Your thyroid is one of the smallest, yet most significant organs in the body involved in processes as diverse as ageing, nutrition and digestion, as well as literally keeping you warm through your metabolic rate. Here are some amazing facts about the thyroid.
Butterfly in Your Throat
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ at the base of your throat, just above the hollow at the juncture of your collar bones. The two ‘wings’ (properly called lobes) spread out, connected by a narrow ‘body’ or isthmus, as it is properly known. The thyroid works by producing thyroid hormone which is carefully calibrated for your needs, in order to keep all the above-mentioned functions working well.
It’s a Women Thing (Mainly)
While thyroid issues can affect both men and women, thyroid disease is mor prevalent in women by a ratio of five to one. Or, to put it another way, of all thyroid cases, 80% will affect women, while only 20% affects men. Women’s risks for thyroid disfunction are raised at two particular moments in life: during pregnancy and shortly after birth, and during menopause.
There is No Cure for Thyroid Issues
There is no medication that anyone can take that will make their thyroid issues go away – but it is not all bad news. There are treatments for thyroid problems that can help patients live lives that are absolutely normal in every respect except for having to take their daily dose of T3 or T4 (or a combination thereof) artificial thyroid hormone at the same time every day. These hormones are widely available on prescription – click here to find out about how to buy Cytomel in the UK – and once you are established on an appropriate regimen, you will feel pretty much back to normal.
Thyroid Treatment Shows the Future of Medicine
Because thyroid hormone is so potent – the efficacious dose and a toxic dose are surprisingly close to one another – each patient must work with their doctor over a period of time to get the dosage perfectly right. And this is where medicine is heading as there arises a growing understanding that every person is unique and that catch-all treatments are sometimes not as effective as they should be.
Thyroid Hormone Might Help With Other Ailments
Research on other uses of thyroid hormone is very hopeful that it can be used to help treat some heart disease. As thyroid hormone is used throughout the body, for a variety of purposes, scientists and doctors are working to see if the hormones can be tweaked to perfect the tailor-made treatments detailed above and the signs are very promising so far.
Thyroid Hormone is Vital for Pregnant Women
Thyroid hormone is essential when pregnant moms-to-be are growing their babies. The baby’s own thyroid kicks in at about eighteen weeks along (four to five months pregnant) and works alongside the moms’ thyroid to ensure that the fetus receives enough thyroid hormone to grow a healthy and functioning body.
