PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that one part of the thyroid hormone isn't as cut and dry as once thought.
The thyroid gland regulates one's metabolism, making it crucial in understanding many health conditions. Thyroid disease is quite common, according to Dr. Mitchell Lazar, director of Penn's Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
If an individual has too much thyroid hormone, he or she is agitated and hyper; too little, and it can cause depression and lethargy.
It's been thought that thyroid hormone works like a light switch — either on or off — but now, researchers say it's more of a subtle shift, like a dimmer.
"When you don't have it, the switch is off, and when you do have it, the switch is on," he explained. "The switch itself is what's called a receptor — part of the cell, a molecule in the cell that actually recognizes and binds to thyroid hormone. And what our work investigated is whether it was really a switch on or off or whether it was more complex, more like a dimmer on a light switch."
Mitchell said there's a lot still unknown about the hormone, but this discovery could make a difference when treating thyroid disease or related metabolic disorders, like obesity and diabetes, in terms of types of medications and strength.
