The thyroid is a gland located in the base of the neck. It secretes a hormone that controls metabolic activity in the body - it acts as the body's thermostat and regulator. It is one of the glands that make up the endocrine system, along with the adrenals, the ovaries, the pituitary and the thymus. When one gland becomes stressed or compromised, it can affect or "drag down" the others along with it.