What to Know About Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapies
The most common medication use to treat hypothyroidism is levothyroxine, which is a synthetic thyroxine (T4) that was developed in 1927. This medication must be converted to active T3 for it to alleviate the symptoms of hypothyroidism. There are many factors that can negatively influence the conversion of T4 to T3 including stress, trauma, infections, liver or kidney dysfunction, toxins, and certain medications. Minerals such as zinc and selenium are cofactors in the conversion of T4 to active T3. If these minerals are deficient, then inadequate conversion of T4 to T3 would lead to lower T3 levels.
Often considered a more natural option for thyroid hormone replacement is...
is desiccated porcine thyroid medication. Armour and Nature Thyroid are the most commonly used desiccated hormone medications. Nature-Thyroid has been in use since the 1930’s. The desiccated glandular medications have both T4 AND T3 at about a 4:1 ratio. As an example, a typical starting dose of levothyroxine (T4) is 50mcg and for Armour it is 60mg (or 1 grain). The 60mg dosage contains a T4 dose of 38mcg AND a T3 dose of 9mcg. With desiccated hormone therapy, there are also trace amounts of naturally occurring cofactors such T1, T2, and iodine which can also help to improve symptoms.
Compounded thyroid hormone is another option. The medication is obtained by a compounding pharmacy and allows for customization of dosing. If the 4:1 ratio of glandular thyroid is too strong of a dose, it can be compounded to ratios that are less strong such as 5:1 or 6:1 etc. It is also beneficial for those that may require in-between doses that are otherwise not available by the drug manufacturer. The downside to custom compounding is that it is often not covered by insurance and therefore, it can be a more costly option than standard and desiccated glandular medications.
Each treatment option is different for everyone and may not work for all. This is why a thorough investigation of clinical symptoms and testing of thyroid function is crucial in understanding what may work best for you.
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