Thyroid - a small organ, great tasks

This inconspicuous, small organ plays a very important role for our body. Unfortunately, he often makes himself known in the form of disturbing symptoms. How can you not miss them? What can we expect? What should we not be afraid of?

We all know we have it. However, we only remember about it when problems arise ...

What is the thyroid?

Thyroid is an organ of the endocrine (hormonal) system. It is located in the anterolateral - the lower part of the neck, and resembles a butterfly shape. It is made of 2 lobes and connecting the carcasses.

Thyroid gland is an endocrine organ, which means that its main task is the production and secretion of hormones into the blood. Thyroid produces 3 hormones: thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and calcitonin, of which T3 and T4 are called life activity hormones. They reach every cell of our body, in which they intensify numerous metabolic processes. The functioning of the thyroid gland closely depends on the "steering" hormone for her, which is the so-called TSH, or thyrotropin, secreted by the pituitary gland, and this is under the control of the hypothalamus thanks to the hormone tyreoliberynie. There is a whole loop (axis) of the relationship between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and thyroid gland, called negative coupling, which means that the growth of one hormone, inhibits the production of the other.

Can you live without a thyroid?

Currently, thanks to the development of medicine and pharmacy, you can, but only if you are taking thyroid hormones in the form of drugs. Thyroid gland is really an organ necessary for the proper functioning of our body. During the fetal period and during the first 2 years of the child's life, thyroid hormones are responsible for the proper development of the brain. Therefore, in the case of deficiency of these hormones in a pregnant woman, a newborn can come to the so-called cretinism, or the irreversible mental retardation of a child.

Also in the later years of the child's life, thyroid hormones control its growth and maintaining appropriate proportions of the body, and are responsible for the proper course of sexual maturation. In adults, they are not less important, they participate in heat production, affect the proper functioning of the heart, skeletal muscles, ovaries and intestines, as well as the mood and intellectual processes.

Why do we suffer from thyroid disorders?

Thyroid disorders are most often caused by:

• Inadequate supply of iodine - usually its deficiency. Iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormones, and its deficiency usually leads to the enlargement of the thyroid gland and the formation of so-called will. Before the introduction of iodine prophylaxis in the submontane areas of Poland, the so-called endemic goiter.

The demand for iodine in the daily diet is different:

in children up to 6 years of age - 90mg, in children 7-10 years - 120 mg, in adults - 150 mg, in pregnant women and nursing women - 200 mg. In order to ensure an adequate amount of iodine supplied with food, the governments of most countries (including Poland since 1997) have introduced measures known as iodine prophylaxis, which means enrichment of widely available foodstuffs such as table salt, drinking water and preservatives with iodine.

• Disadvantages or genetic diseases - a child may be born without a thyroid or with poorly educated thyroid gland, then there is congenital hypothyroidism. Such defects occur very sporadically. However, the commonly occurring genetic thyroid disease is called Graves' disease.

• Autoimmune thyroiditis - then the immune system misidentifies thyroid cells as foreign and attacks them. This is one of the most common causes of acquired hypothyroidism.

• Thyroid inflammatory conditions or nodules, which in their course gain the ability to produce hormones and lead to hyperactivity (so-called autonomous adenomas).

• Thyroid surgical procedures, including its removal. Thyroid hormone supplementation is then necessary.

• Radiotherapy or other irradiation around the neck or head - which may cause thyroid damage or impair its functioning.

• By some drugs, hyperthyroidism taken at too high a dose may lead to hypothyroidism.

• A diet rich in free-form substances, i.e. goirotoxins . There are products of natural origin, containing substances that inhibit iodine uptake by the thyroid, and thus the production of hormones, include cabbage plants, such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. Paradoxically, on the one hand, they are recommended even for the prevention of colon cancer, while on the other hand, consumed in excessive amounts may promote the formation of the will.

What does selenium have to do with thyroid?

Contrary to appearances, a lot. Selenium is a trace element that is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. It is also part of an enzyme involved in the production of thyroid hormones. In Germany, hypothyroid patients along with thyroid hormones supplement with selenium. However, this is not a common method due to the fact that the daily selenium requirement is only 400 micrograms.

Too big a dose of selenium is toxic for a given organism, so you should not take selenium on your own (i.e. if a specialist doctor does not recommend it after performing the appropriate tests).

Selenium is a mineral commonly found in soil. Unfortunately, more groups of scientists note that the soils in Europe are low in selenium, which is linked to the increasing number of people suffering from hypothyroidism.