Thyroid

The thyroid functions through a complex chemical process in the body involving the pituitary gland and other parts of the brain. The thyroid, and the hormones it produces, controls your body’s metabolism level, the amount of calcium and other minerals in your body, your energy level and digestion of food.

The thyroid gland sits at the bottom of the neck and weighs less than ounce. It has two small, connected halves. If you pictured a small bowtie living in the inside of the neck, that is the shape of the thyroid gland. It connected by a small piece of thyroid tissue, similar in shape to the center of a bowtie. The thyroid’s neighbors are the windpipe and the esophagus.

The thyroid begins to develop very early in the fetus. It starts near the tongue then finds its way to the lower area of the neck, where it stays. A very important chemical process in the thyroid begins even at the early stages in the womb and is critical to overall health.

The thyroid takes iodine from food and develops it into two thyroid hormones, commonly called T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). T3 and T4 are then released into the body to do their job for metabolism, energy and digestion. T3 and T4 affect every cell in the body and surprisingly, only the thyroid cells can absorb iodine, making its presence vital to thyroid hormone development. To control metabolism, T3 and T4 thyroid hormones transform oxygen and calories into energy, regulating the metabolism and giving the energy to get through your day.

The pituitary gland is part of the process of producing thyroid hormones. When the body needs thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, the pituitary gland actually sends a signal to the thyroid via TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormones, to produce more thyroid hormones. The pituitary gland is a tiny, peanut shaped gland at the base of the brain. When the pituitary gland sends the signal to the thyroid gland that they body needs more hormones, it secretes the T3 and T4 into the blood. The pituitary and thyroid glands stay in constant dialogue to ensure the proper hormone levels. One step before this process is the pituitary’s work with the hypothalamus. This organ tells the pituitary gland, through TSH releasing hormone (TRH), to produce TSH which therefore tells the thyroid to do its job. It’s a complex conversation between the brain and the thyroid gland that is essential to health. This is one of the many complex biochemical processes in the body that we are completely unaware of, yet it is critical to our body’s functioning.

When the thyroid’s hormone levels are not in balance, a couple of disorders can develop causing a fluctuation in weight, energy levels and mood. When the thyroid produces too much of its hormones, one can feel restless and irritable. This disorder is called hyperthyroidism. A doctor can determine what treatment is appropriate to fix this issue, and most of the time hormone therapy can reduce the overactive thyroid, bringing its levels back to normal. Sometimes, an enlarged thyroid is a symptom of this issue or nodules are apparent. Nodules are small growths like cysts on the thyroid which can often be seen in the neck.

The opposite issue can also occur where the thyroid is not producing enough of its hormones causing a person to be depressed, tired and without energy. Similarly, hormone treatments which bolster the biochemical process to produce the essential hormones can solve this issue. A blood test will determine if you have an abnormally functioning thyroid. It will also demonstrate the proper amount of hormone supplements to control the issue and return your thyroid levels back to their normal routine.