World Thyroid Day

What does the thyroid do? Learn More on World Thyroid Day.

Your thyroid releases and regulates thyroid hormones that control metabolism. Metabolism is a process where the food taken into your body is transformed into energy. This energy is used throughout the entire body to keep many of the body’s systems working correctly. Think of metabolism as a generator. It takes in raw energy and uses it to power something bigger.

The thyroid controls metabolism with a few specific hormones — T4 (thyroxine, contains four iodide atoms) and T3 (triiodothyronine, contains three iodide atoms). These two hormones are created by the thyroid and tell the body’s cells how much energy to use. When the thyroid works properly, it maintains the right amount of hormones to keep metabolism working at the right rate. As the hormones are used, the thyroid creates replacements.

This is all supervised by something called the pituitary gland. Located in the center of the skull, below the brain, the pituitary gland monitors and controls the amount of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream. When the pituitary gland senses a lack of thyroid hormones or a high level of hormones in the body, it adjusts the amounts with its own hormone. This hormone is called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). The TSH is sent to the thyroid and tells the thyroid what needs to be done to get the body back to normal.

What is thyroid disease? Learn more about thyroid disease on World Thyroid Day.

Thyroid disease is a general term for a medical condition that keeps the thyroid from making the right amount of hormones. The thyroid typically makes hormones that keep the body functioning normally. When the thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, the body uses energy too quickly. This is called hyperthyroidism. Using energy too quickly will do more than make you tired. It can make your heart beat faster, cause you to lose weight without trying and even make you feel nervous. On the flip-side of this, your thyroid can make too little thyroid hormone. This is called hypothyroidism. When you have too little thyroid hormone in the body, it can make you feel tired, you might gain weight and even be unable to tolerate cold temperatures.

These two main disorders can be caused by a variety of conditions. They can also be passed down through families (inherited).

Who is affected by thyroid disease? Education is key on World Thyroid Day.

Thyroid disease can affect anyone. This includes men, women, infants, teenagers and the elderly. It can be present at birth (typically hypothyroidism) and it can develop as you age (often after menopause in women).

Thyroid disease is very common. For example, an estimated 20 million people in the Unites States have some type of thyroid disorder. A woman is about five to eight times more likely to be diagnosed with a thyroid condition than a man.

You may be at a higher risk of developing a thyroid condition if you:

• Have a family history of thyroid disease.
• Have a medical condition (these can include pernicious anemia, Type 1 diabetes, primary adrenal insufficiency, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome and Turner syndrome).
• Take a medication that’s high in iodine (amiodarone).
• Are older than 60, especially in women.
• Have had treatment for a past thyroid condition or cancer (thyroidectomy or radiation).

What causes thyroid disease?

The two main types of thyroid disease are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Both conditions can be caused by other diseases that impact the way the thyroid gland works.

Conditions that can cause hypothyroidism include:

• Thyroiditis: This condition is an inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid gland. Thyroiditis can lower the amount of hormones your thyroid produces.
• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: A painless disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where the body’s cells attack and damage the thyroid. This is an inherited condition.
• Postpartum Thyroiditis: This condition occurs in 5% to 9% of women after childbirth. It’s usually a temporary condition.
• Iodine Deficiency: Iodine is used by the thyroid to produce hormones. An iodine deficiency is an issue that affects several million people around the world..
• A non-functioning thyroid gland: Sometimes, the thyroid gland doesn’t work correctly from birth. This affects about 1 in 4,000 newborns. If left untreated, the child may have both physical and mental issues in the future. All newborns are given a screening blood test in the hospital to check their thyroid function.

Conditions that can cause hyperthyroidism include:

• Graves’ Disease: In this condition the entire thyroid gland might be overactive and produce too much hormone. This problem is also called diffuse toxic goiter (enlarged thyroid gland).
• Nodules: Hyperthyroidism can be caused by nodules that are overactive within the thyroid. A single nodule is called toxic autonomously functioning thyroid nodule, while a gland with several nodules is called a toxic multi-nodular goiter.
• Thyroiditis: This disorder can be either painful or not felt at all. In thyroiditis, the thyroid releases hormones that were stored there. This can last for a few weeks or months.
• Excessive Iodine: When you have too much iodine (the mineral that is used to make thyroid hormones) in the body, the thyroid makes more thyroid hormones than it needs. Excessive iodine can be found in some medications (amiodarone, a heart medication) and cough syrups.