Thyroid Disease Hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism Guide Hyperthyroidism Guide Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Causes and Risk Factors of Hyperthyroidism By Mary Shomon Mary Shomon Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution." Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 20, 2022 Medically reviewed by Ana Maria Kausel, MD Medically reviewed by Ana Maria Kausel, MD Facebook Twitter Ana Maria Kausel, MD, is a double board-certified endocrinologist affiliated with Mount Sinai St. Luke's/Mount Sinai West in New York City. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Common Causes Other Causes Genetics Common Risk Factors Frequently Asked Questions Next in Hyperthyroidism Guide How Hyperthyroidism Is Diagnosed Talking about the causes of hyperthyroidism requires discussion of far more potentials—Graves' disease, thyroiditis, goiter, and others—than the average condition. While there is a characteristic commonality among them in that they all cause your thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone, how they do this varies. A few causes are technically avoidable, but most are not—and determining which one is at the root of your specific case requires testing. © Verywell, 2018 Common Causes The three most common causes of an overactive thyroid are Graves' disease, toxic nodular or multinodular goiter, and thyroiditis. Graves' Disease Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. In Graves' disease, a person's immune system produces antibodies that bind to thyroid cells, triggering them to overproduce thyroid hormone. Coping with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism Toxic Nodular or Multinodular Goiter Toxic nodular or multinodular goiter is characterized by one or more thyroid nodules or lumps that produce excess thyroid hormone. Sometimes these lumps are referred to as "hot nodules," because they absorb radioiodine on a radioactive iodine uptake test. Thyroiditis Thyroiditis means "inflammation of the thyroid gland" and is a blanket term for several inflammatory thyroid disorders. One common example of thyroiditis is postpartum thyroiditis, which occurs after a woman gives birth. Some women experience temporary hyperthyroidism, followed by temporary hypothyroidism, whereas other women experience only hyperthyroidism, and still others, only hypothyroidism. In addition to the postpartum period, thyroiditis may be caused by an infection (for example, a bacteria that damages thyroid cells), certain medications (for example, amiodarone, lithium, or interferon), trauma, radiation, or major stress. Lastly, subacute thyroiditis (also called de Quervain's thyroiditis) causes temporary hyperthyroidism followed by temporary (although sometimes permanent) hypothyroidism. A distinguishing feature of subacute thyroiditis is that a person will have a tender thyroid gland. The Different Types of Thyroiditis Other Causes While most cases of hyperthyroidism are due to the above, other causes may also be considered: Medication-Induced Hyperthyroidism Taking too much prescription thyroid hormone—whether by accident or by deliberate self-medication—can cause medication-induced hyperthyroidism. Some over-the-counter energy, diet, and glandular supplements also contain some active thyroid hormone, which can make you hyperthyroid. Are You Taking Too Much Levothyroxine? Iodine Being exposed to or ingesting an excess amount of iodine (for example, taking iodine or supplements containing iodine) can trigger hyperthyroidism. Temporary Hyperthyroidism in Hashimoto's Disease Normally people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis are hypothyroid, as a person's immune system cells destroy thyroid tissue. In rare cases, though, a person may be initially hyperthyroid, before becoming hypothyroid. This is sometimes called Hashitoxicosis. Transient Hyperthyroidism of Hyperemesis Gravidarum Hyperemesis gravidarum is a rare disorder of persistent nausea and vomiting and weight loss of 5% or more during early pregnancy. Some women with hyperemesis gravidarum develop hyperthyroidism, although thyroid hormone levels are generally only minimally elevated. Pituitary-Induced Hyperthyroidism Your pituitary gland is called the "master" gland, as it produces hormones that trigger other glands, like your thyroid gland, to release other hormones. There are two types of pituitary-induced hyperthyroidism, also called central hyperthyroidism. One type is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland that overproduces thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH (called a pituitary adenoma). Even rarer is a type involving overproduction of TSH by the pituitary gland due to mutations in the gene that codes for a thyroid hormone receptor. Fetal-Neonatal Hyperthyroidism Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in pregnancy, although it's still uncommon, occurring in less than one percent of pregnant women. Of these women with Graves' disease (or a history of treated Graves' disease), about 1 in 50,000 of their newborns develop fetal or neonatal hyperthyroidism, which is characterized by a variety of signs and symptoms. Some of them include frequent bowel movements, increased heart rate, low birth weight, small head circumference, and an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter). Genetics Genetics plays a role in the development of Graves' hyperthyroidism, as evidenced by the fact that Graves' disease clusters in families. This means that carrying certain genes (or having a family history significant for Graves' disease or other autoimmune diseases) may make a person more likely to develop an overactive thyroid than someone without those genes. That said, scientists have not fully teased out all these genetic associations, so genetic testing is not currently done on people suspected of having Graves' disease. How Genetic Disorders Are Inherited Common Risk Factors Being aware of the factors that can increase your risk of hyperthyroidism can help you have an informed discussion with your physician and, perhaps, heighten your awareness of any symptoms you may be experiencing: Being female Having a personal or family history of autoimmune disease (for example, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or celiac disease) Having a personal or family history of thyroid disease, including thyroid nodules Being recently pregnant Smoking Taking iodine intake or an iodine-containing medication (for example, amiodarone) Experiencing trauma to the thyroid gland Being deficient in Vitamin D and selenium Experiencing psychological stress (for example, divorce or loss of a partner) Frequently Asked Questions What causes Graves’ disease? Doctors aren’t positive what triggers autoimmune disorders like Graves’ disease. It’s believed that a combination of genetics and outside factors such as a virus or stress disrupt normal immune system function. In this case, the immune system makes antibodies that tell the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone. What causes hyperthyroidism during pregnancy? Pregnancy can trigger an autoimmune disorder such as Graves’ disease, the leading cause of hyperthyroidism. However, it’s also possible to have transient, or temporary, hyperthyroidism caused by high levels of hormones during early pregnancy, which is common with extreme morning sickness. In those instances, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism should stop after your first or second trimester. How is my mean platelet volume related to hyperthyroidism? Higher mean platelet volume (MPV) may indicate that you have hyperthyroidism. MPV is a measure of the average size of platelets, the cells in your blood that help prevent bleeding. However, MPV levels are associated with several conditions and are not used to diagnose hyperthyroidism. If the condition is related to your thyroid, MPV should return to normal once your hyperthyroidism is properly treated. How Hyperthyroidism Is Diagnosed 13 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Thyroid Association. Graves' disease. Cleveland Clinic. Thyroid Nodule. Franco JS, Amaya-Amaya J, Anaya JM. Thyroid disease and autoimmune diseases. In: Anaya JM, Shoenfeld Y, Rojas-Villarraga A, et al., editors. Autoimmunity: From Bench to Bedside [Internet]. Bogota (Colombia): El Rosario University Press. Chapter 30. Haugen BR. Drugs that suppress TSH or cause central hypothyroidism. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;23(6):793–800. doi:10.1016/j.beem.2009.08.003 Sun X, Shan Z, Teng W. Effects of increased iodine intake on thyroid disorders. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2014;29(3):240–247. doi:10.3803/EnM.2014.29.3.240 Shahbaz A, Aziz K, Umair M, Sachmechi I. Prolonged Duration of Hashitoxicosis in a Patient with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: A Case Report and Review of Literature. Cureus. 2018;10(6):e2804. Published 2018 Jun 14. doi:10.7759/cureus.2804 Lee NM, Saha S. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2011;40(2):309–vii. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2011.03.009 Pirahanchi Y, Jialal I. Physiology, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls. Nguyen CT, Sasso EB, Barton L, Mestman JH. Graves' hyperthyroidism in pregnancy: a clinical review. Clin Diabetes Endocrinol. 2018;4:4. Published 2018 Mar 1. doi:10.1186/s40842-018-0054-7 Segni M. Neonatal Hyperthyroidism. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid). American Thyroid Association. Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy. Simsek E, Timur O, Carlioglu A, Arikan Durmaz S, Demirci M, Sevimli H. Mean platelet volume in hyperthyroid toxic adenoma patients after radioactive 131 I treatment. Advances in Endocrinology. 2015;2015:1-5. doi:10.1155/2015/436768 Additional Reading Bahn RS et al. Hyperthyroidism and Other Causes of Thyrotoxicosis: Management Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Endocrine Practice. 2011;17(No. 3). DOI: 10.1089/thy.2010.0417. De Leo S, Lee SY, Braverman LE. Hyperthyroidism. Lancet 2016 Aug 27;388(10047):906-18. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00278-6. Marino M, Latrofa F, Menconi F, Chiovato L, Vitti P. Role of genetic and non-genetic factors in the etiology of Graves' disease. J Endocrinol Invest. 2015 Mar;38(3):283-94. DOI: 10.1007/s40618-014-0214-2. Ross DS. (2017). Disorders that cause hyperthyroidism. Cooper DS, ed. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: Smith TJ, Hegedus L. Graves' Disease. N Engl J Med. 2016 Oct 20;375(16):1552-65. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra1510030. By Mary Shomon Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit