| The thyroid, rather than being a separate "part" of the | | | | effecting metabolism throughout our entire body. The |
| endocrine system is a major player of the whole | | | | thyroid gland produces its two most important thyroid |
| endocrine system which regulates metabolism, growth, | | | | hormones, thyroxin (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), from |
| development and puberty, tissue function and moods. It | | | | iodine which it gets from a diet of seafood and salt. |
| does this by secreting thyroid hormones that regulate | | | | Although the thyroid produces more T4 than T3 |
| the speed in which body's chemical functions proceed | | | | hormones (approximately 10:1 ratio) the T3 hormone is |
| (metabolic rate). | | | | the more biologically potent of the two. Once |
| Technically speaking, the thyroid gland regulates or in | | | | introduced into the blood from the thyroid gland, a large |
| some way participates in the process of the following | | | | portion of the T4 hormone is then converted into T3 |
| 14 body functions: | | | | hormone. The T3 hormone is the actual hormone |
| - regulates basal metabolic rate | | | | affecting the body's metabolism. |
| - regulates body temperature | | | | The thyroid gland works in conjunction with two other |
| - regulates appetite | | | | glands, the hypothalamus gland (the area of the brain |
| - promotes expulsion of glucose for energy | | | | that controls body temperature, hunger and thirst) and |
| - stimulates protein synthesis | | | | the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, |
| - increases lipolysis | | | | which acts as a regulator to the output of the thyroid |
| - regulates cholesterol levels | | | | glad. Hormones produced from each gland signals the |
| - maintains standards for cardiac function | | | | next gland to produce its hormone. So the |
| - promotes normal neuronal development inthe fetus | | | | hypothalamus gland produces a hormone called TRH |
| and infants | | | | which sends a signal to the pituitary gland to produce a |
| - promotes normal neuronal function inadults | | | | hormone called TSH which in turn signals the thyroid to |
| - enhances effects of sympathetic nervoussystem | | | | produce T4 and T3 hormones. In addition to the signal |
| - promotes body and skeletal growth | | | | from the TRH hormone from the hypothalamus gland, |
| - promotes development of muscles andmuscle | | | | the pituitary gland senses the levels of T4 and T3 |
| function | | | | hormones in the blood and signals the thyroid gland by |
| - regulates standards for femalereproduction and | | | | the amount of TSH hormone it releases to either |
| lactation | | | | increase or decrease the production of T4 and T3 |
| For as small as the thyroid is in physical size, it does | | | | hormones. |
| quite a bit for our bodies. So just how does it do all | | | | Because of the wide influence the thyroid has to the |
| this? | | | | rest of the body, it is essential that the thyroid be kept |
| The thyroid gland is located in the front of your neck | | | | in good health at all times. A dysfunctional thyroid can |
| just below the Adams Apple. It is wrapped around the | | | | escalate, causing further dysfunction and damage to |
| trachea (windpipe) and has a shape similar to that of a | | | | other organs of the body, and in some cases, if left |
| bow tie or butterfly. Its only purpose is to produce | | | | unattended, a dysfunctional thyroid can become fatal |
| hormones which are introduced through the blood | | | | with a heart attach. |