5 thyroid facts everyone should know
This little gland plays a huge part in controlling our heart rate, respiration, major organs and metabolism. Here's what the thyroid experts want us to know.
1. This little gland in your neck should not be taken for granted
For such a small organ, the thyroid – that butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck above your collarbone – wields a lot of power. It directly or indirectly controls virtually every function in the body. Here’s what you need to know.
2. What your thyroid does
The thyroid makes the hormones known as T4 and T3, which are used by all the cells of the body. “These hormones are essential for life,” says Dr Terry Davis. “When there is too much of them or too little then things can go seriously wrong.” Too much thyroid hormone, for example, can aggravate the heart, causing palpitations and anxiety. Too little can cause weight gain; and “because the brain is very thyroid dependent,” says Dr Davies, too little thyroid hormone can also cause depression.
3. Thyroid issues can affect your overall health
With great power comes great responsibility, and the thyroid is no exception. Unfortunately, there are many ways in which this gland can be thrown off, and there are a number of conditions that fall under the category of thyroid disease. The big ones are hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland), hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid, causing hypothyroidism), and Graves’ disease (an autoimmune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism). “In addition, the thyroid may form growths or even thyroid cancer,” says Dr Davies.
4. Getting your thyroid checked is easy to do
Whether as part of your annual physical or something you schedule because you’re concerned that something is off, bloodwork can reveal troubles with your thyroid. Initially, “an excellent and sensitive blood test called TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) can diagnose abnormal thyroid function very easily,” says Dr Davies. “TSH is the messenger hormone from the brain to the thyroid gland telling it to work harder. When the thyroid fails, the message gets louder so TSH is increased. When the thyroid is overworking the brain does not need to send messages so TSH is low.” If your TSH test results are not normal, you will need at least one other blood test – T4, T3, or thyroid antibody tests – to help find the cause of the problem.
5. Thyroid conditions can arise at any age
A study published in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research found that there are a number of myths about thyroid disease. For instance: almost 40 per cent of study participants thought obese people are more likely to get hypothyroidism; about 27 per cent believed elderly people are more affected, and around 13 per cent believed women get more affected with hypothyroidism. Only nine per cent were aware that hypothyroidism can affect all age groups.
This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer. here’s our best subscription offer.