Everyone knows the thyroid gland, many know that it is palpated in men in the area of the Adam’s apple. But have you ever wondered what it is for? And why are her hormones so valuable? Thyroid hormone in men is an extremely important enzyme in metabolism.
In shape, it resembles the body of a butterfly with wings. In the male body, iron also produces several substances: T4 – tetraiodothyronine, T3 – triiodothyronine. These substances ensure the normal functioning of the circulatory, respiratory, as well as the reproductive and nervous systems.
Metamorphoses occur in the body, converting T4 to T3. Triiodothyronine is one of the main metabolic hormones.
Thyroxine – for what and how much?
The T4 hormone or tetraiodothyronine has another name – thyroxine. A special protein delivers it to all corners of our body. But a small amount of unbound hormone remains, it is customary to call it free T4. He, just, and acts on the body. Its concentration in the blood shows how well the thyroid gland works.
Interestingly, the production of this hormone depends on the time of day and seasons! In the morning hours, the largest amount of substance was recorded. It was also found that in winter and autumn, the concentration of this hormone in the blood is high in comparison with the summer and spring. The rate of thyroxine in men is higher than in women.
If the indicators of a substance are high, this is, as a rule, thyrotoxicosis. With a lack of hormone, hypothyroidism is diagnosed. Pay attention to the symptoms. Various symptoms indicate a lack of an enzyme: instability of body weight, dry skin, swelling in the morning and evening, in men, hair loss to complete loss! The reasons for the lack of thyroxine appear: starvation or exhaustion, lack of iodine in your diet, radioiodine therapy, and also endemic goiter.
With an excess of this enzyme, our body also signals: strong sweating, tachycardia and arrhythmia, hand tremors, fatigue. Excess T4 is caused by: adenoma of the thyroid gland, Graves’ disease, acute thyroiditis, as well as autoimmune thyroiditis in the initial stage. Free thyroxine in a high concentration in the blood is seen in male patients with obesity or kidney disease.
T4 rate free and general:
| Norm T4 | Pmol / l | |
| min | max | |
| Free | ten | 23 |
| General | 60 | 140 |
Triiodothyronine in the body of men
Migrating through the tissues and cells of our body, T4 loses one atom of iodine, and already becomes the T3 hormone. This is the impetus for the activation of triiodothyronine, because it is ten times more active than its “colleague”!
It controls the substance of various metabolic processes in our body. Energy decay is carried out under his control. This hormone enhances human nervous activity. In the brain cells of a young child, this enzyme is involved in their growth. The T3 norm guarantees high-quality activity of the central nervous system. Without it, our heart would be beating irregularly and restlessly! Triiodothyronine is so important in metabolic processes.
Scientists have found that the hormone helps cells to saturate with oxygen and accelerates their reproduction and growth, increases the production of vitamin A, and also reduces the amount of “bad cholesterol”.
It is impossible to overestimate the role of the substance! It is transported through the body by the same protein as T4. What is left unbound by protein is called free T3.
Symptoms of a lack of triiodothyroxine: muscle cramps, swelling, nausea, general weakness, pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, fatigue. In men, potency is disturbed, and its complete loss is also observed! Hypothermia and hypotension, impaired stool and cognitive processes. A hormone deficiency can be provoked by: removal of the thyroid gland, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, taking thyreostatics or radioactive iodine.
An excess of T3 is indicated by a headache, tremor of the hands, a change in body weight towards obesity or dystrophy, an increase in the mammary glands is recorded in men! With these symptoms, doctors suspect the occurrence of nephrotic syndrome, Graves’ disease, various liver diseases, myeloma, thyroiditis, etc.
Hormone indicators in the table:
| Hormone T3 norm | min | max | unit of measurement |
| Free | 3.1 | 6.8 | pmol / l |
| General | 1,2 | 3.1 | nmol / l |
The connection of the thyroid gland and thyrotropin
The thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH is produced by the pituitary gland (the gland in the head). The pituitary gland is the partner of the thyroid gland, they work together. It releases TSH, which gives the signal for optimal T4 and T3 performance.
Thyroid stimulating hormone is normal in men from 0.4 to 4.01 μU / ml.
With a decrease in TSH, a man experiences various uncomfortable sensations: increased sweating, erectile dysfunction and sleep disorders, hair loss, frequent bone fractures, causeless depression, lethargy and sluggishness are characteristic. These symptoms may indicate: diffuse goiter, Plummer’s disease, mental illness, etc.
An increase in thyroid-stimulating substance is said: an increase in body weight, emotional swing, a decrease in blood pressure, general malaise, and problems with stool. The production of TSH above normal is due to mental illness, as well as pituitary tumors, adrenal insufficiency and inflammatory processes.
With the manifestation of these symptoms, it is necessary to pass a biochemical blood test with indicators: free T3 and T3, free T4 and T4, as well as TSH. The endocrinologist should familiarize himself with the results for the diagnosis, as well as for the purpose of treatment!