The thyroid gland is an organ that, despite its small size, plays a vital role in the body. The thyroid gland in men and women is involved in almost all vital processes, is responsible for metabolism, controls the production of hormones, and regulates the work of many organs.

Features of the thyroid gland in men

The thyroid gland in men is not much different from women, however, the main difference is the size of the organ. As a matter of fact, in the representatives of the stronger sex, the gland is large and this makes the organ more visible than in women. In addition, 30-50% of men have certain natural pathologies, most often these are: lack of one of the lobes, the presence of a pyramidal process, aplasia of the isthmus. Also, 15% of the stronger sex have additional thyroid tissue, which often becomes the cause of the development of pathologies. The volume of the gland in men should not exceed 25 cm3. Otherwise, if you answer the question, where is the gland in the stronger sex, then it, like in women, is located in front of the trachea, has two lobes and an isthmus that connects them. Lobes are composed of follicles surrounded by a capillary network. 

With age, the location of the thyroid gland may change slightly, in children the organ is located above the prescribed level, and in old age it often drops much lower. Weight can also vary, in an adult man it is from 12 to 60 g. During puberty, the thyroid gland has the greatest mass, and at the age of over 55 years, there is a significant decrease. It is important to know that not in all cases, changes in the size of organs are accompanied by hormonal disorders and indicate the development of serious pathologies, since such deviations can indicate congenital anomalies of the organ.

The main functions of the gland in a man

What the thyroid gland is responsible for and what its work affects are questions that often worry many men, especially if they have to deal with any disorders. The most important function for which the gland is responsible is the production of hormones, and all subsequent processes depend on them. Hormones affect virtually all organs, and their proper functioning affects many mechanisms. The production of thyroxine and triiodothyronine affects:

• work of the cardiovascular system;
• proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• development of the reproductive system;
• nervous system;
• increased metabolic rate;
• breakdown of fats, carbohydrates and proteins;
• increased heat.

The hormone calcitonin does the following job:

• promotes the return of calcium and phosphate to bone tissue;
• keeps the formation of osteoclasts;
• increases the intensity of osteoblasts.

Thanks to this, calcitonin prevents wear and tear of bone tissue and promotes its regeneration.

Thyroid ailments in men

Many are interested in the question of whether men have gland pathologies. The thyroid gland in the stronger sex is less susceptible to diseases than in women, but violations are common.

Most often, they are diagnosed with the following diseases:

• Endemic goiter. For the most part, endemic goiter occurs in women, but in certain cases it also affects men. The disease is characterized by shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of a lump in the throat, and sometimes an increase in temperature.
• Hyperthyroidism This is a disease characterized by increased production of hormones. It manifests itself as a violation of the heart rhythm, weight loss, nervous disorders, as well as impaired erectile function.
• Hypothyroidism Low hormonal levels are the main symptom of hypothyroidism. Pathology causes in men a violation of the stool, fatigue, irritability, problems with potency.
• Autoimmune thyroiditis. The disease refers to an autoimmune disease, when the body attacks its own cells. Most often it can be hereditary, if relatives have this problem, then the risk of thyroiditis in men is high.
• Various kinds of tumors. Formations in the organ, as well as in women, can appear in men. As a rule, they are detected during examination by a doctor, the symptoms are varied and associated directly with a specific ailment.

Treatment of organ pathologies

How to treat the thyroid gland in men is an important question, the answer to which will help prevent the development of irreversible processes and get rid of ailments in time. Therapy of thyroid diseases is mainly aimed at restoring hormonal levels and stopping the development of symptoms of diseases. There are several traditional methods for this. First of all, this is drug treatment, which involves the use of hormonal drugs that restore normal hormone levels. Secondly, radioactive iodine therapy is also widely used; it is still possible to use various kinds of physiotherapy. In severe cases, in the absence of the effectiveness of treatment with the traditional method, they resort to surgical intervention. During the operation, the organ is partially or completely removed.

For serious illnesses, doctors resort to surgical intervention.

The consequences of removing the thyroid gland in men boil down to the fact that after the operation, regular use of hormonal agents and constant monitoring by a specialist are necessary. Along with medical methods, the parallel use of traditional medicine recipes is possible.

Prevention of thyroid diseases

Prevention of gland diseases is very important in order to avoid serious organ pathologies. To prevent thyroid ailments, it is necessary to take the required amount of iodine, which is 100-200 μg for an adult man. To do this, you should eat iodine-containing foods, include iodized salt in your food. It is also recommended in adolescence for young men to use potassium iodide as part of medications for prophylaxis. Iodine is also necessary for men with strong physical exertion, training, stress .

It is important to take into account that you cannot take any preparations containing iodine on your own. This treatment must be agreed with the doctor without fail.

To prevent autoimmune diseases of the gland, it is necessary to stay under the open sun less, not to sunbathe for a long time, it is not advisable to visit solariums. In addition, the prevention of gland ailments in men includes the intake of special vitamin complexes, weight loss, and rejection of bad habits.