How does the thyroids function?
The thyroids are a paired glandula situated on both sides of the trachea. It produces with the help of iodine two hormones (T4) and triiodo-thyronine (T3). These hormones circulate in the blood and affect the energy production in all the cells in the body and also the growth. The production of these hormones is controlled from parts of the brain with the help of other hormones, thyroid releasing hormone (TRH) that is secreted from the brain (hypothalamus) and stimulates the production of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland, which in term stimulates the secretion of T3 and T4 from the thyroids. Simplified this function could be described as a thermostat. When the amount of free circulating T3 and T4 has dropped below a certain level in the blood a signal is sent to the brain. This signal starts the production of TRH in the hypothalamus, which in term signals to an increased production of TSH, which stimulates the production of T3 and T4 in the thyroids. When the a
