Association between the oxidative balance score and thyroid function: Results from the NHANES 2007-2012 and Mendelian randomization study

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 18;19(3):e0298860. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298860. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: Oxidative stress is a significant contributor to the development of various diseases, and the oxidative balance score (OBS) is a valuable tool for assessing the impact of dietary and lifestyle factors on oxidative stress in humans. Nevertheless, the precise relationship between OBS and thyroid function in adults remains elusive.

Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 6222 adult participants drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted from 2007 to 2012. Employing weighted multivariable linear regression modeling, the study estimated the connection between OBS quartiles and thyroid functions. The causal relationship between OBS components and thyroid function was analyzed by Mendelian randomization (MR).

Results: We found a significant negative correlation between OBS and free thyroxine (FT4) and total thyroxine (TT4). Univariate and multivariate MR Analyses showed a causal relationship between BMI and FT4. Copper, smoking, and riboflavin showed a causal relationship with FT4 after moderation.

Conclusion: We found that a lifestyle high in antioxidant exposure reduced FT4 and TT4 levels in the population. We suggest that BMI, Copper, and Riboflavin are important factors in the regulation of FT4 levels.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Copper*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Mendelian Randomization Analysis*
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Oxidative Stress / genetics
  • Riboflavin
  • Thyroid Gland
  • Thyrotropin
  • Thyroxine

Substances

  • Copper
  • Thyroxine
  • Riboflavin
  • Thyrotropin

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the “Four Batch” Shanxi Medical Science and Technology Innovation Team Construction Project (Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment and Basic Research Innovation Team of Thyroid Cancer) (2020TD16) and the “Youth Science Research Project”: Targeted modification of hUCMSCs-derived engineered extracellular vesicles induces p53 accumulation and inhibits the growth and metastasis of thyroid cancer (202203021222371).The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.