Question: Do you prescribe Armour or Natur-throid for thyroid problems, particularly Hashimoto's hypothyroidism? It is the only hormone replacement I can take for thyroid. I am 57 and I feel good taking it. What is your opinion of it? I know that a few doctors are resistant to prescribing it.
Dr. Vliet's Answer:
I occasionally use Armour or Natur-throid for certain patients if there is a specific medical reason to do so. There is no one right answer for all patients.
But as I explained in more detail in my blog titled "Hormone 'Cocktail' Can Make You Fat," the animal derived Armour thyroid (and copies, like Natur-throid and others) contain both T4 and T3 in ratios that are not the natural balance found in humans. Armour and Natur-throid are natural for the animal (pigs or cows), quite different from human needs.
The human ratio of T4 to T3 is about 10:1, while in the pig it is 4:1. Women taking Armour or Natur-throid are getting too much T3 relative to T4, and this can cause insomnia, racing heartbeat or palpitations, anxiety, irritability, hair loss, headaches, muscle weakness, and fatigue.
I have successfully treated thousands of women with subtle thyroid problems by tailoring the product and dose to each woman based on clinical and reliable laboratory monitoring.
A fixed-dose combination product like Armour or its clones cannot be adjusted or tailored to your personal needs. I use a more individualized approach than is possible with a fixed dose product by using separate pills for T4 and T3. I use FDA-approved bioidentical T4 thyroid products (Synthroid, Unithroid, Levoxyl, and generic levothyroxine tablets). These are exact copies of our own body hormones. Then for women who need T3 in addition, I use Cytomel or generic triiodothyronine with doses adjusted for each woman’s needs.
For more on how to get properly tested, and what product options are available, check out the free booklet on my website, www.herplace.com.
© 2010 Newsmax. All rights reserved. “The Savvy Woman’s Guide” is a registered trademark of Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet and Savvy Woman's Guide Publishing, Inc. Used with permission.
