The thyroid is a small gland that influences every cell in our bodies. To do its job properly, the hormones it produces has to be balanced perfectly. How much do you know about how the thyroid functions and the types of diseases that can happen when they aren’t balanced perfectly? We put together this short video quiz to test your knowledge of the thyroid.
Let’s start with an important question.
1. 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, what percentage of those people are unaware of their condition?
Is it a) 40% b) 50% c) 60% or d) 70%?
According to the American Thyroid Association up to 60% have no idea that their thyroid isn’t working properly. So, the correct answer is C. Also, women are five to eight times more likely to have thyroid problems.
2. Which of the following conditions are people with undiagnosed thyroid disease NOT at risk for?
Do you know if it’s a) anemia b) cardiovascular disease c) osteoporosis d) infertility?
Did you guess D because you can’t imagine what the thyroid has to do with fertility? Well, you’d be wrong. Sperm production requires a healthy thyroid gland. Also, Grave’s disease in women leads to failure to ovulate among other things. The correct answer is A. Anemia is sometimes a sign that you have hypothyroidism, but not a result of having that disease.
3. Which of these mood stabilizers can adversely affect how your thyroid functions?
Would you guess a) Risperidone b) Lithium c) Haloperidol or d) Loxapine?
The correct answer is B. Lithium can cause the thyroid to decrease production of T4, which in turn leads to hypothyroidism. If your doctor puts you on Lithium, make sure you get tested periodically, especially if you’re a woman over 50 years old, as studies show them as most at risk.
We like to sprinkle in some questions from our blog posts to keep you on your toes. The next one is one of those.
4. According to our blog, which Victoria Secret model talked about living with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
Is it a) Adriana Lima b) Lily Aldridge c) Stella Maxwell d) Gigi Hadid?
Of course, our most active readers know the answer is D Gigi Hadid. People were starting to criticize her for being “too skinny.” What they didn’t know is that it was a result of living with Hashimoto’s. It’s an incurable disease, but can be effectively managed with the right medication.
5. Which of these statements most accurately describe Hashimoto’s?
Do you think it’s a) it’s when your thyroid produces too much thyroid hormones b) It’s when your body processes speed up c) it’s a disease that mostly affects men or d) it’s when the immune system attacks the thyroid?
Again, if you read our post Gigi Hadid’s Hashimoto’s Battle & You, you know the answer. Maybe you didn’t think we’d make D the correct answer twice in a row, but we did. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease that leads to hypothyroidism.
6. What mineral does the body need for thyroid to function properly?
Is it a) iodine b) potassium c) magnesium d) sodium?
We’re not going to do D as the correct answer THREE times in a row. Are we? No. The correct answer is A. This is another one you could’ve gotten from our blog post Best Ways to Improve Thyroid Function and Health. Iodine is needed to produce TSH, which activates the thyroid. It is not produced naturally in the body and only comes from the food we eat. So, make sure your diet as iodine-rich foods like fish & yogurt.
Last question. How have you been doing?
7. Which of the following is NOT a sign you might have hypothyroidism?
Do you think it’s when you have a) constipation b) rapid heartbeat c) weight gain or d) muscle aches?
These are just a handful of symptoms of hypothyroidism, which is when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones. So, the correct answer is B because a rapid heartbeat is a sign of hyperthyroidism, which is when the thyroid produces too much hormones. A slowed heartbeat is the correct symptom, along with fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, depression and more.
So, that’s it! How did you do? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook & Twitter pages. Until next time.
Order autoimmune disease tests or other thyroid tests online.
*Sources: Mayo Clinic, WebMD, US National Library of Medicine, Endocrineweb, American Thyroid Association
