Thyroid Gland

What do you know about the thyroid gland? Why do we have it? Where is it found in the body?

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped structure found at the front of the throat, on either side of the windpipe.

It produces hormones involved in maintaining body weight, breathing rate, heart rate, body temperature, menstrual cycles, bone strength, muscle strength, blood cholesterol levels, to name a few. So it’s a pretty powerful little organ!

The pituitary gland in the brain sends out thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to tell the thyroid how much of its hormones to produce. The thyroid gland is also regulated by the hypothalamus located just above the pituitary gland in the brain. The hypothalamus releases its own hormone which stimulates the pituitary to release TSH.

Thyroid hormones consist of T4 which is relatively inactive, T3 which is active, and C-cells which regulate calcium and potassium levels important for bone health.

Enzymes in the kidneys and liver can convert T4 to T3.

Throughout this week I will be looking at what can go wrong with the thyroid and how that affects the body.