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It plays a major role in the bodies metabolism, but the thyroid keeps a surprisingly low profile. The butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the throat doesn’t give clear warnings when it has a problem, so with January marking Thyroid Awareness Month, it’s a good idea to make sure your thyroid isn’t to blame for any baffling health issues.

Thyroids can be overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism). As many as 59 million Americans (mostly women) are estimated to have an undiagnosed thyroid problem. Hypothyroidism is most common, with more than 27 million Americans estimated to have it, but other lesser-seen problems can range from thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, Graves Disease and thyroid problems during pregnancy. For an overview of the thyroid and thyroid conditions, read here.

Regular readers might remember the in-depth series I did on hypothyroidism several months back. Here are the links again.

• Hypothyroidism: An Introduction
• Risk Factors, Signs & Symptoms
• Getting Diagnosed
• Medication and Treatments
• Managing Depression and Weight

I also offered a couple updates on my own struggle with treating hypothyroidism. I discuss the differences between T4-only and a mixed regime of T4 and T3 drugs here, as well as an update on my experiences to date in adding Cytomel, a T3 drug, to my medication cocktail.

Do you suffer from a thyroid issue? Share your experiences below.