Cigarette Smoking and the Thyroid

Abstract

Smoking is associated with so many abnormalities of thyroid function that it is unlikely it has a single action on the thyroid gland. In this regard, it is like at least one substance that occurs naturally in the body — iodine — and several drugs.The article by Müller et al.¹ in this issue of the Journal presents evidence that in women with hypothyroidism, smoking decreases both thyroid secretion and thyroid hormone action. Among women with subclinical hypothyroidism, smoking was associated with decreased thyroid secretion on the basis of findings of lower serum concentrations of free thyroxine and higher serum . . .