Thyroid-Related Hormones Montana

There are four major hormones having to do with thyroid function and the resulting metabolism these regulate in the body. In the four steps below, we will look at the thyroid related hormones called the T-4, T-3, Reverse T-3 and TSH.

1. Thyroxine (T-4). The most abundant thyroid hormone in the body is the one called “thyroxine” (T-4). This is the hormone produced in larger amounts by the thyroid gland, so that there is an adequate supply of it to be converted into a more active form of thyroid hormone that is more responsible for regulating the metabolism of the body. T-4 itself, in its pre-conversion form, is less metabolically active. Thyroxine is the thyroid hormone containing four molecules of iodine, which is why it is commonly abbreviated as “T-4”. You could say that the T-4 hormone is a reserve hormone that is ready to be converted into the more metabolically active hormone, which will be described in step two.
2. Triiodothyronine (T-3). The second major thyroid hormone, and the one that is more active in the body in regulating metabolism, is “triiodothyronine” (T-3). This is the more powerful of the thyroid hormones and is converted from the T-4 hormone described in step one. This one contains only three molecules of iodine, but is many times more powerful than the T-4 hormone. T-3 is up to 10 times more active in regulating the metabolism of the body than is the T-4. The conversion process from T-4 to T-3 is accomplished through enzymes and proteins that enter the T-4 hormone cells and cause them to convert into T-3 hormone cells. This process takes place mainly in the liver, and is one of the many important purposes of the liver in helping to regulate the body’s metabolism....

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Author: James Lowrance