What is the most common cause of Graves Disease?
Graves disease is a thyroid disorder. The body’s immune response attacks the thyroid gland by mistake. Graves Disease is not known to have a specific cause, but may be a combination genetic and environmental factors. (4)
Some of the causes are:
Hormonal Factors
Graves’ disease is caused by a number of factors, including genetics and autoimmunity disorders. Hormones are one of the main factors that contribute to the development of Graves Disease. Graves disease is more common among women than in men, and often develops shortly after childbirth. This indicates that hormonal factors could be a factor in the development of this disease.
Graves’ disease is caused by an overactive thyroid gland. The thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine which regulates the metabolism of the body. The thyroid gland produces thyroxine in response to signals sent by the pituitary, which is found in the brain. The pituitary can release more thyroid-stimulating hormonal (TSH) if there is too much of thyroxine present in the blood.
Infections
Graves disease may be caused by a virus or other infection that leads to thyroiditis.Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland. Thyroiditis can be caused by autoimmune diseases as well as viral infections and radiation therapy. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is the most common form of thyroiditis. It is an autoimmune condition. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis occurs when the immune system attacks and inflames the thyroid gland.
Graves disease has been associated with certain infections. Helicobacter Pylori is one of the infections that has been linked to Graves’ disease. This bacterium can cause stomach ulcers. H. pylori is more common in people with Graves’ disease than it is for those without.
Genetics
Graves’ disease may run in families. There could be a genetic component. Women are more likely to develop it than men. There is a 50% probability that if one parent has Graves, their child will have it as well.
There has been a connection between Graves’ disease and the HLA gene. HLA is a genetic factor that regulates the immune system. Graves Disease is more common in people who carry certain variants of HLA.
