World Thyroid Day 2025: World Thyroid Day 2025 falls on May 25 serves as a reminder of the vital role the thyroid gland plays in our overall health. Responsible for regulating metabolism, energy levels, and hormonal balance, the thyroid is a small yet powerful gland that often goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. While many factors can impact thyroid health, including genetics, stress and autoimmune disorders. One of the important factors that impacts thyroid functioning is skipping breakfast. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, skipping breakfast has become a common habit, especially among working professionals and those striving to manage their weight. The connection between nutrition and thyroid function is complex, and neglecting proper meal timing may disrupt this delicate balance.
There have been rising alarms about how skipping breakfast might disrupt the delicate hormonal balance governed by the thyroid. In recognition of World Thyroid Day 2025, it is important to understand how skipping breakfast affect the thyroid. In conversation with Jagran English, Dr. Deepak Murty, Consultant – ENT, Manipal Hospital Goa, shares insights on the daily habits like skipping breakfast could have significant consequences on thyroid function.
How Thyroid Functions?
The hormones of the thyroid gland, such as Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4), are responsible for key physiological activities throughout the body. Dr. Deepak Murty states, “Produced in only trace quantities, these hormones affect health and metabolism throughout the body.” From the burning of food for energy, to regulating the rate of the beat of your heart and your body temperature, to the growth and development of a baby in the womb, the thyroid has its hands in lots of pies.
How Skipping Breakfast Affects Thyroid Functioning (Image Credits: Canva)
Skipping Breakfast Affects Thyroid
The concept of fasting is culturally and religiously accepted in India. Numerous traditions suggest eating your last meal of the day by 7 PM. Recently, fasting, i.e. eating is limited to specific periods with at least 12 hours fasting is gaining interest. Dr. Deepak Murty mentions, “Skipping breakfast typically is a part of such a routine. Although breakfast is usually the best thing for energy levels throughout the day, there is no strong evidence that meal timing has a major influence on thyroid function in healthy people.”
He adds, “But fasting is trickier when you’re on meds, particularly if you have a thyroid disorder. When making drastic changes to your diet, always contact a professional. And that’s significant, because thyroid hormones are made from iodine, which the gland extracts from food, usually in the form of iodised salt. It is accordingly necessary to ensure sufficient iodine intake even during fasting.”
It's important to realise that the thyroid itself does not digest or break down food. Instead, its hormones control the body’s metabolic system by aiding in the conversion of food into energy that fuels bodily functions. This regulatory function also applies to the general growth and development.
In sum, though fasting has its benefits, it needs to be done wisely for those with thyroid problems. It is important to make sure you get enough nourishment, especially iodine, if you're fasting. The thyroid controls your metabolism and energy balance, and if the pathway leading to its proper function is blocked, so is your overall health—and this is something to seriously consider in any dietary practice.
ALSO READ: Having Excessive Hair Fall? Doctor Says Thyroid Issue Might Be The Hidden Cause