The Effect of Age on Thyroid and Thyroid Stimulating Hormones Levels in Healthy Iraqi Females

Abstract

The current study was carried out to investigate the effect of age on the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T₄), triiodothyronine (T₃) and T₃-Uptake in normal healthy Females. Serum levels of TSH, T₄, T₃, and, T₃-Uptake were measured in 79 healthy females aged 20-60 years old. Serum concentrations of TSH, T₄, T₃ and T₃-Uptake were estimated by using Vitek Immuno Diagnostic assay System (VIDS). TSH values slightly increase with aging, but without significant changes. Mean T₄ Values for females over age 40 years were significantly lower than younger women. Mean serum T₃ declined with increasing age, but, also without a significant change. Values for T₃U in females after age 40 years were significantly higher than females under age 40 years. The physiologic reasons for these findings may be due to sex-related changes in binding proteins and alteration in metabolic clearance rates, production, and degradation of these hormones with increasing age.

Key words:-Thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine, triiodothrynine, T₃Uptake, age, healthy females.