The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ in your throat, and it is very important to your health and well-being. The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is essentially a collection of glands. Glands produce hormones that regulate mood and various functions in the body.
Function
The thyroid gland, in particular, controls just about every cell in the human body. It secretes hormones calcitonin, T4 (thyroxine, or tetraiodothyronine), and T3 (triiodothyronine) into the bloodstream. The hormones control the rate at which cells and organs turn nutrients into energy and the number of oxygen cells use.
The thyroid also regulates the brain and nerve function and development, plus the function of the skin, hair, eyes, heart, and intestines.
The thyroid works in conjunction with the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland regulates how much hormones the thyroid releases.
The thyroid gland produces a large amount of T4, but that hormone is not very active. T4 is converted to T3 via an enzyme that removes one of its iodine atoms. “Although T3 is much more potent than T4, there is much evidence to support that people with hypothyroidism feel much better when they receive a combination treatment that includes a small amount of T3 with the commonly prescribed T4.
For the thyroid to remain healthy, it needs iodine to produce hormones, but just a little. “It turns out that one teaspoonful of iodine is enough for a lifetime of thyroid hormone production. But the thyroid gland needs a constant supply of iodine, so we must intake iodine in some form on a daily basis and not all at once,
Diseases & conditions
Women are particularly at risk for a thyroid issue. Hypothyroidism is a disease, It occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. This can cause body functions to slow down or stop completely.
If your thyroid–a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that helps control metabolism–is underactive, you may experience weight gain, constipation, cold sensitivity, or fatigue (hypothyroidism). If it’s overactive, you may lose weight quickly, sweat a lot, have a fast heartbeat, or feel nervous or moody (hyperthyroidism).
