Posted By:
Kelly Parcell
Category:
Thyroid Health
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that is positioned at the front of the neck near the Adam's apple, producing thyroid hormones called T4 and T3. The thyroid gland has effects on not only the metabolism, but also on the heart, brain, bones, colon, and skin/hair. The thyroid makes the hormones that circulate around the body and do their thing. What Does the Thyroid Do? The thyroid gland governs our metabolism. Metabolism is the process that is going on in our bodies every moment and is responsible for turning food and drink into energy. It all happens in our cells and the rate of energy expenditure is regulated by the thyroid hormones. The two main abnormal states of the thyroid gland (thyroid disorders) are either hypothyroidism (under functioning thyroid gland) or hyperthyroidism (over functioning thyroid gland). Hypothyroidism is more common than hyperthyroidism and sometimes they overlap, especially when a woman has Graves’ disease and is transitioning into a hypothyroid state. One in 13 Americans have thyroid disorders, and one in 20 are undiagnosed in the US. Whereas, one in 100 women are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in the US. In hypothyroidism, the levels of T4 and T3 are low so...