What is Hashimoto's disease?

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ on the front of your neck. Its main function is to produce a thyroid hormone that regulates your metabolism. Hypothyroidism occurs when a person's thyroid function decreases. Hashimoto thyroiditis, also known as Hashimoto's disease, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the U.S. "Hashimoto's disease causes chronic inflammation of the thyroid, as antibodies form attacking your thyroid cells due to the changes to your immune mechanisms," says Dr. Sakine Sever, a Mayo Clinic Health System endocrinologist. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]