What a Healthy Thyroid Does

The thyroid gland sits at the front of the throat. It's a butterfly-shaped organ perched just below the larynx, or voice box. Usually a bit larger than a quarter and weighing less than an ounce, the thyroid gland consists of two lobes — the "wings" of the butterfly — separated by a thin section called the "isthmus."
The thyroid's job is to produce hormones that regulate your body's metabolism. Your metabolism determines how your body converts food into energy and the rate at which it uses that energy. Because this energy use and activity takes place at a cellular level, every cell in your body depends on thyroid hormones for the information needed to function properly. The thyroid gland's wide-ranging effect on the body's metabolism explains why thyroid problems and thyroid disease can affect health in many ways, and why thyroid problems symptoms are so diverse.

Hormones in a Healthy Thyroid

The principal thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). T3 is about four times as strong as T4, but a healthy thyroid gland produces about four times as much T4.
The thyroid gland makes these hormones by combining iodine with the amino acid tyrosine. Therefore, in order to prevent thyroid problems, it's important to get enough iodine in your diet.
In addition to the hormones made by the thyroid's follicular cells — which regulate heart rate, body temperature and energy level — the thyroid gland also produces calcitonin. Made by the thyroid's C cells, calcitonin regulates the level of calcium in the blood.

Thyroid Problems: Symptoms and Causes

One way to understand what a healthy thyroid gland does for you is to understand what goes wrong when it starts to malfunction. Since the thyroid regulates metabolism, a change in energy levels is one of the first ways in which thyroid problems or thyroid disease manifests itself.
Hypothyroidism — or an underactive thyroid — is the most common thyroid problem. The symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:
  • Constipation
  • Depression
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Dry hair and rough skin
  • Fatigue
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Muscle pain
  • Sensitivity to cold
  • Weakness
  • Weight gain.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism, which occurs when your body produces too many thyroid hormones, include difficulty sleeping, heat intolerance, and appetite changes, along with weight loss in some cases.
Other diseases of the thyroid include goiter and cancerous nodules. Talk to a doctor if you have questions about thyroid symptoms.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hypersomnia: An Overview

Hypersomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by sleeping too much, experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness or a combination of the two. Hypersomnia is not the same as feeling tired due to poor quality sleep or not getting enough sleep. Often, people with hypersomnia fall asleep suddenly throughout the day, a symptom the condition shares with narcolepsy. Symptoms of Hypersomnia Symptoms of hypersomnia often develop in adolescence or early adulthood. People with hypersomnia may sleep for up to 12 hours at a time, but still wake up feeling tired. Individuals may struggle to wake up after deep sleep and seem disoriented and confused. Hypersomnia often develops gradually, making it difficult for people to realize they are sleeping too much. Signs associated with hypersomnia include: Anxiety Headaches Irritation Loss of appetite Low energy levels Memory problems "Nap attacks" during the day Restlessness Sleeping too much Slow speech Slow thought proce...
Keep reading

Irritable Bowel Disease Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a very common disorder that affects the functioning of the bowel. Although the severity of the condition (also occasionally called  spastic colon ) can vary considerably from one patient to another, typical characteristics include changes in bowel habits ranging from diarrhea to constipation, cramp-like pains, bloating and a feeling of "gassiness." For some sufferers, IBS is little more than a minor inconvenience; for others it can be totally disabling. In extreme cases, the patient is unable to travel, function in the workplace or enjoy socializing. Common Misconceptions Irritable bowel syndrome is not . . . an imaginary disease.  IBS has biological causes and biological symptoms and is certainly not a condition that is "all in your mind. " caused by other diseases  such as gallstones or ulcers. an infection , although it can sometimes be triggered by a bout of gastroenteritis or similar digestive system disorders. hereditary . a precursor to c...
Keep reading

Gastrointestinal Defects

Birth defects, also known as "congenital abnormalities," are structural defects in some part or system of the body that can affect the body's function. These congenital defects occur during fetal development, and are present in a baby from birth. Like other complex body systems, the gastrointestinal system (or digestive system), responsible for digestion and extracting nutrients from food, is vulnerable to congenital defects during its development. Healthy Gastrointestinal Tract Function The gastrointestinal system is made up of several organs, including the: Mouth Esophagus Stomach Small intestine: Duodenum, jejunum and ileum Large intestine: Cecum, colon, rectum and anus. In healthy people, food enters the mouth, and is chewed and swallowed, passing through the esophagus to the stomach. The stomach breaks down the food, then passes it into the intestines, where it is digested further, and particles from the food can be absorbed. Waste is stored in the r...
Keep reading