According to the facts about hormones it is a vital hormonal gland. It looks like butterfly, located at the front of the neck under our voice box, and contain two lobes on the side of trachea. Thyroid gland plays a major role in metabolism, bone density, heart and digestive functions, muscle control and other developmental growth of human body. It releases steady or constant number of thyroid hormones into our bloodstream which helps to regulate many functions. Thyroid gland secrets three hormones.
- Triiodothyronine (T3)
- Tetraiodothyronine (Thyroxine orT4)
- Calcitonin
T3 and T4 are proper thyroid hormones as iodine is the main building block of both the hormones. We take iodine through our diet and absorbed into our bloodstream and then it is carried to the thyroid gland and where it is finally used to make thyroid hormones.
It is an important fact that only 20% of T3 made up by thyroid gland and the other 80% comes from thyroxine which is converted by liver and kidneys. T3 and T4 increases our metabolic rate. They make all the cells of our body harder for work which results more energy for cell’s requirement as they cause increase in the body temperature, pulse rate, make heartbeat stronger and food is used up more quickly. While calcitonin helps to regulate calcium level in our body.