How does Graves disease develop?
Normally, the immune system uses naturally occurring antibodies to help protect against viruses, bacteria and foreign substances (antigens) that invade your body. In Graves’ disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland, but instead of destroying the gland, an antibody stimulates the thyroid to make excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is made up of several glands and tissues that produce hormones. These chemical messengers coordinate many of the body’s activities, from digestion to metabolism to reproduction. Thyroxine controls the metabolism of cells. Exactly why the immune system begins to produce these antibodies is unclear. However, doctors believe a combination of factors including heredity, sex and age may determine the likelihood of developing Graves’ disease. Studies show, for example, that if one identical twin contracts Graves’ disease, the other twin has a 50 percent chance of contracting the disease as w
