The thyroid gland is an important part of the endocrine system of the body, designed for proper metabolism. Thyroid hormones are most actively involved in the formation and development of a growing organism, in the activity of the central nervous system and in the functioning of the autonomic function.

Hormones of the body: purpose

The human body can be thought of as a huge production in which cells play the role of production sites, and hormones are also responsible for the “production cycles”. The hormones of the body are secreted by the endocrine glands, the location and purpose of which resembles a clearly coordinated mechanism. When released into the blood, hormones travel through the vessels to the final goal – the cells, and here they stimulate the production of the enzymes that are needed for this particular cell, and those, in turn, start the synthesis processes of the substances necessary for the body’s activity. Having completed their mission, hormones break down and are eliminated from the cell by blood flow.  

Despite the fact that endocrinology – the science of hormones – originates in the last century, in literary sources you can find indirect references to problems associated with hormones. The most noteworthy in this regard are the books of the French writer F. Rabelais, who lived in the 15th century. His famous novel “Gargantua and Pantagruel” vividly depicted heroes in the guise of which a medical specialist would have noted the characteristic signs of hormonal disorders. So, in the book there are characters who, after eating cornel berries, began to look different: someone had a very large stomach, their legs and arms became excessively long, while others became owners of a large nose and ears. Of course, this is a satirical plot, but, nevertheless, it presents quite real elements of endocrine disorders.

Failure of the hormonal system leads to changes in internal organs and is reflected in the external appearance of a person. The hormones of the body must be observed in strict balance, otherwise their overabundance or deficiency leads to significant problems. For example, hyperfunction of the anterior pituitary gland, which is responsible for growth hormone, at a young age leads to gigantism, when a person’s height exceeds 2 meters, and in adulthood, increased activity of the pituitary gland leads to the growth of certain tissues. Due to this, the cheeks, nose, and facial features can be transformed (this is a phenomenon of acromegaly). Lack of the same growth hormone is expressed in dwarfism in humans.

Among the endocrine organs, the largest is the thyroid gland.

The thyroid gland: what is it for?

The thyroid gland (thyroid gland) begins to act even at the stage of intrauterine development of the baby (approximately at the 10th week): in the first days it is only able to take iodine, and from the 14th week it is already able to synthesize and excrete thyroid hormones. It is these hormones of the body that regulate the morphological and functional characteristics of cells, their differentiation and arrangement.

The system, composed of hypothalamic, thyroid and pituitary activity, is finally formed by the 20th week of fetal development. The first trimester of pregnancy of the mother (until the secretory function begins to work) is crucial for the growth and development of the embryo: therefore, these days a woman has an increased level of thyroid hormones and an enlarged thyroid gland. The same phenomena are observed in the puberty period – a growing organism is in dire need of a large number of thyroid hormones. 

The imbalance of thyroid activity (whether it is hyperfunction or hypofunction) always noticeably affects the state of all systems and organs, including the nervous system (CNS). Thyroid dysfunction may not be expressed in a specific manifestation for a long time, manifesting with common symptoms: fatigue, decreased performance, memory impairment, etc.

An important condition for the adequate development of the central nervous system is the correct amount of thyroid hormones. Due to a malfunction in the hormonal status of the thyroid gland in an adult, sclerosis of the vessels of the brain and blood vessels of the heart muscle progresses, which significantly affects the quality of life. It is more difficult to track thyroid dysfunction in older people, because the symptoms are lubricated by a clinic of age-related changes, which include slow physical and mental functions, weight gain, increased cholesterol, anemia, and frequent constipation.

It is possible to identify thyroid diseases in the aggregate of changes, observing the state of the cardiovascular system, metabolic processes, and mechanisms of osteogenesis (thyroid hormones affect bone development).

Thyroid hormones: their role in the body

Thyroid hormones are required for the proper development of the body of children and for the normalization of homeostasis in subsequent life stages. It is they who are assigned the most important and prominent role, since they act not strictly on specific cells, but on all cells of the human body.

Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) – without them there would not be a natural and normal course of the body’s life. Under their influence, protein metabolism, carbohydrate and fat metabolism is regulated, they provide the assimilation of oxygen by the cells, the energy process, water-salt balance, vascular tone, heart rate. Calcitonin is a central element in the development of bone tissue and the regulation of calcium metabolism.

Reduced hormone production leads to hypothyroidism. Usually, the reason for it lies in the destruction of thyroid cells by the body’s immune system, which is why the thyroid is not able to synthesize the right amount of hormones. Hypothyroidism is signaled by the appearance of edema, hair loss, dry skin, the presence of depression, inhibited mental activity.

The excess of thyroid hormones is due to the development in the tissues of the gland itself of sites with the production of a large number of hormones. This situation leads to thyrotoxicosis – poisoning of the body with thyroid hormones, which manifests itself in weight loss, sweating, rapid heart rate (tachycardia).