What Does The Thyroid Do? | 7 Essential Functions

So, you’ve been diagnosed with a thyroid condition. You know it’s a life long condition, you know it’s pretty serious and affects much of your day-to-day life, but you still find yourself wondering…What does the thyroid do? Well you’ve come to the right place. Below, you’ll find 7 answers to the question, “What does the thyroid do?”

Keep reading to find out what the thyroid does for your body and what you can do to help it do it’s job a little better.

7 Answers to the Question, “What Does the Thyroid Do?”

For starters, the thyroid is a gland located at the base of your neck. It is part of the endocrine system which regulates the hormones in the body. As part of this system, the thyroid primarily produces iodine-containing hormones necessary for overall health and bodily function. Now, let’s dive into the 7 essential functions of the thyroid!

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1. Helping Your Body to Function at it’s Best 💯

The thyroid gland is in charge of producing thyroid hormones that regulate important bodily functions. To complete this job, your thyroid uses iodine from the food you eat to produce 2 types of hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Triiodothyronine and thyroxine contribute to the overall health of your body, from the functions of your digestive system, to the maintenance of your bones. Without the proper levels of these hormones, your physical, mental and emotional health will take a toll. That’s why it’s important to keep your thyroid health in check, so that you can feel your best.

2. Balancing Your Metabolism ⚖️

The thyroid releases T3 and T4 into the bloodstream, enabling the hormones to reach different parts of the body where they can do their job. One role of these hormones is to target the body’s cell metabolism, to control the speed at which cells work. For example, when your cells are loaded with too much thyroid hormones, they work faster, resulting in an increased metabolic rate. This is a condition called hyperthyroidism. In contrast, when cells lack thyroid hormones, they work slower than normal. This condition is known as hypothyroidism or thyroid under-activity. The result of a slowed metabolism can often lead to weight gain and difficulty maintaining or losing weight.

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3. Keeping You Comfortable 🙌

The thyroid is your best friend when it comes to keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The amount of hormones the thyroid produces actually help to regulate your body’s temperature. If you are in a chilly place, the thyroid releases hormones to hasten cell metabolism. This generates body heat which helps you to cope with the cold. When it’s hot outside, the thyroid stores these hormones so your cell metabolism slows down, keeping your body cool. It’s like having a built in, intuitive AC unit. But when your thyroid levels are off, you may find you’re the only one fanning yourself in a cool room, or struggling to keep your hands warm in summer.

4. Managing Your Cholesterol Levels 🛡️

It’s important to note that both good and bad cholesterol exist. The bad cholesterol is called low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a waxy substance found in your blood. Having too much of this in the body can cause fatty build up in the blood vessels making it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries. Build up of LDL cholesterol can result in heart disease or other complications such as a heart attack or stroke. To combat this, the body produces high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, AKA good cholesterol. HDL cholesterol aids in breaking-down LDL cholesterol by carrying it through the blood stream to the liver where it is broken-down. For the body to produce good cholesterol, it needs the help of the thyroid and the hormones it produces. When the body lacks thyroid hormones, it isn’t able to produce adequate levels of HDL cholesterol. This can lead to build-up of bad cholesterol making the body more susceptible to heart problems.

5. Controlling Your Heart Rate ❤️

Another responsibility of the thyroid is controlling your heart rate and blood pressure. For example, when you are exercising, your thyroid releases hormones to stimulate your heartbeat. This makes the heart pump blood faster in order to quickly spread oxygen to all areas of the body. Without help from your thyroid, your heart will have a difficult time keeping up with strenuous activities.

6. Maintaining Your Skeletal System 🦴

Bones naturally go through a constant process of breaking-down and regrowing called remodeling. This is your body’s way of keeping your skeletal system strong. The thyroid and thyroid hormones regulate this remodeling process. However, our body’s ability to regrow bone cells begins to slow down as we age. Making it especially important to maintain our thyroid health as we grow older.

7. Stimulating Muscle Growth 💪

The thyroid also plays a role in muscle growth. Like your bones, your muscles also undergo a natural process of regeneration. This process is also governed by your thyroid. When engaging in physical activities or exercise, your thyroid releases hormones that work to strengthen you muscles.

The Takeaway

Through learning the functions and responsibilities of our thyroid, we’re better able to understand how it affects our bodies. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to notice changes in your health and whether or not those changes are caused by a thyroid condition. If you’ve already been diagnosed with a thyroid condition and were just curious as to how this will effect your health, hopefully we’ve provided you with the answers to your questions. If you’re interested in learning how you can boost your thyroid health through your diet, click here.