Yet another question is why, with 29 workers studied, less than half as many controls – 12 – were studied?
It should be noted that the mean TSH for the controls in the study was higher than the mean TSH of the factory workers. In fact, the mean TSH for controls was 3.09, a level that is considered evidence of hypothyroidism by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry's "Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines."
Source: Braverman, Lewis E., et. al., “The Effect of Perchlorate, Thiocyanate, and Nitrate on Thyroid Function in Workers Exposed to Perchlorate Long-Term,” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 90 (2):700-706, 2005. Mary Shomon, About.com’s Thyroid Guide since 1997, is a nationally-known patient advocate and best-selling author of 10 books on health, including “The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss,” and “Living Well With Hypothyroidism.” Click here for more information on Mary Shomon. Michelle Bahumian is a graduate student, researcher, and travel and health writer.
