natural dessicated thyroid horomone

[VickiP]

Hi! Is anyone on natural dessicated porcine thyroid hormone or some type of natural thyroid hormone? How did this work for you? I hear that this is very similar to Armour. Also, do you know if this contains throxine? What is thyroxine? MY TSH levels are above 2.5, but my doctor won't perscribe thyroid meds b/c she doesn't think that it is too high, so I'm going to try the natural route.
Thanks!
Tori

[doreen T]

Dessicated thyroid tablets are only available by prescription. As far as I know, Armour thyroid granules are similarly only available through a health practitioner or by prescription.

Any thyroid "glandular" extract that you may find at a health food store for sale over the counter has had all of the active thyroid hormone removed. This is required by law.

Natural thyroid remedies generally contain kelp or other iodine-rich herb ... iodine-deficiency can be responsible for sluggish thyroid function. However .. table salt has iodine added, and seafoods which are good sources of natural iodine, are available inland year-round, so iodine-deficiency isn't as common as it was 75 yrs ago.

Some other thyroid "boosters" sold in health food stores may actually be thermogenic stimulants, designed for fat-burning and weight loss. These may contain ephedra, guarana, caffeine, citrus aurantium and/or other compounds which are NOT recommended if you have thyroid disease.

There is some evidence that for women a TSH below 2 is best for proper thyroid function. If you are having hypothyroid symptoms such as low body temp, dry skin, thinning hair, fatigue, menstrual irregularities, high cholesterol, difficulty losing weight, depression etc, etc .. and your TSH is "normal" .. it would be a good idea to have the actual levels of the thyroid hormones measured .. free T4 and T3 as well.

Check out this article at About.com's Thyroid site HELP! My TSH Is "Normal" But I Think I'm Hypothyroid (http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa111097.htm).

Doreen

[VickiP]

Nope, I definately got raw dessicated thyroid hormone. You can order it on line at www.nutri-meds.com, and they also had it in the health food store I go to. The only ingrediant listed is raw dessicated thyroid hormone. Check out the website! They also sell the adrnal tablets. They are the same things as the prescription stuff.
Tori

[Valtor]

...Any thyroid "glandular" extract that you may find at a health food store for sale over the counter has had all of the active thyroid hormone removed. This is required by law...
For the sake of precision...
Thyroid bovine glandular supplements have been used since the beginning of thyroid treatment. Dr. Barnes used Armour Thyroid, (available by prescription). However, over-the-counter thyroid glandular supplementations are also available. The over the counter thyroid glandulars come from pig glands just as the prescription drug Armour thyroid. However, unlike Armour Thyroid, over the counter thyroid glandulars contain no T4, only T3. By removing the T4 manufacturers can then legally sell the glandular extract with out a prescription. Since these raw thyroid tissue concentrates contain the active thyroid hormone T3, they can be used as a first line of treatment for low to moderate hypothyroid dysfunction. (ref (http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/620973?articleid=620973))
So they are still very useful. :)

Patrick

[Nancy LC]

Huh! I'll be damned! Interesting stuff.

[pmezak]

Look up Ann Louise Gittleman's blog from 8/24 on Sluggish Thyroid. It's all about the importance of iodine intake, absorption. I think you might be able to bypass any supplemental hormones.....

[Nancy LC]

Not if you don't have a functional thyroid.

[Valtor]

Look up Ann Louise Gittleman's blog from 8/24 on Sluggish Thyroid. It's all about the importance of iodine intake, absorption. I think you might be able to bypass any supplemental hormones.....
I took kelp for 6 months with no results. In my case, I really needed desiccated thyroid. Which is probably the case for anyone who was or still is severely overweight.

Patrick

[Valtor]

It looks like taking Kelp is useless. We need something like Iodoral (http://www.seacoastvitamins.com/topic.php?health=Iodoral).

Patrick

[pmezak]

No I never meant that iodine would help someone with a non functioning or absent (surgically) gland. But before taking a glandular supplement, I think iodine may help. Also, I am not sure that kelp works. There are different forms of iodine and not all are equally absorbed. I have tried kelp also, and it hasn't made a difference. I am trying a low dose (12.5mg) of Iodoral to see if it will. If the problem is an iodine deficiency or inability to absorb it from food, this might help. Interestingly, celiac, or gluten problems can cause one to be low in iodine also.

[Nancy LC]

I'm reading the Eades latest book and they mention that plain old kelp won't help. It might be that potassium iodide is a good thing. Haven't read their recommendation yet.

Besides, a lot of those kelp supplements have lead in them.

[pmezak]

I just received my Iodoral today. It's the lowest formula, 12.5mgs. I took it and I am actually feeling quite good. Seems kind of fast for it to have an effect though. I will see how it goes and take 1 a day. I guess also Jacob Teitlebaum of Fatigued to Fantastic likes iodine supplementation. Just for the record, I had RAI for a hot nodule in around '97. Since then I have been taking .88mg of synthroid. I have pretty dry skin, and what seems to be fibroids....so I was reading about iodine when researching fibroids. Meanwhile I had thyroid abnormalities also. We'll see how it goes, but I will try to keep posting if it helps....I am about 15-20lbs overweight and I love low carb.... :)

[nawchem]

My thyroid dr recommended 25mgs Ioderal/day. I felt good before but I seemed to feel a little better in 2 days.

pmezak your fibroids might be helped by progesterone, you can get it at the healthfood store also. I didn't realize you can have hormonal imbalances in your 20s, although a gynecologist told once that having a high estrogen to progesterone balance was probably causing my problem. The doctor in the book I'm reading says that he shrunk fibroids with progesterone. Do you have good T3 levels?

[pmezak]

Yes, my t4, t3 levels are normal as of the last panel I had....I have read alot about progesterone also. Apparently in some people it can work the opposite and make fibroids grow. I have tried it in the past, with a functional md, but I didn't see any change. Now I am trying the iodine....

[Nancy LC]

The Eades recommend Ioderol in their new book. It's just awfully expensive for iodine.

[nawchem]

increasing fibroid size is scary. Did you see anything about cervical polyps? I've had them nearly constantly for 6 years, cervical dysplasia (no hpv virus) before that. I'm hoping the progesterone/premenopause will get rid of them. Good luck with the iodine.

[nawchem]

valtor that is good to know about the thyroid medication. They may not be selling the prescription dessicated thyroid in the the US in the very near future, there are already huge shortages. My dr already has plan B for me, which synthetic T3 and T4. :thdown: The main reason I wanted to stay on armour is to get all the Ts and calcitonin.

[awriter]

The Eades recommend Ioderol in their new book. It's just awfully expensive for iodine.
Expensive and dangerous. I'm beginning to view those people as snake oil salesmen.
Although many people have been reported to have enjoyed great benefits from the use of the Iodoral supplement, a number of disadvantages have been linked to the drug. One is that it needs to be paired with vitamin A before it can help increase thyroid production. This means that Iodoral alone may not be able to function well. Moreover, Iodoral can only be taken safely by people who have inactive or slow thyroids. People who do not suffer from iodine deficiency cannot take this supplement as doing so might only pose several health risks.

Side Effects
Iodoral supplements work well with people who have problems with thyroid production. However, these supplements might not work well for everyone. There are people who suffer side-effects from these medicines, including the formation of acne-like lesions on some parts of the body, increased sneezing and salivation, severe headache especially in the frontal sinus and a brassy taste on the tongue.

Hand tremors, muscle weakness, significant hair loss, abnormal weight loss, heart palpitations, breathlessness, increased irritability, insomnia and many more discomforts and disorders may also be experienced. Likewise, women might experience disruption in their menstrual cycle. When any of these signs are felt or experienced, it is best to stop taking Iodoral and consult a doctor.

Warning
Iodoral is not intended for weight loss but for thyroid production and supplementation of iodine in the body. When taken by people who want to lose weight but do not have a deficiency in iodine, serious health problems might result. Never take Iodoral if you do not have problems with hyperthyroidism or with iodine deficiency. Consult a doctor before taking Iodoral.

[FroheFrau]

Hi VickiP
I take dessicated porcine thyroid medication---the one I take is called Nature-throid. It contains these: T3 (liothyronine) and T4 (levothyroxine). It can be obtained by prescription or online from overseas pharmacies without a prescription.

Your doctor is wrong! first, he/she should look into WHY your TSH is that high. Second, TSH is not the definitive item that identifies whether or not your thyroid is malfunctioning. You need to have blood tests for FreeT3 and FreeT4. You should also have blood tests for thyroid antibodies. Hashimoto's thyroid disease is a common cause of thyroid and metabolic bproblems. These blood tests will help to identify or eliminate if you have these issues.

My experrience with Nature-throid has been excellent. My sleep has improved, body temperature is closer to normal, skin no longer dry, and more normal healing time/better immune system.
I am still in the phase of gradually raising the dosage until I find the optimal amount of Nature-throid.

You may want to call around to find a doctor who believes in prescribing natural dessicated porcine thyroid---and who does not ONLY test for TSH but also tests the other items I mentioned above. It isn't easy to find a knowledgabe doctor but it well wroth the search.

Best of luck,
frohefrau

[Valtor]

Hello Lisa ! It's been a long time. :)

You are right that one most know what they are doing with these supplements. But that is also true of pretty much everything else.

Some MDs say that the brassy taste and/or skin lesions are actually other unwanted elements being displaced by the Iodine (like Bromide and Fluoride).

So just like it is with nutrition, there seems to be a lot of misinformation about Iodine. Anyway, the fact that the Japanese are ingesting 25 mg of Iodine per day and are healthier than us, both dispels our current guidelines and supports taking a lot more than we do now.

Patrick

[Nancy LC]

I wonder what hypothyroid rates are like in Japan.

[Valtor]

"Cloned from another thread..."

Hypothyroidism Reaches Epidemic Proportions, Causing Fatigue and Weight Gain.

http://www.naturalnews.com/026853_thyroid_hypothyroidism_disease.html

Is the average temperature of the human body still 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit? This often quoted average was determined in the nineteenth century. A more recent study has reported an average temperature of 98.2, and experts believe the decrease in body heat is the result of an epidemic of mild or moderate hypothyroidism.Patrick

[nawchem]

patrick your link wouldn't open. I think the modern thyroid testing leads to under diagnosing hypothyroidism and undermedicating. I think the push to eat whole grains is increasing autoimmune disease as well. My thyroid said my temp at 97.9 was excellent. In addition to ioderal she has me taking selenium for the thyroid. My temp was 96.3 before thyroid meds.

nancy I was looking around japanese and thyroid I came across this neat site that mentioned:

Iodine not only needs to be included in the diet, but there are dietary foods which block iodine absorption, such as non-fermented soy and walnuts which increase elimination of thyroxin, corn, and brassicas which contain large amounts of sulfur (more effect in raw vs. cooked). Also large amounts of dietary iodine consumption such as in seaweed can cause inhibition of endogenous thyroid hormone synthesis, evident in coastal villages in Japan.

Further in the article she mentions supplementing with iodine as a positive but iodine testing should be done since overdosing leads to problems too.

[Valtor]

Here is the entire article. Hope the author won't mind too much that I'm posting it here.

Is the average temperature of the human body still 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit? This often quoted average was determined in the nineteenth century. A more recent study has reported an average temperature of 98.2, and experts believe the decrease in body heat is the result of an epidemic of mild or moderate hypothyroidism. Some believe we are evolving into a population with the propensity for low thyroid function because antibiotics have allowed people who would have died from pneumonia and other diseases associated with hypothyroidism to remain alive and reproduce. Others see rising hypothyroidism rates as the result of diet and environmental factors. Whatever the answer is, one thing is sure. More people than ever are suffering from the myriad of symptoms associated with low thyroid levels, especially women.

Thyroid is the most important hormone in the body. Because it stimulates the production of cellular energy, production of all other hormones will be negatively impacted when thyroid hormone levels are less than optimal. Every aspect of health is affected by low thyroid function.

Hypothyroidism is behind many disease states

Hypothyroidism is signaled by fatigue and loss of energy. People with the disease don't have any sparkle in the morning, and as the day goes on they find themselves falling asleep sitting in meetings or while driving on the highway, reading or watching TV. The only time they feel energized is from continuous movement, such as jogging or doing housework. As soon as the task is completed and they sit down, chances are good they will start to nod off.

Yet while they are fatigued, low thyroid people are often hyperactive at the same time. Thyroid expert Dr. Alan Gaby reported a study of 49 people diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Among them, 61 percent met diagnostic criteria for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. When thyroid hormone is deficient, the nerves require abnormal stimulation to function or the body produces excess adrenalin to keep it going. The result is people become tired and tense at the same time, according to Dr. Gaby.

People with low thyroid exhibit many of the characteristics that are blamed on aging, with difficulty concentrating being the most blatant. They tend to flit from task to task and often accomplish little they set out to do. They can find themselves standing in front of an open refrigerator, unable to remember what they are looking for. They may have difficulty reading, needing to read sentences again because their mind wandered off the first time.

Low thyroid suffers are always the coldest people in the room, and their body temperatures can go down to 95 degree (F) in the cold winter months. People with moderate levels of low thyroid can experience the cold as extremely painful, and they plan their activities with minimizing exposure to cold weather as a priority. They also have trouble dealing with heat, and usually find comfort only in a very narrow range of temperatures, usually in the lower 70s. They are quite uncomfortable in overly heated rooms.

Other symptoms include inexplicable weight gain, painful premenstrual periods, fertility problems, muscle weakness and cramps, dry skin, yellow bumps on the eyelids, hair loss that includes the lower third of the eyebrows, susceptibility to infection, migraines, hoarseness, constipation, depression, difficulty getting words out when speaking, and goiter.

Miscarriage, fibrocystic breast disease, ovarian fibroids, cystic ovaries, endometriosis, and PMS are caused or aggravated by hypothyroidism, especially when it's coupled with estrogen dominance, a condition of hormone imbalance that happens as progesterone levels decline starting as early as the late 20s. This is because estrogen inhibits thyroid secretion, while progesterone stimulates it.

A newly released study to determine the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with benign breast disorders found that 23.2% of the women tested had unsuspected hypothyroidism. Symptoms of benign breast disease were alleviated in 83% of the patients with hypothyroidism through the use of only thyroxine replacement. (World Journal of Surgery, July 30)

Although the common perception of low thyroid people is that they are overweight, many people with low thyroid are underweight, so weight alone is not a determining factor. If the person is overweight, most of the extra weight is in water, not fat. People with low thyroid can drink and drink, but hardly ever need to urinate. Thyroid treatment can help an anorexic or other sick person gain weight.

Sleep is a problem for the person with low thyroid who may fall asleep easily but awaken after only a few hours and be unable to return to sleep for the rest of the night. Headaches can often plague low thyroid sufferers, not only migraines but stress and tension headaches.

There is a connection between multiple sclerosis (MS) and low thyroid. In a study by thyroid researcher Dr. Ray Peat, it was found that thyroid therapy caused MS symptoms to disappear in patients who had no other obvious causes such as heavy metal poisoning.

Depression is a classic symptom of low thyroid. Women with low thyroid are the most susceptible to severe bouts of post-partum depression following childbirth, and thyroid treatment helps restore their emotional equilibrium. Low thyroid can contribute to inability to let go of old hurts and angers, particularly against one's mate.

Adrenalin and its synthetic drug copies, such as the inhalers used for asthma, are toxic when used continuously in response to the stress of hypothyroidism and endurance exercise. Excess adrenalin is toxic to the heart because it damages heart mitochondria. According to Dr. Peat, this is due to abnormally rapid mobilization and oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids leading to peroxidation aggravated by inadequate antioxidant protection. Dr. Broda Barnes, who runs a not-for-profit organization dedicated to research in the field of thyroid and metabolic balance, has found that the cardiovascular complications of diabetes are due to low thyroid function rather than insulin.

Researchers in Italy have just released results from their study to determine the effect of hypothyroidism on coronary artery disease. They examined the occurrence of the disease and long-term prognosis in patients without a history of primary thyroid disease, myocardial infarction, or chronic heart failure to determine if their disease related to serum levels of biologically active thyroid hormone. They found that levels of the active thyroid hormone (T3) were inversely correlated to the presence of coronary artery disease. Low T3 syndrome conferred an adverse prognosis, even after adjusting for traditional coronary risk factors. (Clinical Cardiology, July)

Dr. Barnes has concluded that cancer risk increases in male and female hypothyroid patients. He sees this as directly related to hormone imbalance with increased production of estrogen and decreased production of the primary anti-aging steroids from cholesterol: pregnenolone, progesterone and DHEA, all of which are thyroid dependent.

Researchers in Spain studied the relationship between thyroid hormone and tumor development. They found mixed results. Although hypothyroidism might be a risk factor for liver and breast cancer in humans, a lower incidence of breast carcinoma has been reported in hypothyroid patients. Changes in the stromal cells of people with hypothyroidism can modulate tumor progression and metastatic growth independently of the presence of thyroid receptors on the tumor cells. However, they also found that hypothyroidism can promote tumor growth and invasiveness. (PLoS One, July 29)

Hypothyroidism can be life threatening

A rare condition that can result from long-term undiagnosed hypothyroidism is called myxedema coma. The coma can occur during illness, after an accident, from exposure to cold, as a result of the ingestion of narcotics and/or sedatives, or when the body temperature drifts below 95 degrees (F). It is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

Diet and environment have major impact on thyroid function

What is happening to our thyroids to cause such problems? Putting the natural selection theory aside, Dr. Lita Lee reporting on the work of Drs. Peat and Barnes says that the majority of people seen in doctor's offices have some form of thyroid dysfunction. She notes radiation is the greatest environmental cause of hypothyroidism and other thyroid problems, including tumors and thyroid cancer. Since Chernobyl, radioactive fallout has become a worldwide phenomenon. Her hypothesis remains unproven for lack of an unexposed control group.

Epidemiological studies of radiation downwinders show many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism including chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. According to Dr. Peat, fibromyalgia is a combination of edema, inflammation and low blood sugar, all symptoms of hypothyroidism. He too believes that radiation is a major culprit in the hypothyroid epidemic.

"Organic animal protein is essential for the production of thyroid hormone and its conversion to the active form in the liver. Veganism leads to low thyroid function and low cholesterol which can lead to all of the major chronic degenerative diseases," says Dr. Lee. She sees women as especially vulnerable because their low thyroid function goes hand in hand with hormone imbalance. Because pesticides mimic unbalanced estrogen in the body, she urges people to consume only organic produce.

Use of polyunsaturated oils contributes to low thyroid function whether the oils are processed or not. These include soybean, canola, safflower, corn, flax, fish, evening primrose and borage. According to Dr. Peat, the more unsaturated the oil is, the more strongly it interferes with thyroid secretion, the transport of thyroid hormone in the blood, and the response of the tissue thyroid receptors." Olive oil, coconut oil and saturated fats do not compromise thyroid health.

Dr. John Lee, famed Harvard Medical School Professor and author, cautioned that soy products contain goitrogens, substances which inhibit thyroid function and the conversion of T4, the inactive form of thyroid hormone to T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Genistein, an isoflavone found in soybeans, can block thyroid hormone production. Phytate found in unsoaked nuts and legumes including beans can accentuate these effects because it binds zinc and copper, leaving little of these important minerals available for the production of thyroid hormone. A transport protein called GLUT1 is shut down by genistein. This protein sends glucose into the cells where it is used to generate energy. Slowing the transport of glucose means less energy production not only of thyroid hormone, but of every other action in the body.

Fluoride from water, foods and toothpaste causes severe hypothyroidism.

Synthetic and genetically engineered hormones used in birth control pills, hormone drug therapy, and as growth stimulants in the non-organic production of food animals block the release of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland.

While some iodine is critical to thyroid functioning, too much can become a powerful thyroid inhibitor.

How to determine if you have a sluggish thyroid

There is no accurate medical test for thyroid function, according to Dr. Lita Lee. Anyone having high cholesterol is practically assured of having hypothyroidism, because thyroid hormone controls the conversion of cholesterol to important anti-aging hormones and to bile salts. The lack of this conversion causes cholesterol levels to rise. However, many people with low cholesterol from a depressed immune system or from eating a low protein diet may also have hypothyroidism.

Dr. Barnes introduced the basal temperature test as a way to determine adequate thyroid function. The oral temperature is measured with an oral digital thermometer immediately after waking in the morning. This temperature should be 98.0 degrees F. It should then rise to 98.6 to 99 degrees during the daylight hours, and the resting pulse should be about 85 beats per minute. If temperature and pulse rates are below these levels, hypothyroidism is indicated.

[nawchem]

Wow! Thanks so much for posting that!

Kind of made me sad in a way that I've experienced most of what they wrote about. At least we probably won't get breast cancer.

[Valtor]

...At least we probably won't get breast cancer.
I sure won't ;)