Thyroid

What does it do?

Its job is to make thyroid hormones. It releases hormones into the bloodstream. The hormones help with growth, body warmth, and organ function. If the body needs more energy, more thyroid hormones are made.

How does it work?

The pituary gland makes a hormone called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). When the thyroid hormone is low, the pituary gland makes more TSH. TSH tells the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone.

  1. How does the thyroid gland work? NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279388/. Published November 17, 2010. Updated April 19, 2018. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  2. Healthwise Staff. Thyroid Hormone Production and Function. Michigan Medicine University of Michigan. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/ug1836. Updated July 28, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  3. Robert. M. Sagis. How Your Thyroid Works. endocrineweb. https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/how-your-thyroid-works. Updated October 21, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020.