Page 66 - The Miracle of Hormones

THE MIRACLE OF HORMONES

One of the condi-
tions caused by the
malfunction of the
thyroid gland is
Grave's disease.
This condition caus-
es the eyes to bulge
(near right). Goiter
is a condition
caused by the
enlargement of the
thyroid gland (far
right).

balance. If the cells of the body worked more quickly than they should,
"toxic goiter" would develop, caused by the excessive secretion of thy-
12
roxine. Symptoms of this disease include the increase of the metabolic
rate, a rise in body temperature and blood pressure, weight loss, exces-

sive sweating and general nervousness. The eyes bulge in their sockets
and, in advanced stages of this disease, blindness and even death (due to
cardiac insufficiency) can result.
The tissues that make up the human body are continually being re-
newed. Every day approximately 200 grams of muscle and tissue cells
are renewed. Every minute 200 million cells in our bodies are produced
13
to replace dead cells, and it is the thyroxine hormone that determines
14
the speed at which this renewal takes place.
How does this hormone-producing thyroid gland know the speed
at which the cells in our bodies must function? How does it determine
the speed of the replacement of body cells? The person himself does not
even know the speed at which his body's cells have to function, and most

people are not even aware that their body cells have a particular speed at
which they must function. If someone wanted to interfere with the speed
at which his body cells work, he could certainly not affect the cells with
his own will. In order to do this, he would have to obtain medical help or

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