Thyroid Gland

MAIN THING
The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ in your neck.

It is about two inches long and sits in front of your windpipe. This gland makes hormones that are key to how your body uses energy. These hormones touch almost every organ and are vital for many body functions. They help control your body temperature, weight, and how fast your heart beats.

Example: A person with too little thyroid hormone might always feel cold and tired because their body isn't using energy well.

TERMS

• Hormones: Chemicals that cells release to talk to other parts of the body. Example: Thyroid hormones help decide how fast your body uses energy.

• Metabolism: How your body changes food and drink into energy. Example: If you have a high metabolism, your body uses up energy quickly.

• Thyroxine (T4): A main hormone the thyroid gland makes. It has four iodine atoms. It's inactive until it turns into T3.

• Triiodothyronine (T3): Another main hormone from the thyroid. It has three iodine atoms and is very active. It tells cells in the body how to use energy.

AN ANALOGY
The thyroid gland is like a thermostat for your body.Like a thermostat sets a room's temperature, the thyroid gland sets how fast your body works.

Example: If the thyroid makes things too fast, you might feel too warm and lose weight. If it's too slow, you might feel too cold and gain weight.

A MAIN MISCONCEPTION
People often think thyroid issues just change weight.

But thyroid hormones do more, like affecting energy, mood, and how fast your heart beats. Someone might feel tired not from laziness, but a low thyroid hormone level.

THE HISTORY

1. 1656: Thomas Wharton gives the thyroid gland its name.

2. 1891: George Redmayne Murray successfully uses thyroid extract for hypothyroidism.

3. 1914: Edward Calvin Kendall finds thyroxine, a key thyroid hormone.

4. 1930s: Treatments with radioiodine and man-made thyroid hormones start.

5. 1950s: Scientists learn about autoimmune thyroid diseases.

"The thyroid gland influences every cell in the body," said Dr. Charles Mayo, known for thyroid surgery.

THREE CASES HOW TO USE IT RIGHT NOW

1. A person always feels tired and cold. They see a doctor, who checks their thyroid and gives them medicine to raise their thyroid hormone levels.

2. Someone is losing weight fast without trying. They find out they have an overactive thyroid and get treatment to slow their metabolism.

3. A pregnant woman checks her thyroid levels because they're important for her baby's growth.

INTERESTING FACTS

• The thyroid gland looks like a butterfly.

• It uses iodine from what we eat to make hormones.

• More women than men have thyroid issues.

• About 12% of people in the U.S. will get a thyroid problem.

• You can often treat thyroid problems with medicine or surgery.