How common is an underactive thyroid?
Both men and women can get an underactive thyroid. But it’s more common among women. It affects 1 in 10 women in the UK.[1] • About 1 in 10 women have an underactive thyroid. This compares with about 1 in 100 men.[1] • About 1 in 10 women over 60 have an underactive thyroid without getting any symptoms.[2][3] It’s more common to have a mildly underactive thyroid without any symptoms (mild hypothyroidism). If you have symptoms it’s called overt hypothyroidism. Both kinds of underactive thyroid get more common as you get older.
