India, July 25 -- Every endocrinologist has encountered this conversation.

"Doctor, I've put on 12 kilos because of my thyroid." Or this one: "My thyroid tests are normal now. Why should I continue taking medicine?" Or perhaps the commonest of all: "Do I really have to take this tablet for the rest of my life?"

Few endocrine disorders are as common, or as misunderstood, as hypothyroidism, which results from an underactive thyroid gland. In India, it affects an estimated 10-15% of adults, particularly women and older individuals. Yet much of what patients believe about the condition comes not from medical science but from social media, the internet, or friends.

The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the ne...