Goiters most often occur when the thyroid gland secretes additional thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, which causes the gland to grow larger. Chocolate contains flavonoids, the chemicals derived from plants. Recent research indicates that flavonoids affect thyroid gland function, and this may stimulate the creation of a goiter. Speak to your doctor or health care provider about safe levels of chocolate intake if you are prone to goiters.
Causes
A goiter occurs when the thyroid gland swells. Thyroid enlargement relates to numerous causes. Iodine insufficiency is a common cause of goiters – this form of goiter is known as an endemic goiter. Goiters can also develop due to inflammation in or around the gland, heredity, autoimmune disorders such as Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s disease, thyroid cancer or a reaction to certain medications such as lithium. Sometimes goiters also develop in reaction to the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids refer to a class of chemical compounds found in plants. Several types of dietary flavonoids exist; chocolate belongs to a class of flavonoids known as catechins. The catechins in chocolate contain a number of beneficial properties, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. These include vasodilation – the widening of blood vessels – and reduced aggregation of blood cells, which helps to treat blood clots.
Thyroid Hormone
Recent research demonstrates that flavonoids affect thyroid hormone function. In a 2011 review, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil found that flavonoids interfered with thyroid hormone production, inhibited the ability of the thyroid hormone to reach tissues and reduced thyroid function in certain cases. This review appeared in the October issue of the journal “Food and Chemical Toxicology.”
Final Word
The appearance of a goiter depends on many factors, and research does not unequivocally link eating chocolate to goiter production. That said, decreased thyroid function caused by excessive flavonoid intake could cause the thyroid gland to enlarge in an attempt to overcome the lack of hormone, and this would result in a goiter. According to the Cleveland Clinic, if you are female and you have a family history of goiters, these conditions predispose you to higher risk of goiter. Also, people over 40 years of age carry a higher risk of developing a goiter.
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