What Is the Thyroid Gland?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of your neck, below the Adam's apple.
Structure
- Two lobes connected by an isthmus
- Weighs about 15–25 grams
- One of the largest endocrine glands
What It Produces
- T4 (thyroxine): prohormone, 80% of output
- T3 (triiodothyronine): active hormone, 20% of output
- Calcitonin: regulates calcium (minor role)
What It Needs
- Iodine — essential for hormone production
- Selenium — for T4-to-T3 conversion
- Tyrosine — amino acid building block
Source: American Thyroid Association, NLM MedlinePlus.
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