What is the thyroid gland?
The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in front of the trachea in the lower part of the neck. An exquisitely sensitive gland, it enlarges and becomes more active during puberty, pregnancy, or times of great stress. It also alters its size and shape during women’s menstrual cycles. Some glands produce substances called hormones, a term derived from the Greek word hormaein which means “to excite.” Hormones are released in tiny amounts but they travel throughout the body to orchestrate complicated processes like growth, puberty, reaction to stress, temperature regulation, and urine output. Disruptions in the balance of these chemical messengers can profoundly affect both health and quality of life. Two hormones secreted by the thyroid gland, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), have far-reaching effects on almost all tissues in the body and are intimately involved in physical growth, metabolism, and mental development.
The thyroid gland is a large gland situated in the front part of the neck, just below the adam’s apple. It is butterfly-shaped, with the “wings” being the left and right thyroid lobes that wrap around the trachea. Its function is to produce thyroid hormone which is responsible for regulating metabolism and organ function. The thyroid gland functions in cooperation with the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary gland through a hormone called TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone), and the pituitary gland then releases TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland then releases T4 and T3 hormones, which enter the bloodstream and affect the metabolism of the heart, liver, muscle and other organs. The pituitary gland regulates the level of thyroid hormone in the blood and increases or decreases the amount of TSH released.
The thyroid is a 2-inch-long, butterfly-shaped gland weighing less than an ounce. Located in the front of the neck below the larynx, or voice box, it is composed of two lobes, one on each side of the windpipe. The thyroid is one of the glands that make up the endocrine system. The endocrine glands produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream that travel through the body and direct the activity of the body’s cells. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism—the way the body uses energy—and affect nearly every organ in the body. The thyroid gland makes two thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Thyroid hormones affect metabolism, brain development, breathing, heart and nervous system functions, body temperature, muscle strength, skin dryness, menstrual cycles, weight, and cholesterol levels.
The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that lies just under the Adam’s apple This part of the cartilage that forms the larynx, or voice box, can be felt at the front of the neck. It is more prominent visually and by touch in men than in women. in the neck. There are two lobes to the gland, and they lie just in front and at either side of the windpipe (trachea). The thyroid is part of the body’s endocrine system, which consists of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
