Have you heard about the thyroid gland? Do you realize how important this small gland is to the overall functioning of the human body? The thyroid is one of the most important glands when it comes to the way the body works, utilizes energy, and regulates certain functions such as respiration and circulation.
Thyroid conditions can be broken down into two main categories. There are conditions where the thyroid is overactive. This is known as hyperthyroidism. There are also conditions where the thyroid is under active and this is known as hypothyroidism. Although they can both have serious affects on the body, the symptoms of hyper and hypothyroidism are very different.
The thyroid is a small gland that is located in the throat. It is located just underneath the Adam\’s apple and it is responsible for producing two different hormones: thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These two hormones directly influences the metabolic rate in the body as well as other functions that the body uses to maintain itself from day to day. The different disorders that you may experience are all relative to the amounts of these two hormones which are present in the bloodstream.
When the levels of hormone produced by the thyroid become upset or register outside the normal range, there can be serious and far reaching consequences. The extent of these consequences depends on the individual disorder and the extent to which the hormones are out of whack. The body needs very specific levels of thyroxin and triiodothyronin. One of the major causes for hypothyroidism is an iodine deficiency, although now that iodine is a part of table salt and is more common in our regular diet, a lack of iodine is a much less common cause of hypothyroidism. There is also hyperthyroidism where the body produces too much of the hormones that are put out by the thyroid gland.
The thyroid gland is controlled by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. These two regions of the brain control most of the different basic bodily processes and can affect the rate at which the body controls different processes. All of these different glands work together as part of the endocrine system to regulate the basic bodily systems and functions.
Hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid is overactive, can result in heart palpitations, tremors due to nervous system problems, and even anxiety, weight loss and digestive system problems such as diarrhea. Many people who have hyperthyroidism will notice that they lose a large amount of weight and end up being jittery and irritable.
If you have hypothyroidism, where the thyroid is under active, the opposite effect is true. You may find that you are experiencing a profound lack of energy, excessive weight gain and dry, itchy skin. There are a number of other effects and symptoms, but they depend on what the cause of the underactive thyroid is.
There are a large number of body systems which are affected by the thyroid system and keeping them in check when your thyroid is malfunctioning can be difficult. You may find that you need to supplement with synthetic hormones or you may need to have it removed in order to bring your hormone levels under control. By doing so, you can live the rest of your life comfortably and in a much healthier way.
Would you like to learn more about hypothyroidism and weight gain? Read other articles at hypothyroidism diet
