Hamburger thyrotoxicosis and hyperthyroidism: what you eat can kill you

Can your burgers become a thyroid hazard? Could your hyperthyroidism be caused by eating hamburgers?

Hyperthyroidism is the result of an excess production of thyroid hormone, which causes an overactive metabolism and increased speed of all body processes.

The thyroid hormone generally controls the rate of all processes in the body. This rhythm is called your metabolism. If there is too much thyroid hormone, all the functions of the body tend to speed up. The thyroid gland regulates body temperature by secreting two hormones that control how quickly the body burns calories and energy. If the thyroid produces too much hormone, the condition is called hyperthyroidism, but if too little is produced, the result is hypothyroidism.

Thyroid hormones are orally active, which means that consumption of thyroid gland tissue can cause thyrotoxicosis, a type of hyperthyroidism. Several outbreaks of thyrotoxicosis have been attributed to a practice, now banned in the US, called “throat slitting,” in which meat from the neck region of slaughtered animals is ground into a patty shape. Because the thyroid glands are reddish in color and located in the neck, it’s not uncommon for throat trimmers to stuff thyroid glands into burgers or hot dogs.

People, and presumably pets, eating such patties can get a dose of thyroid hormone sufficient to induce illness.

Interestingly, community-wide outbreaks of thyrotoxicosis were caused by the consumption of cow thyroid in ground beef in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa in 1984 and 1985. These outbreaks resulted in bans on cutting the beef. throat in all plants that kill cattle and pigs. When unexplained thyrotoxicosis occurs, the possibility of animal thyroid exposure through access to meat from slaughtered farm animals or game animals should be considered.

Bottom line, be careful what you eat, because this can be the cause of your hyperthyroidism. not just Graves’ disease.