| Abstract: |
Environmental goitrogens are naturally occurring or synthetic substances found in food, drinking water, or manufactured products that interfere with normal thyroid physiology in such a way as to promote goiter development. The majority of goitrogens act through inhibition of the sodium’iodine symporter (NIS), thyroid peroxidase activity (TPO), or peripheral conversion of thyroxine (T4) to triiodotyronine (T3). Goitrogens tend to have a dose-dependent effect on goitrogenesis, and this effect is often intensified by the co-existence of iodine deficiency. Examples of environmental goitrogens include perchlorate, thiocyanates, nitrates, and fluoride. This chapter reviews our current understanding of key environmental goitrogens, including their source, mechanism of action, and clinical impact on goiter formation and thyroid function. © 2019 Elsevier Inc. |
