How Does Thyroxine Increase the Metabolic Rate?
Thyroxine is the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland and what controls the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR). A person’s basal metabolic rate refers to the minimum number of calories he needs to survive in the absence of any activity. The higher the BMR, the more calories an individual’s body burns and the faster the metabolism. According to the Vitamin and Supplements Guide, every cell in the body depends on thyroid hormones for proper metabolism. The iodine containing hormone controls neural development as well as releasing fats from most of the fat cells controlling metabolism and affecting growth. A lack of thyroxine contributes to growth disorders in children, leading to cretinism and hypothyroidism. Too much thyroxine causes a BMR that is too high. This leads to Graves’ disease, a condition pertaining to an overactive thyroid.
