The thyroid is a gland that produces and stores hormones that help regulate heartbeat, blood pressure and body temperature. Thyroid hormones are essential for the proper functioning of any human body. They also help increase the rate of chemical reactions, which we call metabolism, being involved in the body`s growth and development processes.
The thyroid gland is located at the bottom of the neck, under Adam`s apple, wrapped around the trachea. It has the shape of a butterfly: two wings attached to one another by a middle channel. The thyroid gland needs iodine to produce hormones, a mineral that is found in certain foods and in iodized salt.
The two very important hormones of the thyroid gland are: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). The pituitary hormone TSH is produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates the thyroid gland in hormone production. There is also the calcitonin hormone, which is involved in calcium metabolism and stimulates cells to add calcium to the bones.
Normal levels of thyroid hormones are essential for the smooth functioning of the body, considering that they affect so many process of metabolism: tissue growth and differentiation, protein synthesis, sexual development, menstrual function, ovulation etc.
The advice of the thyroid doctor Denver location is to keep your thyroid under observation during your regular check-ups.