Thyroid Disease and High Cholesterol Link

Q: Is there a connection between thyroid disease and high cholesterol?

A: Yes. Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) can lead to increases in levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, low thyroid levels promote weight gain, which also contributes to increased cholesterol. Thyroid hormone levels should be measured at the time of a first diagnosis of high cholesterol, since treatment of hypothyroidism, if present, may be all that is necessary to lower cholesterol.

Sharonne Hayes, M.D., is associate professor of medicine and cardiology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.