The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid, is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body, and is not to be confused with the ""parathyroid glands"" (a completely different set of glands). The thyroid gland is found in the neck, inferior to (below) the thyroid cartilage (also known as the 'Adam's Apple') and at approximately the same level as the cricoid cartilage. The thyroid controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body should be to other hormones.