12 Facts About Your Thyroid You Didn’t Know

Once you get to a certain age, no matter what's ailing you, someone recommends that you get your thyroid checked. Can the thyroid really be at the root of so much? Actually, yes, it can. It's important to pay attention to what's going on with your thyroid, and to do that, you need to know a little more about it.

Your thyroid is a gland located in the front of your neck between your voice box and collarbones. It's about the size of your thumb and shaped like a butterfly.

Hypothyroidism is frequently to blame for fertility problems and miscarriages. Thyroids control fertility and menstruation. Women who are having trouble getting pregnant, suspect they are not ovulating, are experiencing miscarriages or irregular periods should get checked before trying again to get pregnant.

Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are hard to detect and require that the thyroid be tested for a proper diagnosis. But there are symptoms, if you notice more than one, that offer a red flag for each of the conditions.

Hypothyroidism is often accompanied by dry skin and hair, constipation, fatigue, cramps, weight gain, heavy or irregular periods, swollen face and extra sensitivity to the cold.

Hyperthyroidism comes with irritability, sweating, a racing heartbeat, difficulty sleeping, frequent bowel movements, weight loss, light and missed periods, bulging eyes or shaking hands.

A thyroid cancer diagnosis isn't a death sentence. Though this type of cancer has tripled in a generation, the death rate remains very low. There are also a variety of treatments for this kind of cancer.

Your thyroid pumps out a couple of different hormones, which play a role in your heart rate, your menstrual cycle and fertility, the rate at which old bone tissue is broken down and replaced, your weight, your brain's ability to concentrate, depression and even the appearance of your skin. If the hormones produced by your thyroid are off, your face may look dull as dead skin cells build up.

Thyroid supplements like iodine sound helpful, but Mayo Clinic researchers looked into them and found that the herbs they're made from can "cause or worsen hypothyroidism." In some cases, there is more of the hormone present than in prescription thyroid hormone pills.

Endocrinologists recommend the following steps to check your thyroid at home:

1. Use a handheld mirror to look at the lower front of your neck, just above your collarbone.

2. Tip your head and take a sip of water. Watch for protrusions in the area as you swallow.

3. Call your doctor if you see a bulge, which might indicate a thyroid nodule or enlarged thyroid.

To take care of your thyroid, you need to consume iodine, found most easily in enriched table salt. Eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins A, B and D is also helpful. You should also filter your drinking water, which will remove perchlorate, which has been found in some tap water. Also avoid triclosan, an antibacterial compound that is found in some soaps.

The coating on pans that make them nonstick might also interfere with thyroid health. Get rid of the pans and replace them with cast iron instead.

A well-functioning thyroid is also necessary for ensuring that a baby's brain develops properly. Pregnant women who have hypothyroidism will need to increase their hormone medication in the first trimester to meet the metabolic needs of the baby.

Thyroid problems are five to eight times more likely to occur in women than in men, though medical experts aren't sure why. Many suspect it has to do with the larger amounts of estrogen produced in women's bodies.

Nearly half of people who have a sensitivity to gluten will also have some kind of thyroid issue. Just as with gluten, the immune system mistakes thyroid hormones as a foreign invader and attacks the thyroid.