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The thyroid is a gland located in the neck that helps control the body's metabolic rate. Too much thyroid hormone causes the body to race. Too little, and it slows to a crawl. Unchecked, either state can be fatal. Rarely, in some people — usually young, often male — too much thyroid hormone can make circulating potassium levels drop and cause weakness.
甲狀腺是位于頸部的腺體，幫助控制身體的新陳代謝率。甲狀腺激素過多會導致身體處于亢奮狀態。而甲狀腺激素過少，身體慢慢變得遲鈍。如果放任不管，任何一種狀態都可能致命。甲狀腺激素過量會使循環鉀含量下降，繼而導致虛弱，這通常出現在年輕男性身上，但很罕見。
Hassen called the lab. He ordered tests to check the level of thyroid hormone in the sample. It was very high. He called the patient and got no answer, and he had no way to leave a message. He called the number a dozen times over the course of the next few weeks. Finally, maybe accidentally, the patient picked up.
哈森打電話給實驗室，要求化驗樣本中甲狀腺激素的含量。結果顯示甲狀腺激素含量非常高。他隨即打電話給那名病人，但沒有人接，他也沒有辦法留言。在接下來的幾周里，他給這個號碼打了十幾次電話。最后，也許是不小心，病人接了電話。
Hassen explained what he'd discovered. He gave the patient the name of an endocrinologist in the area. It turned out the young man had what is known as Graves's disease. This is an autoimmune disease in which the patient's own antibodies induce the thyroid gland to produce too much hormone. It's often treated with radioactive iodine, which kills off some or most of the hormone-producing cells in the gland. This man, instead, chose to take a medicine that interferes with the gland's ability to make thyroid hormone.
哈森解釋了他的發現。他告訴了病人當地內分泌科醫生的名字。后經證實，這名年輕人得了格雷夫斯病。這是一種自身免疫性疾病，患者自身抗體誘導甲狀腺產生過多激素。這種疾病通常用放射性碘來治療，可以殺死腺體中的一些或大部分產生激素的細胞。但是，這名病人選擇服用干擾腺體分泌甲狀腺激素能力的藥物。
This diagnosis was made almost four years ago. The patient gave up his intensive diet and exercise regimen and is now trying just to stay in shape and eat smarter — and to take his medicine every day. Sometimes when he feels his thighs are tired or weak, he eats a banana or avocado to get the potassium that he thinks his body is craving. He is determined to never relive that kind of helplessness again.
這個診斷在近四年前做出。病人已經放棄了他的強化飲食和鍛煉方案，現在只想保持身材，合理飲食，并堅持每天服用藥物。有時，當他感覺大腿疲勞或虛弱時，他會吃香蕉或鱷梨來獲取他認為身體所渴望的鉀。他決心不再經歷那種無助感。
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