Some Info Concerning Bovine vs Porcine Thyroid Supplements
“Would you prefer beef or pork?” is not a question you expect to hear at your doctor’s office, but rather in a fine dining situation. However, if you’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, chances are, if you opt for the natural medication to treat this condition, you may have the bovine vs porcine thyroid supplements issue to consider. Don’t worry, no one is asking you to eat desiccated animal thyroids, but the truth is many people find more relief from their hypothyroid symptoms with natural thyroid supplements than they do from the synthetic form of a thyroid hormone.
Why does something occurring naturally in pigs and cows so much better for us than what is synthetically manufactured in a laboratory? Well, scientists think it is because the hormones in pig or cow thyroids are closer in composition to the human thyroid. Additionally, the thyroids of the little piggies and little moo-cows contain more than just one hormone. The T4 hormone must be converted to T3 in order to be useful to the body, and some people just aren’t that efficient at it. Animal thyroids contain T3 in addition to T4, plus other trace minerals that are required to supplement thyroid function.
Bovine vs Porcine Thyroid Supplements May Not Be Your Only Concern
You might have trouble finding a physician to prescribe a natural supplement for the thyroid as opposed to the synthetic form. For over a hundred years, the natural form of pig thyroid was the treatment of choice for hypothyroidism, but then scientists discovered how to manufacture it in the lab. Citing difficulties in regulating the hormone level in desiccated animal thyroids, physicians were advised by the pharmaceutical companies to prescribe the synthetic version. It has since become the treatment of choice, but it is not always the best treatment for everyone.
The Debate Over Bovine vs Porcine Thyroid Supplements Continues…
In recent years, it has come to many patient’s attention that switching over to the natural supplement actually improved their control over their hypothyroidism symptoms. Other reports suggest the artificial supplement was presenting the same regulatory problems with which the natural supplement had been accused, and indeed, Synthroid, the artificial thyroid hormone prescribe most, has come under fire from the FDA for false claims and other issues.
If you decide to stick with a natural thyroid supplement and you can convince your doctor to prescribe it, now you have to choose between bovine vs. porcine thyroid supplements. Most advice would steer you away from the bovine in favor of the porcine thyroid for one very good reason — bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. This disease is easily transmitted to humans through the spinal cord, brain or digestive system tissue found in infected cattle. Although the thyroid is not a part of the brain or digestive system, who wants to take a chance of contracting mad cow disease on top of hypothyroidism?
Why Pig Thyroid May Win the Bovine vs Porcine Thyroid Supplements Debate
Another difference concerning bovine vs porcine thyroid supplements is porcine is considered to be much more similar to human chemistry than bovine and therefore more effective. There could also be allergy issues with a bovine derivative. However, choosing a bovine source rather than a porcine source can also be a religious decision for those who don’t eat pork. The choice is very personal and individual.
Historically speaking, desiccated porcine thyroid medication had a proven track record before the advent of the synthetic product. Chances are if you are still experiencing problems with hypothyroid symptoms on a medication like Synthroid, switching to the natural form of the thyroid hormone may make a big difference in controlling your symptoms. Everyone is unique and hypothyroidism can affect people very differently. If you aren’t happy with your current therapy, talk to your health care provider about your options. The debate concerning bovine vs porcine thyroid supplements is not nearly as important as finding a therapy that works for you.
