Though the thyroid gland is tiny, it generates hormones that regulate the pace of practically every chemical process in the body, including the conversion of food into energy, tissue development, and hormone stimulation. Thyroid illness affects an estimated 20 million Americans, with up to 60% of them being ignorant of their condition. Symptoms of thyroid illness may vary from weight gain and exhaustion to hair thinning and memory loss, depending on the kind and severity of the condition.