Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid is a small gland in the neck, just under the Adam's apple. Shaped like a butterfly, the thyroid plays an important role in a person's health and affects every organ, tissue, and cell in the body. It makes hormones that help to regulate the body's metabolism (how the body uses and stores energy from foods eaten) and organ functions. When the thyroid is not working properly (called thyroid disorder), it can affect your body weight, energy level, muscle strength, skin health, menstrual cycle (periods), memory, heart rate, and cholesterol level. Thyroid disorders happen: when the thyroid gland is not as active as it should be (called underactive thyroid); when the thyroid is more active than it should be (called overactive thyroid); or when the thyroid is enlarged (called goiter or nodule). People with thyroid enlargement can have underactive, overactive or normal thyroid function. Thyroid disorders are much more common in women than in men. About 1 out of every 8 American women will develop a thyroid disorder. Underactive or overactive thyroid can be found with a simple blood test (called a thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH test), and is most often treated with medication and sometimes surgery or radioactive iodine.