Objective: To test the hypothesis that untreated overt and subclinical thyroid disorders and autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) are associated with mental and physical complaints in the general population.
Method: A total of 3790 participants from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) with no known thyroid disorders were analyzed concerning their thyroid function (TSH, FT3, FT4), autoantibodies (TPO-Ab), their thyroid structure and size and their mental and physical complaints (Zerssen Complaint Scale).
Results: Overt hyperthyroidism (prevalence: 0.4%) was associated with a significantly lower total complaint-score than euthyroid subjects. Subjects with overt hypothyroidism (0.5%), subclinical hypothyroidism (0.7%), or subclinical hyperthyroidism (1.6%) were not different from controls in their total complaints. Females with AIT showed higher scores of tachycardia and anxiety independent from their thyroid function.
Conclusion: In non-patient samples, hyperthyroidism is associated with positive effects on self-rated mental and physical health. AIT may be associated with negative effects on health also in euthyroid subjects.