Thyroid Disorders: More Common than You’d Think

About 20 million Americans—more of them women than men—are affected by a thyroid disease or disorder, according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA). In fact, an estimated one in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder at some time in her life. So, it’s important to understand what the thyroid does in your body and what symptoms may develop when it doesn’t function properly.

What the Thyroid Is and How It Works

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland you can feel at the base of your neck, just below your larynx (voice box). It’s one of your body’s most important glands. Two lobes (the "wings" of the butterfly) fit on either side of your windpipe. The thyroid gland manufactures and stores thyroid hormone (TH), often referred to as the body's metabolic hormone. Among other jobs, TH stimulates enzymes that combine oxygen and glucose, a process that increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body heat production. The hormone also helps maintain blood pressure, regulates tissue growth and development and is critical for skeletal and nervous system development. It plays an important role in the development of the reproductive system.

The thyroid gland can malfunction in one of three ways: