Has anyone switched from synthetic thyroid hormone (synthroid, levothyroxin, etc) to natural "desicated" thyroid hormone (I think Armour maybe one of the brand names)??? Can you please your experience/opinions, especially regarding mood and cognitive effect? Thank you so much!
2007-01-13 12:21:47 · 7 answers · asked by foxydallas 2 in Health ➔ Alternative Medicine
it really doesnt matter that much whether a drug is synthetic or natural. basically, thyroid hormone is a signal- it acts on a receptor, which tells the cell to do something. think of it like a key opening up a lock, it doesnt matter if its the real key or a copy, what matters is how it fits into the lock and opens the door or not. same with drugs, your body doesnt care if its natural or not, what matters is how it interacts with the receptors and effects your body. there are 2 forms of thyroid hormone T3 and T4 (with T4 being fairly inactive comparied to T3)- the synthetic versions are all completely identical to the T4 your body makes, and most people's bodies readily convert T4 to T3 as needed. armour thyroid is basically ground up pig thyroid and contains both T3 and T4- and it isnt a closely controlled set amount like 137mcg as in the synthetic, the amount of hormone varies widely pill to pill (maybe 250mcg in this pill, 75 in the next) so its harder to keep your levels consistant with the natural stuff. some people's bodies cant convert T4 to T3 well so those people could benefit from the natural stuff, but for the rest its generally easier and more effective to manage thyroid imbalances with the synthetic stuff. plus the armour thyroid smells like **** youll notice that the second the cap comes off the bottle. but talk to your doc if youre having trouble with your levels, it could benefit you.
and contrary to what the homeopathic wannabe internet quacks say, natural hormone replacement isnt any better than synthetic hormone replacement, they both carry the same risks and benefits. synthetic and natural hormones are chemically identical, your body cant tell the difference. its like any other chemical, take water for a example, H2O- two hydrogen molecules bonded to an oxygen molecule. doesnt matter if it was formed in a lab or nature, its still the same stuff
2007-01-14 00:39:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never been on any synthetic thyroid hormone so cannot properly answer your question.
I am taking a natural thyroid hormone called "Nature Thyroid". Just mentioning it in case you want another natural thyroid hormone for your doc to investigate in addition to Armour. I believe the Nature Thyroid has less binders than Armour, making it more available to the body's receptor sites.
Also--it is very beneficial to have your iodine levels checked. If levels are inadequate, the thyroid cannot function properly. I have been able to reduce the Nature Thyroid twice due to proper iodine supplementation--and I lost the additional weight I had gained around my waist. Of course, make sure you are not allergic to iodine.
Sources are listed below.
Good luck and best of health to you.
2007-01-15 07:59:39 · answer #2 · answered by Phoenix Rising 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi! i switched from synthetic (levothyroxin) to Armour natural thyroid hormones this summer. I think it works much better and I know that it is healthier for me. I am not aware of thyroid problems having anything to do with your moods but I was on synthetic meds for depression and have found something natural that works really well and allowed me to wean myself off of the synthetics. I have been working on changing everything I can over to natural products and have found a company to get them from. Love it. Let me know if you want to know more.
2007-01-13 14:53:39 · answer #3 · answered by vickiegen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I switched about 3 years ago. It was the best thing for my condition. I went from having every symptom with Levoxyl, to maybe 50% of symptoms with Levoxyl & Cytomel combo, to hardly any symptoms with Armour. With Armour, the doctor needs to adjust the dosage by free t4 and free t3. You'd want the free t4 to be at least midrange and the free t3 high in range. Below are a couple of websites that talk a lot about Armour and natural meds. If you are having a lot of symptoms on T4, then Armour may be for you.
About mood, I was paranoid before Armour. Thanks to Armour that's no longer the case.
2007-01-13 13:47:58 · answer #4 · answered by DNA 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have not tried it yet, as I am waiting for my doctor's appointment to consult him on it...However, I have done quite a bit of my own research on natural vs. synthetic hormones, and the natural seem to win out in every case. Just makes more sense, really.
2007-01-13 23:28:40 · answer #5 · answered by sadiemylady 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A few months ago, I was very sick, zero energy, freezing cold, depressed, weight gain, thought I was dying. I read every word of this Hypothyroidism Revolution program and followed all the advice. My life turned around the first week. I started to feel human again. Within weeks my energy came back and I felt like living again.
Get the entire hypothyroidism revolution system today? just choose the best option for you.
2016-05-15 00:46:40 · answer #6 · answered by Christie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use Amour with very good benifits. My daughter is on Synthroid & Amour & is doing fine. When she was just on 1 she wasn't balanced.
2007-01-14 05:51:25 · answer #7 · answered by Celtic Tejas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋