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It only weighs about an ounce, yet it’s one of your body’s most important organs. Meet your thyroid gland. Located at the base of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple, this tiny organ is responsible for the optimal functioning of a wide variety of body functions because it produces the hormones that regulate the metabolic activities of every cell in your body. It does this in two ways—first by stimulating the production of health-supporting proteins by nearly all of your body’s cells and tissues, and secondly by increasing the amount of life-giving oxygen that your cells can use. As a result of the way in which thyroid hormones regulate these two processes, healthy thyroid function is vital for a wide range of bodily activities, including your body’s growth, healthy heart and respiratory rates, proper digestion, heat production, healthy skin, heat production, and the efficient burning of calories. In women, healthy thyroid function is also required to support fertility.

Given how important the thyroid gland is, it’s surprising how often physicians fail to consider thyroid function when assessing their patient’s health. One of the main reasons for this oversight is because conventional blood tests used to measure thyroid hormone levels don’t always provide an accurate reading. The two most common tests measure levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4). Elevated TSH levels usually indicate underactive thyroid function, while low TSH levels indicate overactive thyroid activity. High T4 levels also indicate overactivity, while low T4 levels are sings of underactivity. However, both TSH and T4 levels can appear normal even when thyroid function is impaired. In the vast majority of cases, the impairment is low thyroid function. For this reason, doctors who do routinely screen for thyroid problems also recommend a T3 test, which measures levels of the hormone tri-iodothyronine.

Types of Thyroid Conditions

Impaired thyroid function can lead to a number of thyroid conditions. These include hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid function), goiter (characterized by an enlarged thyroid, caused primarily by iodine deficiency and often part of hyperthyroidism), hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland), and thyroid cancer.

By far the most common type of thyroid disorder in the United States is low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism. According to the American Thyroid Association, hypothyroidism affects about 10 percent of all Americans, compared to hyperthyroidism, which affects about one percent of the population. The other types of thyroid disorders are far less common.

Both hyper- and hypothyroidism can be caused by a variety of factors. For the most part, hyperthyroidism is due to overstimulation of thyroid gland by an overactive pituitary gland, inflammation of the thyroid, exposure to radiation, abnormal growth of thyroid tissues, and Graves disease, an autoimmune condition that stimulates overproduction of thyroid hormones.

Hypothyroidism is primarily caused by poor diet, iodine deficiency, lack of exercise, chronic stress, hormonal imbalances, or Hashimoto’s disease, another type of autoimmune disorder. Radiation exposure can also cause hypothyroidism, as can certain drugs, especially lithium and synthetic estrogen. In women, pregnancy can also be a factor.

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems

Since thyroid problems, especially those of hypothyroidism, can often be overlooked by doctors, being aware of thyroid symptoms can help alert you to potential problems.

Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism include thyroid gland enlargement, thyroid pain or tenderness, bulging eyes, increased or irregular heart rate, excessive perspiration, hand tremors, anxiety and nervousness, insomnia, unexplained weight loss, more frequent than normal bowel movements, and diarrhea. In older people, symptoms can also include sleepiness, mental confusion, weakness, and feelings of depression and apathy.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism are more wide ranging. They include anemia and fatigue, anxiety, apathy, blurred vision, brittle or peeling fingernails, carpal tunnel syndrome, cold hands and feet, constipation, depression and irritability, digestion problems, dry eyes, dry skin and hair, edema (water retention), hair and eyebrow loss, headaches, high cholesterol, hoarseness, impaired immune function and/or recurring infections, insomnia, low libido, memory and concentration problems, muscle aches and pains, sensitivity to cold and heat, slow bruise and wound healing, tingling in the extremities, and unexplained weight gain. Women with low thyroid function can also be more prone to infertility, PMS, and irregular menstruation.

If you suffer with any of the above symptoms, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function, especially if your symptoms have not responded to previous treatments recommended by your doctor. Also ask your doctor what steps you can take on your own to maintain or improve the health of your thyroid gland. Because the healthier your thyroid is, the healthier you will be too.

The Health Plus Letter, January 19, 2009, Vol. 8, No. 1.

Copyright © 2010 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.

http://www.1healthyworld.com:80/ezine/vol8no1.cfm

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