Do You Need a Natural Thyroid Hormone?
You’re not feeling quite right these days. You feel tired all the time, you can’t seem to get warm, you may feel depressed and you have gained some weight and can’t seem to lose it no matter what you do. Finally, you make an appointment with your doctor and he suggests you be tested for hypothyroidism, also known as an underactive thyroid and sure enough, that’s the problem.
This is a more common diagnosis for women in middle age than any other age or gender group, and the symptoms of an underactive thyroid can have a profound impact on the activities of daily living. Unfortunately, there is no cure, but supplementation with hormone therapy can allow you to live a full and active life. What options are available to you?
The most prescribed medication for hypothyroidism currently is a drug known as levothyroxine. It is prescribed in the form of Synthroid or Levoxyl. It is a synthetic hormone replacement for T4, or thyroxine, an amino acid produced by the thyroid which is then synthesized by the body to produce T3, a more active form of the hormone used in the metabolism processes of the body. The thyroid gland normally produces about 80% thyroxine and 20% triidothyronine, or T3.
Synthetic vs Natural Thyroid Hormones
However, many patients who suffer from hypothyroidism may not have a lack of T4 but a problem converting T4 into the more active T3. In this case, a natural thyroid hormone replacement such as Armour thyroid or Naturethroid may be more appropriate, as it contains both T4 and T3. It is made from pig thyroid because pig thyroid has been found to be the most similar to human tissue. Criticized in the past as being too variable and not controlled carefully enough, studies have shown the same problem with the synthetic hormone replacement therapy.
Studies have further shown a natural thyroid hormone provides better results, especially with patients who are experiencing depression when used either alone or in conjunction with an antidepressant. Other patients who have not seen an improvement in their symptoms with the synthetic T4 hormone replacement therapy will often do much better on the natural thyroid hormone, and it is theorized this is because of the combination of T4 and T3 producing better results.
The natural thyroid hormone has been used for over 100 years in medicine until the synthetic form appeared on the market. Currently, it may be difficult to find a doctor who will prescribe it when the synthetic form is available. However, man-made is not always the best choice for everyone, and the generic form of the synthetic T4 has been known to contain fillers triggering allergic reactions in some patients.
Ultimately, the decision is yours and should be discussed thoroughly with your treating physician. As with any other medical condition, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for everyone. While some people will do quite well on the synthetic form of hormone therapy for hypothyroidism, some may not. In that case, a natural thyroid hormone for the diagnosis of an under-active thyroid may provide the best answer to managing the symptoms of this condition.
