The thyroid gland is located below the larynx on the front of the trachea and consists of two butterfly wing-shaped halves that contain numerous small vesicles.
On the back of the thyroid gland are four small rice grain-sized parathyroid glands.
Image: Wikipedia
Function
The walls of the vesicles in the thyroid gland consist of cells that produce two main hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which affect almost all of the body's functions.
The hypothalamus in the brain produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) which stimulates or inhibits the pituitary gland's production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
TSH regulates the production of T3 and T4, which in turn also control TSH production, to keep levels within the normal range. So when the TSH level in the blood is high, it is usually because the concentrations of T4 and T3 are low and vice versa.T4 is a prohormone that consists of the amino acid tyrosine and 4 iodine atoms. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone and is formed, in addition to in the thyroid gland, when T4 is converted to T3 at the cellular level in the body's organs and tissues. T4 and T3 are transported in and out of cells with the help of transport proteins.
There are three enzymes, deiodinases (D), that are responsible for the conversion of T4 to T3. D3 converts T4 to reverse T3 (rT3) which is an inactive mirror image of T3 and functions as a brake in the system.
When T3 binds to the receptors, the production of many different proteins is stimulated, which are needed for normal growth, fat burning, energy and heat production, among other things.
Hormones in the thyroid gland
The thyroid hormone thyroxine regulates the body's metabolism and is important when the brain and body are to grow and develop.
The hormone calcitonin is also formed in the thyroid gland, which affects how much calcium is handled in the body.
The parathyroid glands regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate
The parathyroid glands produce so-called parathyroid hormone which increases the amount of calcium and decreases the amount of phosphate in the blood. The balance between calcium and phosphate is important for the skeleton, intestines and kidneys.
Hypothyroidism – underactive thyroid gland
Hypothyroidism means that the body runs on low gear and you get a low metabolism because the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormones. Low T4 values and high TSH values are then seen in the tests.
The risk of developing hypothyroidism also increases with advancing age and the symptoms are easily confused with menopausal symptoms. But there is a clear difference. With menopausal symptoms, you feel sweaty and warm, and with hypothyroidism you have dry skin and feel cold.
Hypothyroidism can also be confused with depression and burnout.The most common cause is that the body's own immune system attacks the thyroid gland and causes inflammation. It can also be due to a disease in the thyroid gland or pituitary gland, pregnancy, iodine deficiency, or if you have previously been treated for goiter.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism may include:
fatigue and reduced energy
feeling cold
depression
concentration difficulties
weight gain
constipation
dry skin and hair
impaired memory
swollen face
deeper voice
bradycardia (abnormally low heart activity)
pale complexion
headache
lack of sexual desire
Hyperthyroidism – overactive thyroid gland
With hyperthyroidism, the body runs on high gear and you get a high metabolism as the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone.
Hyperthyroidism can be due to the immune system incorrectly forming antibodies against the thyroid gland that cause hormone production to increase, but it can also be due to Graves' disease, Basedow's disease, toxic nodular goiter, or toxic diffuse goiter.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism may include:
Sweating
Feeling warm
Fatigue
Irritability
Menstrual irregularities
Palpitations and increased pulse
Weight loss
Tremors and shaking
Sleep difficulties
Rapid bowel movements
More women have thyroid problems than men
The most common form of thyroid dysfunction is hypothyroidism – an underfunction of the thyroid gland.
It is five times more common in women and the disease increases most rapidly in women under 40 years of age.
Some studies suggest that the increase in autoimmune diseases may be due to factors such as stress, unhealthy diet, or viral infection in people who have a genetically increased risk.
How do you best support your thyroid gland?
High-quality supplements that support the thyroid gland include Gaia herbs thyroid support, Holistic thyrobalans and Thorne thyro.
A common cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency, a substance that the thyroid gland uses to produce hormones, and seaweed is especially rich in iodine, specifically those that grow in salt seawater.
You can learn about different types of seaweed and how they can be used in cooking, and you can also purchase seaweed for home use.Choose a sea salt that contains iodine, such as this herb salt that is enriched with seaweed.
Eggs contain a lot of iodine, and milk, yogurt, Brazil nuts, meat and chicken, fish and shellfish also contain iodine. Berries, cabbage and soy also contain some iodine.
Many people with thyroid problems find that they feel better by adjusting their diet to an anti-inflammatory diet in the form of the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).
The foundation of the AIP diet consists of most root vegetables, vegetables, berries and fruits. It also includes meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, organ meat, bone broth, animal fats, olive oil and coconut fat.However, processed foods, grains, rice, corn, teff, dairy products, legumes (beans, peas and lentils, including coffee, cocoa and soy), eggs, nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, chili, physalis, bell peppers, goji berries), nuts and seeds that are common allergens (including buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth) are excluded.
After 30-90 days, you try to reintroduce certain foods to see how the body reacts to them.
The risk of developing thyroid problems is greater in people with gluten intolerance, and for them a gluten-free diet protects the thyroid gland.
Stopping coffee can also be beneficial, as caffeine increases the risk of stress and inflammation.
Selenium, zinc and iron are also important for thyroid function, as they help the body convert inactive thyroxine (T4) to active triiodothyronine (T3).
