# Vitamin A and E status across the spectrum of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in women: associations with autoimmunity and thyroid function

## TL;DR

This study finds that vitamin A and E levels are lower in women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and are linked to thyroid autoimmunity and function.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific associations between lipid-normalized vitamin E and thyroid function in women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

## Key findings

- Vitamin A levels were significantly lower in women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis compared to healthy controls.
- Lipid-normalized vitamin E was reduced in dysfunctional Hashimoto’s thyroiditis compared to healthy and euthyroid groups.
- Vitamin E was inversely correlated with TSH and positively with free thyroxine in women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

## Abstract

The status of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E) across the spectrum ofHashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), particularly regarding sex-specific patterns, remainsincompletely characterized.

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the associations of these vitamins with thyroid autoimmunity and function. We analyzed 196 adults, focusing on the 136 women stratified into healthy controls (HC), euthyroid HT (E-HT), and dysfunctional HT (HT-dys).

In women, serum vitamin A levels were significantly lower in both the E-HT and HT-dys groups compared to the HC group. Lipid-normalized vitamin E (α-tocopherol/[total cholesterol+triglycerides], αT/[TCH+TG]) was significantly reduced in the HT-dys group compared to both the HC and E-HT groups. Vitamin A levels showed an inverse association with thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), while αT/(TCH+TG) was inversely associated with both thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and TgAb. Among women with HT, αT/(TCH+TG) was inversely correlated with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and positively correlated with free thyroxine (FT4). An exploratory analysis indicated that this association between vitamin E and thyroid function was largely independent of TPOAb levels.

This exploratory study identifies distinct associations of vitamins A and E with disease activity in women with HT, highlighting the need for longitudinal and interventional studies to further explore these relationships.