Is thyroid disease hereditary?
If a close relative has either an overactive or an underactive thyroid, then you are at increased risk for developing thyroid disease. Often, one relative will have an overactive thyroid and the next will have an underactive thyroid. This is not something that should be worrisome, however, as most people who have relatives with thyroid disease will not develop thyroid disease themselves. Despite the family history and the resultant increased risk, the vast majority will still not get thyroid disease.
