Thyroid disease is a general term for a medical condition that keeps your thyroid from making the right amount of hormones. It can affect people of all ages.
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of your neck under your skin. It’s a part of your endocrine system and controls many of your body’s important functions by producing and releasing thyroid hormones, like thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
Your thyroid’s main job is to control the speed of your metabolism (metabolic rate). This is the process of how your body transforms the food you consume into energy. All the cells in your body need energy to function. When your thyroid isn’t working properly, it can impact your entire body.