Thyroid Problems

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Basic Facts

As people get older, their thyroid hormone levels can change. Older adults are also more likely to have other thyroid problems. These changes can make it hard to diagnose and treat thyroid disease. Women are more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

Age-Related Changes

Thyroid hormone levels change as you age. Any thyroid test needs to take these age-related changes into account.

Sometimes older adults whose thyroid hormone levels go down do not need treatment.

  • An older adult's thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level may go up and then level off. Treatment may not be needed in this case.
  • An older adult may have an underactive thyroid with few or no symptoms. In this case, taking extra thyroid hormone usually does not improve health, symptoms, quality of life, or thinking and memory.
  • As people age, thyroid nodules (lumps in the thyroid) are less likely to be cancer. They often do not need treatment. However, if they are cancer, it can be aggressive.
  • Older adults may take medicines that affect their thyroid levels. Changing medications can often fix the problem.
  • Stress and sudden illness can change hormone levels. If a thyroid problem is found in a hospital, it should be tested again over time before a final diagnosis is made.

Common Thyroid Problems

Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)

Hypothyroidism means the thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormone. It usually does not make enough thyroxine (T4). This can happen because of an illness, like an infection. In that case, the thyroid may return to normal after the person gets better.

With hypothyroidism, T4 levels stay low. Usually, the brain tries to get the thyroid to make more T4. It does this by making a hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Most people with hypothyroidism have low T4 levels and high TSH levels in their blood. Common symptoms include tiredness, weight gain, depression, and constipation.

Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid)

Hyperthyroidism happens when the thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone. This can cause symptoms like heavy sweating, an irregular heartbeat, and bone loss.

People who take thyroid hormone medicine may take too much and develop hyperthyroidism.

Older adults can also have a type of hyperthyroidism called apathetic thyrotoxicosis. It causes many symptoms that are like those of hypothyroidism.

Thyroid Nodules

Thyroid nodules are solid or fluid-filled lumps that form in the thyroid gland.

Thyroid Cancer

Most thyroid nodules are not cancer, but about 10 percent of them can be cancerous.

How Common are Thyroid Problems?

  • Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is common in adults age 60 and older. Up to 15 percent of adults age 70 and older have hypothyroidism with few or no symptoms. They may not need treatment. Having few symptoms does not raise the risk of heart disease or death.
  • Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) also affects adults age 60 and older. Up to 10 percent of older adults have hyperthyroidism with symptoms.
  • Thyroid nodules (lumps):
    • At least half of older adults have thyroid nodules.
    • 90 percent of women over age 70 have nodules.
    • 60 percent of men over age 80 have thyroid nodules.

 

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers 

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