Smoking for hyperthyroidism is harmful. Nicotine contained in cigarettes is a factor that causes exacerbation of hyperthyroidism.
Nicotine in cigarettes can activate the sympathetic nerves, causing an increase in thyroid hormone secretion, which is mainly manifested by an increase in serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroglobulin (Tg) concentrations.
In addition, there is a variety of evidence that smoking is an important risk factor for Graves’ hyperthyroidism, especially Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO), so smoking can aggravate the condition of patients with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Therefore, patients with hyperthyroidism are advised to quit smoking.
It is recommended that patients with hyperthyroidism maintain good living habits and quit smoking while actively cooperating with their doctors and under the guidance of doctors for standardized treatment.