The thyroid gland is a vital hormone gland: It plays a major role in the metabolism, growth and development of the human body. It helps to regulate many body functions by constantly releasing a steady amount of thyroid hormones into the bloodstream. If the body needs more energy in certain situations – for instance, if it is growing or cold, or during pregnancy – the thyroid gland produces more hormones. This organ (medical term: glandula thyreoidea) is found at the front of the neck, under the voice box. It is butterfly-shaped: The two side lobes lie against and around the windpipe (trachea), and are connected at the front by a narrow strip of tissue.
The thyroid gland secretes thyroid hormones, which control the speed at which the body’s chemical functions proceed (metabolic rate). Thyroid hormones influence the metabolic rate in two ways:
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By stimulating almost every tissue in the body to produce proteins
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By increasing the amount of oxygen that cells use
Thyroid hormones affect many vital body functions, such as the heart rate, the rate at which calories are burned, skin maintenance, growth, heat production, fertility, and digestion.
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