Thyroid Hormone

Thyroid Hormones are made by the thyroid gland, situated at the base of the neck. What it secretes is primarily (90 percent) thyroxine (T4). The secondary thyroid hormone, about 10 percent of what the thyroid gland secretes, is triiodothyronine (T3). The pituitary gland is part of the act, too, as it releases a hormone (called, appropriately enough, thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH) that stimulates the thyroid to release its hormones.

Since the greater part of thyroxine is converted into triiodothyronine in the liver, we usually refer to triiodothyronine. It is the one that is truly active - between three and five times as active as thyroxine.

Thyroid hormones speed up metabolism and help control weight, thinning the face, torso, and calves in particular. They boost blood circulation, thereby increasing the supply of nutrients, oxygen, water, and hormones to cells all over the body. They keep the skin soft, flexible, and warm thanks to a good blood supply and improved production of sweat by the sweat glands. Thyroid hormones also keep muscles and joints supple and pain-free with this increased blood supply. They prevent dry hair, hair loss, puffy faces, and swollen eyelids. They prevent memory and concentration problems. Thyroid hormones are important in keeping you looking and feeling young and healthy.

Thyroid hormones energize all the cells and organs by stimulating the mitochondria - the cells' little powerhouses - freeing heat and energy. Thyroid hormones warm the body (and especially the extremities) and prevent excessive sensitivity to cold. They prevent morning fatigue, fatigue at rest, low mood (particularly in the morning), and general slowness. Thyroid hormones provide a certain quickness of mind. They protect not only the brain, but also the kidneys and the digestive and immune system organs, among other body tissues - the heart and arteries prime among them. They stimulate fat-burning and dissolve cholesterol, thereby opening up the arteries and moderating blood pressure as they encourage the elimination of waste from the cells and around the cells of the arterial walls, making them more supple. They prevent constipation by activating the smooth muscle cells of the intestinal walls and eliminating the swelling, and they help you avoid diffuse headaches, also by eliminating the swelling and improving blood flow through the brain. Thyroid hormones reduce the risk and severity of heart disease, cancer, and other conditions with otherwise high mortality rates.

Without sufficient thyroid hormones, the body bloats. You'll have a particularly swollen face, with puffy eyelids and thicker lips - especially the lower lip. If that's not enough to make you want to ensure proper levels, you might also want to know that the effect is thanks to waste materials that accumulate between the cells.

You'll also have dry, rough, brittle, and sparse hair, lifeless eyes, a pale face, cold hands and feet, constipation, and dry skin. You'll have problems with memory and concentration. You'll get fat, without changing anything about the way you eat or how you exercise. You'll feel tired, especially in the morning and when you are resting. You'll feel cold, especially in the evening and when you are resting. You'll have stiff and painful joints, especially in the morning and after resting. Some people get slowed down in their movements and their thoughts, while others get agitated, hyperactive, and hyperkinetic, moving constantly, probably in an unconscious attempt to accelerate blood circulation and so the supply of nutrients and hormones to the tissues. In any event, you'll feel better when you are on the move than when you are still.