The thyroid is one of the least well known parts of the body. Unless you are having problems with your thyroid, chances are that you don’t think much about it. But the thyroid is one of the parts of the body that can profoundly influence the body and the way it works.
If you have a thyroid which is over or under active, you know how the thyroid can affect all of your different bodily systems. If there are problems you know what a huge impact the thyroid can have on all of the systems that your body uses to function normally.
The thyroid is located in the neck, in the same area as the Adam’s apple. It is very small but it is very good at making its presence felt. Basic functions such as respiration (breathing rate), heart rate and metabolism (how rapidly the body burns calories and utilizes energy that it gets from food) are affected by the thyroid. It is amazing how many of the body’s processes are influenced by the production of thyroixine and triiodothyronin.
There are two main conditions which can influence the thyroid and each have their own specific affects on the body. They are hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland is under active, and hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid gland is overactive. Each of these general conditions can be broken down into specific diseases and disorders, each of which have specific symptoms and effects. You may find that if you suffer from one of these conditions that your specific symptoms depend very heavily on which of the two hormones is outside the normal ranges to tell what your particular problems will be.
The thyroid gland is controlled by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. These two regions of the brain control most of the different basic bodily processes and can affect the rate at which the body controls different processes. All of these different glands work together as part of the endocrine system to regulate the basic bodily systems and functions.
Hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid is overactive, can result in heart palpitations, tremors due to nervous system problems, and even anxiety, weight loss and digestive system problems such as diarrhea. Many people who have hyperthyroidism will notice that they lose a large amount of weight and end up being jittery and irritable.
If you have hypothyroidism, where the thyroid is under active, the opposite effect is true. You may find that you are experiencing a profound lack of energy, excessive weight gain and dry, itchy skin. There are a number of other effects and symptoms, but they depend on what the cause of the underactive thyroid is.
There are a large number of body systems which are affected by the thyroid system and keeping them in check when your thyroid is malfunctioning can be difficult. You may find that you need to supplement with synthetic hormones or you may need to have it removed in order to bring your hormone levels under control. By doing so, you can live the rest of your life comfortably and in a much healthier way.
Would you like to learn more about hypothyroidism and weight gain? Read other articles at hypothyroidism diet
Comments
Leave a Reply
Suscribe to LifestyleExaminer.com
Don't miss out on anything new that we post on our site!