London: Workaholics are more likely to have an underactive thyroid, known as hypothyroidism, according to a new study. Hypothyroidism was twice as common in people working more than 53 hours a week, compared with those working 36 to 42 hours a week the equivalent of a full-time 9-5 profession. An underactive thyroid has been linked to several health concerns, including heart disease and diabetes.
Hormones produced by the thyroid are crucial in controlling heart function, digestion muscle control, brain development, and bone maintenance. The researchers are unsure what it is about long working hours that could lead to the condition and hope further research can shed light on the correlation.
Overwork is a prevalent problem threatening the health and safety of workers worldwide,’ said principal investigator Young Ki Lee at the National Cancer Center in Goyang-si, South Korea. ‘To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that long working hours are associated with hypothyroidism.’
Researchers found a higher risk of hypothyroidism in people who worked long hours regardless of their socioeconomic status. This is despite the fact that the disorder affects more women than men. The study results – published in Journal of the Endocrine Society – were due to be published at the Endocrine Society’s annual ENDO meeting in San Francisco this week
There are likely multiple factors linking long working hours and hypothyroidism that have not yet been studied in-depth, Professor Lee said. ‘Long working hours contribute to psychological stress, and rat models have shown that social, as well as physical chronic stress, reduced thyroid hormone levels,’ he said.
