TY - JOUR
T1 - A lifestyle (Dietary) intervention reduces tiredness in children with subclinical hypothyroidism, a randomized controlled trial
AU - van der Gaag, Ellen
AU - van der Palen, Job
AU - Schaap, Pim
AU - van Voorthuizen, Mirthe
AU - Hummel, Thalia
PY - 2020/5/2
Y1 - 2020/5/2
N2 - Purpose: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) in children and adults is a subject for discussion in terms of whether to treat it or not with respect to the short-term clinical implications and consequences of SH and in the long term. If treatment with thyroxine supplementation is not indicated, no other treatment is available. We investigated whether a lifestyle (dietary) intervention improves or normalizes SH or decreases the presence of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and/or tiredness.Methods: We randomized children aged 1–12 years with SH to the control group (standard care = no treatment) or intervention group (dietary intervention). The dietary intervention consisted of green vegetables, beef, whole milk and butter for 6 months. The rest of the diet remained unchanged. We measured TSH, FreeT4, Lipid profile, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedQL) multidimensional fatigue scale scores.Results: In total, 62 children were included. After 6 months, TSH decreased in both groups without a significant difference between the groups (p = 0.98). PedQL fatigue scores for sleep (p = 0.032) and total fatigue scores (p = 0.039) improved significantly in the intervention group, compared to the control group. No unfavorable effects occurred in the lipid profile or BMI.Conclusion: The lifestyle (dietary) intervention did not normalize SH and TSH levels, but it significantly reduced tiredness. These results suggest that children’s well-being can be improved without medication.
AB - Purpose: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) in children and adults is a subject for discussion in terms of whether to treat it or not with respect to the short-term clinical implications and consequences of SH and in the long term. If treatment with thyroxine supplementation is not indicated, no other treatment is available. We investigated whether a lifestyle (dietary) intervention improves or normalizes SH or decreases the presence of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and/or tiredness.Methods: We randomized children aged 1–12 years with SH to the control group (standard care = no treatment) or intervention group (dietary intervention). The dietary intervention consisted of green vegetables, beef, whole milk and butter for 6 months. The rest of the diet remained unchanged. We measured TSH, FreeT4, Lipid profile, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedQL) multidimensional fatigue scale scores.Results: In total, 62 children were included. After 6 months, TSH decreased in both groups without a significant difference between the groups (p = 0.98). PedQL fatigue scores for sleep (p = 0.032) and total fatigue scores (p = 0.039) improved significantly in the intervention group, compared to the control group. No unfavorable effects occurred in the lipid profile or BMI.Conclusion: The lifestyle (dietary) intervention did not normalize SH and TSH levels, but it significantly reduced tiredness. These results suggest that children’s well-being can be improved without medication.
KW - Beef
KW - Dietary intervention
KW - Fatigue
KW - Lifestyle
KW - Subclinical hypothyroidism
KW - Tiredness
KW - Vegetables
KW - Whole dairy products
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085378549&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph17103689
DO - 10.3390/ijerph17103689
M3 - Article
C2 - 32456236
AN - SCOPUS:85085378549
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 17
JO - International journal of environmental research and public health
JF - International journal of environmental research and public health
IS - 10
M1 - 3689
ER -