Hair loss, anxiety, irritability... maybe this disease of "favoring girls over boys" is bothering you!

The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland is called the "engine" of the human body. Once the thyroid gland is abnormal, what kind of "butterfly effect" will it cause? Why does it "favor" women more? Let's take a look >>>

Written by reporter Lv Bingxin Edited by Ji Jingjing

New Media Editor/Li Yunfeng

Interview experts

Zhao Weigang (Chief Physician, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital)

May 25th to 31st is the "International Thyroid Awareness Week". Thyroid disease is the second most common disease in the endocrine field. In recent years, the incidence rate has increased year by year, and the number of people suffering from it has also increased. According to the survey data of the Chinese Medical Association Endocrinology Society, at least 200 million people in my country are troubled by thyroid disease to varying degrees, and the risk of women suffering from thyroid disease is 2-3 times that of men.

The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland is called the "engine" of the human body. What kind of "butterfly effect" will be triggered if the thyroid gland is abnormal? Why does it "favor" women more? Is there a relationship between thyroid cancer and eating iodized salt? Zhao Weigang, chief physician of the Department of Endocrinology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, teaches you how to protect your thyroid health.

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The thyroid gland, the "engine of the human body", affects the whole body

A butterfly in the tropical rain forest of the Amazon River Basin in South America occasionally flaps its wings, which can cause a tornado in Texas, USA two weeks later. The reason is that the movement of the butterfly's wings causes changes in the air system around it, which triggers a chain reaction and ultimately leads to great changes in other systems. This is the famous theory proposed by American meteorologists - the "butterfly effect."

We also have an organ in our bodies that is shaped like a butterfly and plays an equally important role - the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is called the "engine of the human body" and is the largest endocrine gland in the human endocrine system. It is located in the front of the neck and is "H" shaped. It is a butterfly-shaped gland that wraps in front of the trachea. The thyroid gland has two lobes, one on each side of the trachea, connected by a small piece of tissue in the middle (the isthmus).

The thyroid gland can synthesize and secrete thyroxine, which acts on the corresponding organs of the human body to exert physiological effects. The range of thyroxine is very wide, almost distributed throughout all tissues and organs of the body. It mainly promotes growth and development, regulates the body's metabolism and the functional activities of various organ systems, and has an impact on metabolism, development and growth, nervous system, cardiovascular system, digestive system and other aspects.

"So-called thyroid hormone is actually a signal. It transmits signals to the whole body, and various tissues and organs respond accordingly after receiving the signals." Zhao Weigang said that excessive or insufficient secretion of thyroid hormone will cause various harms to the body. Therefore, once the thyroid function is abnormal, it may produce a chain reaction like the butterfly effect, which will affect the health of other systems and organs of the body.

For example, thyroid hormones manage the body's metabolism. If there is a problem with the thyroid gland, the secretion of thyroid hormones is too much or too little, it may cause metabolic failures of various substances in the body, leading to abnormal blood sugar and blood lipids, osteoporosis, weight loss, edema, etc. Thyroid hormones also promote the growth of the body. The synergistic effect of thyroid hormones and growth hormones can promote normal bone growth. Even if the secretion of growth hormone is normal, if the secretion of thyroid hormones is insufficient, it will still affect the growth and development of children.

In terms of the impact on the nervous system, thyroid hormones mainly maintain the excitability of the central nervous system. Thyroid hormones are very important for the development, differentiation and functional improvement of the fetal nervous system. If there is a lack of thyroid hormones during the fetal and neonatal period, it will lead to mental retardation, deafness, cretinism, etc.

If there are problems with the stomach and absorption, it may also be caused by thyroid hormones. Excessive thyroid hormones will speed up gastrointestinal motility, leading to hunger and increased bowel movements; if thyroid hormones are reduced, gastrointestinal and absorption motility will slow down, resulting in loss of appetite and constipation.

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Hair loss, anxiety, irritability...these may be signs of thyroid disease

The incidence of thyroid disease has been increasing in recent years. "In clinical work, this phenomenon has indeed been discovered. In my outpatient clinic, about 16 out of 20 patients have thyroid disease," said Zhao Weigang.

According to reports, there are many classifications of thyroid diseases. Common thyroid diseases include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroid nodules, etc., and the most daunting-sounding thyroid cancer.

Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are conditions of abnormal thyroid function. Hyperthyroidism is caused by excessive levels of thyroxine secreted by the thyroid gland, and can result in symptoms such as weight loss, tension and anxiety, irritability, anger, rapid heart rate, bulging eyes, hand tremors, muscle weakness, fatigue, hair loss, increased frequency of bowel movements, faster nail growth, thin and slippery skin, fear of heat, sweating, and menstrual disorders.

Hypothyroidism is due to insufficient levels of thyroxine secreted by the thyroid gland, which leads to a series of related symptoms, including fatigue, drowsiness, weakness, fear of cold, memory loss, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, depression, constipation, menstrual disorders, infertility, joint or muscle pain, thinning and brittle hair or nails, dry and flaky skin, etc.

Thyroid nodules are also a well-known and common disease, often appearing on many women's physical examination forms. Most nodules only require regular observation and follow-up visits, while malignant nodules require further diagnosis by professional doctors and appropriate treatment.

Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the endocrine system. Neck lumps or swelling, difficulty swallowing, persistent hoarseness, chronic cough or shortness of breath may be signs of thyroid cancer. In the past two decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer in most countries and regions around the world has shown an explosive growth.

According to the latest cancer report released by the National Cancer Center in 2022, the incidence of thyroid cancer in my country increased 20 times in 16 years from 2000 to 2016. Compared with the national cancer epidemiological statistics in 2012, the incidence of thyroid cancer in women rose from seventh to third.

However, compared with most other malignant cancers, thyroid cancer is relatively "mild". Zhao Weigang pointed out, "Thyroid cancer can be divided into two categories based on pathology, differentiated and undifferentiated. Differentiated thyroid cancer is a tumor that is closer to normal thyroid tissue and is a relatively mild tumor. Undifferentiated thyroid cancer is a type of thyroid cancer with a more serious and malignant degree. Among them, differentiated microcancers generally have a good prognosis."

Although the overall prognosis of thyroid cancer is good, there is still a gap between my country's 84.3% five-year survival rate and the 98% in developed countries such as the United States. The report pointed out that the main reasons for this gap are the small number of early cases, low early diagnosis rate and non-standard clinical diagnosis and treatment of late cases. Therefore, my country should work together to expand the coverage of screening and early diagnosis and treatment of related tumors, standardize clinical diagnosis and treatment of tumors, and promote homogeneous application to reduce mortality.

"The onset of thyroid disease is relatively hidden, resulting in low public awareness of the disease and insufficient overall standardized treatment rate, which leads to delayed treatment and even misdiagnosis." Shan Zhongyan, deputy director of the Endocrinology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, said at the launch meeting of this year's International Thyroid Awareness Week that although the thyroid gland is small, if disease occurs, especially long-term untreated hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, it will affect the function of organs throughout the body and increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

"Thyroid disease can be detected promptly through palpation, blood tests of five thyroid function tests and thyroid ultrasound. It is recommended that the general public undergo a thyroid examination once a year to detect problems in a timely manner." Zhao Weigang said that if you experience similar symptoms as mentioned above, you need to undergo a thyroid examination in a timely manner.

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Why does thyroid cancer always affect girls more than boys?

The theme of this year's "International Thyroid Awareness Week" is "Caring for the Thyroid and Women's Health". Compared with men, women are at a higher risk of thyroid cancer. The incidence of thyroid cancer in women is about three times that of men, and thyroid cancer has become the fastest growing tumor in women. Why does thyroid disease always favor boys over girls?

In this regard, Zhao Weigang believes that most thyroid diseases are related to autoimmune disorders, and women are more susceptible to changes in hormone secretion due to their own physiological characteristics. Women of childbearing age often have the highest estrogen levels in their lives, and this stage is also the age group with a high incidence of thyroid cancer in women. When women enter menopause, the risk of thyroid cancer in women of this age group will decrease, and because men's hormones decline more moderately, the impact on the endocrine system may not be particularly large, which is one of the reasons why women are more likely to develop thyroid cancer than men.

In addition, compared with men, women are more susceptible to negative emotions. Negative emotions are the main cause of hyperthyroidism and an important factor that aggravates many thyroid diseases, which invisibly increases the risk of thyroid disease. In addition, social competition, work, and life pressures cause women to have excessive mental stress, as well as irregular lifestyles. The combination of these factors increases the chances of women getting sick.

Therefore, the key to protecting the thyroid gland is to protect the body's immune system. Pay attention to adjusting your lifestyle, combining work and rest, exercising appropriately, getting enough and regular sleep, and having a calm and healthy mood can create a good immune environment for the body. Women should pay more attention to their thyroid glands and have regular physical examinations, especially during the two high-risk stages of menopause and adolescence. If problems are found, timely intervention should be carried out, and early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment should be carried out to protect health.

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