Thursday, December 11, 2008

An Ideal Natural Medicine For Thyroid Function

By Heather Jenkins

The thyroid gland is essential for proper human development and function. When problems with the thyroid occur, a natural medicine for thyroid treatment can help restore balance for optimal thyroid health.

Prescription medications are not a natural medicine for thyroid treatment. Prescriptions (which are also called synthetics) are produced by scientists in a lab. Synthetics are often made with chemicals that can cause undesired side effects. Organic ingredients such as seafood and sea plants used in supplements are a natural medicine for thyroid treatment that has no side effects.

What does the thyroid gland do? Ultimately, the thyroid gland's job is to produce thyroid hormone. A hormone is a chemical utilized by your body. It is secreted from glands throughout the body and tells various body parts what to do. One of the primary responsibilities of thyroid hormone is to maintain the metabolism of the body and keeping the body functioning normally.

Two essential thyroid hormones are:

*Triiodothyronine -- also referred to as T3

*Thyroxine -- also referred to as T4

The 3 and 4 relate directly to the amount of iodine molecules necessary to create these hormones. This is explained below.

How does the thyroid gland create hormones?

The thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that are capable of absorbing iodine. Iodine is a mineral found in foods such as fish, some seafoods, salt, and dairy products. Iodine is essential in the creation of thyroid hormone. When a specific number of iodine molecules combine with tyrosine (an amino acid used by cells to build protein) it can form triiodothyronine or thyroxine. That's how T3 and T4 (as stated above) are derived. Three molecules of iodine will create triiodothyronine; four molecules of iodine will create thyroxine. - 15437

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