The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland which is found in the front of the neck just under the voice box. It’s part of a group of glands throughout the body called the endocrine system. The endocrine system makes hormones which control cells and organs in the body.
The main hormones produced by the thyroid are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones travel through your bloodstream to the cells in your body. They help to control your growth and development and also the speed at which your body cells work (your metabolism). If too much of these are produced, the cells work faster than normal. If not enough are produced, the cells work slower than normal.
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