Don't be deceived by its size! Though small, the thyroid is one of the main glands of the endocrine system. Why is this butterfly-shaped gland so important to your health, anyways? Well, it can influence almost every single organ in the body!
It is involved in multiple roles, including metabolism of fats and carbs, body temperature regulation, respiration, cholesterol levels, menstrual cycles, skin health, brain development, the nervous system, heart rate, bone health and blood calcium levels.
It comes as no surprise, then, that an alteration in thyroid function can start to wreak havoc all throughout the body. In fact, hormones produced by the thyroid gland have receptors on every cell in the body.