Sad? Cold? Hot? Wired? Blame the thyroid. In your throat there is a butterfly-shaped gland under a shield-shaped Adam’s Apple and it controls how you feel. We asked Thyroidologist and surgeon Dr. Kepal Petal of NYU Langone Hospital about everything from how to decipher TSH to T4 to T3, libido factors, radioactive cats, stress and thyroids, how diet can affect them, flim-flam and how being on TV might save your life.

Learn more about Dr. Patel

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A donation went to The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES)

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Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Other episodes you may enjoy: Diabetology (BLOOD SUGAR), Laryngology (VOICE BOXES), Trichology (HAIR), Evolutionary Anthropology (METABOLISMS), Environmental Toxicology (POISONS + TRAIN DERAILMENT)

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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn