.
Autoimmune Disease
Type 1 diabetes is anautoimmune diseasein which the immune system attacks the cells that make insulin. There are certain forms of thyroid disease, calledHashimoto’s thyroiditisandGraves' disease, that are also autoimmune.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Studies suggest that most people with type 1 diabetes will eventually develop Hashimoto’s disease.
Having low thyroid hormones could make you crave sugar and other foods. There are several reports of people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis who had cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. Eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods is encouraged in these cases.
Graves' disease, on the other hand, causes hyperthyroidism. Around 10% of people with type 1 diabetes will develop Graves' disease.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis
Problems with any of the organs in the HPA axis can affect how much or how little cortisol is produced. High cortisol levels can lead to hyperglycemia. Low cortisol levels can lead to hypoglycemia.
RecapType 1 diabetes, an autoimmune form of diabetes, often occurs alongside autoimmune thyroid disease. Problems with the HPA axis, which produces the stress hormone cortisol, can lead to abnormal insulin and thyroid hormone levels.
Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune form of diabetes, often occurs alongside autoimmune thyroid disease. Problems with the HPA axis, which produces the stress hormone cortisol, can lead to abnormal insulin and thyroid hormone levels.
Link Between Thyroid Disease and Adrenal Fatigue
Prevention and Management
If you have been diagnosed with either thyroid disease or diabetes, achieving and maintaining your ideal weight is one of the best ways to prevent the other condition. Keeping your blood sugar or thyroid hormones under control can also help.
If you haveinsulin resistance, in which the body doesn’t respond to insulin as it should, thyroid disease can make your blood sugar harder to control. By managing insulin resistance with medications, diet, and exercise, you may be able to avoid diabetes as well as complications of thyroid disease.
By managing hyperthyroidism with medications, diet, and exercise, you may also reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
RecapIf you have diabetes or thyroid disease, maintaining an ideal weight may help you avoid getting the other condition. Properly managing your blood sugar or thyroid hormone can also help.
If you have diabetes or thyroid disease, maintaining an ideal weight may help you avoid getting the other condition. Properly managing your blood sugar or thyroid hormone can also help.
Summary
Diabetes and thyroid disease are closely linked. If you have hyperthyroidism, your insulin levels can drop and your blood sugar can rise, increasing the risk of diabetes. If you have hypothyroidism, the opposite can occur and lead to bouts of low blood sugar.
On the flip side, type 1 diabetes (an autoimmune form of diabetes) can increase the risk of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves' disease (autoimmune forms of thyroid disease). Problems with the HPA axis, a group of organs that produce the stress hormone cortisol, can also have a negative effect on insulin and thyroid hormone levels.
If you have diabetes or thyroid disease, properly managing your condition and maintaining an ideal weight may reduce your risk of developing the other condition.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wang C.The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and related thyroid diseases.J Diabetes Res. 2013;2013:390534. doi:10.1155/2013/390534Eom YS, Wilson JR, Bernet VJ.Links between thyroid disorders and glucose homeostasis.Diabetes Metab J. 2022;46(2):239-256. doi:10.4093/dmj.2022.0013Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA.Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism.Physiol Rev. 2014;94(2):355–382. doi:10.1152/physrev.00030.2013National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome.Kalra S, Unnikrishnan AG, Sahay R.The hypoglycemic side of hypothyroidism.Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2014;18(1):1–3. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.126517Fleiner HF, Bjøro T, Midthjell K, Grill V, Åsvold BO.Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in autoimmune and type 2 diabetes: the population-based HUNT study in Norway.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(2):669-77. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-3235Abbott RD, Sadowski A, Alt AG.Efficacy of the autoimmune protocol diet as part of a multi-disciplinary, supported lifestyle intervention for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Cureus. 2019;11(4):e4556. doi:10.7759/cureus.4556Additional ReadingJonsdottir B, Larsson C, Carlsson A, et al.Thyroid and islet autoantibodies predict autoimmune thyroid disease at type 1 diabetes diagnosis.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Apr 1;102(4):1277-1285. doi: 10.1210/jc.2016-2335.Răcătăianu N, Leach N, Bondor CI, et al.Thyroid disorders in obese patients. Does insulin resistance make a difference?Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Dec;61(6):575-583. doi: 10.1590/2359-3997000000306.Tang Y, Yan T, Wang GCorrelation between insulin resistance and thyroid nodule in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:1617458. doi: 10.1155/2017/1617458
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wang C.The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and related thyroid diseases.J Diabetes Res. 2013;2013:390534. doi:10.1155/2013/390534Eom YS, Wilson JR, Bernet VJ.Links between thyroid disorders and glucose homeostasis.Diabetes Metab J. 2022;46(2):239-256. doi:10.4093/dmj.2022.0013Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA.Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism.Physiol Rev. 2014;94(2):355–382. doi:10.1152/physrev.00030.2013National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome.Kalra S, Unnikrishnan AG, Sahay R.The hypoglycemic side of hypothyroidism.Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2014;18(1):1–3. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.126517Fleiner HF, Bjøro T, Midthjell K, Grill V, Åsvold BO.Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in autoimmune and type 2 diabetes: the population-based HUNT study in Norway.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(2):669-77. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-3235Abbott RD, Sadowski A, Alt AG.Efficacy of the autoimmune protocol diet as part of a multi-disciplinary, supported lifestyle intervention for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Cureus. 2019;11(4):e4556. doi:10.7759/cureus.4556Additional ReadingJonsdottir B, Larsson C, Carlsson A, et al.Thyroid and islet autoantibodies predict autoimmune thyroid disease at type 1 diabetes diagnosis.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Apr 1;102(4):1277-1285. doi: 10.1210/jc.2016-2335.Răcătăianu N, Leach N, Bondor CI, et al.Thyroid disorders in obese patients. Does insulin resistance make a difference?Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Dec;61(6):575-583. doi: 10.1590/2359-3997000000306.Tang Y, Yan T, Wang GCorrelation between insulin resistance and thyroid nodule in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:1617458. doi: 10.1155/2017/1617458
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Wang C.The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and related thyroid diseases.J Diabetes Res. 2013;2013:390534. doi:10.1155/2013/390534Eom YS, Wilson JR, Bernet VJ.Links between thyroid disorders and glucose homeostasis.Diabetes Metab J. 2022;46(2):239-256. doi:10.4093/dmj.2022.0013Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA.Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism.Physiol Rev. 2014;94(2):355–382. doi:10.1152/physrev.00030.2013National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome.Kalra S, Unnikrishnan AG, Sahay R.The hypoglycemic side of hypothyroidism.Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2014;18(1):1–3. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.126517Fleiner HF, Bjøro T, Midthjell K, Grill V, Åsvold BO.Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in autoimmune and type 2 diabetes: the population-based HUNT study in Norway.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(2):669-77. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-3235Abbott RD, Sadowski A, Alt AG.Efficacy of the autoimmune protocol diet as part of a multi-disciplinary, supported lifestyle intervention for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Cureus. 2019;11(4):e4556. doi:10.7759/cureus.4556
Wang C.The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and related thyroid diseases.J Diabetes Res. 2013;2013:390534. doi:10.1155/2013/390534
Eom YS, Wilson JR, Bernet VJ.Links between thyroid disorders and glucose homeostasis.Diabetes Metab J. 2022;46(2):239-256. doi:10.4093/dmj.2022.0013
Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA.Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism.Physiol Rev. 2014;94(2):355–382. doi:10.1152/physrev.00030.2013
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome.
Kalra S, Unnikrishnan AG, Sahay R.The hypoglycemic side of hypothyroidism.Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2014;18(1):1–3. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.126517
Fleiner HF, Bjøro T, Midthjell K, Grill V, Åsvold BO.Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in autoimmune and type 2 diabetes: the population-based HUNT study in Norway.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(2):669-77. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-3235
Abbott RD, Sadowski A, Alt AG.Efficacy of the autoimmune protocol diet as part of a multi-disciplinary, supported lifestyle intervention for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Cureus. 2019;11(4):e4556. doi:10.7759/cureus.4556
Jonsdottir B, Larsson C, Carlsson A, et al.Thyroid and islet autoantibodies predict autoimmune thyroid disease at type 1 diabetes diagnosis.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Apr 1;102(4):1277-1285. doi: 10.1210/jc.2016-2335.Răcătăianu N, Leach N, Bondor CI, et al.Thyroid disorders in obese patients. Does insulin resistance make a difference?Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Dec;61(6):575-583. doi: 10.1590/2359-3997000000306.Tang Y, Yan T, Wang GCorrelation between insulin resistance and thyroid nodule in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:1617458. doi: 10.1155/2017/1617458
Jonsdottir B, Larsson C, Carlsson A, et al.Thyroid and islet autoantibodies predict autoimmune thyroid disease at type 1 diabetes diagnosis.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Apr 1;102(4):1277-1285. doi: 10.1210/jc.2016-2335.
Răcătăianu N, Leach N, Bondor CI, et al.Thyroid disorders in obese patients. Does insulin resistance make a difference?Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Dec;61(6):575-583. doi: 10.1590/2359-3997000000306.
Tang Y, Yan T, Wang GCorrelation between insulin resistance and thyroid nodule in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:1617458. doi: 10.1155/2017/1617458
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
