Recommendations For Thyroid Hormone Brand?

[FredSonoma]

The Supplement List sticky doesn't have any updated information - the links there all lead to "404 Not Found" or something similar. What are the generally recommended thyroid hormone supplements? Is thyroid hormone something that is generally safe, as well as very helpful?

 

[charlie]

Hopefully haidut is formulating some in his lab now.

 

[FredSonoma]

Hopefully haidut is formulating some in his lab now.

Is a prescription for desiccated thyroid generally better than any online supplements?

 

[tara]

What are the generally recommended thyroid hormone supplements? Is thyroid hormone something that is generally safe, as well as very helpful?

Peat has recommended cynomel/cytomel and cynoplus, but cytomel/cynomel seem not to be available currently (see related thread).

Safety:
Depends on whether you need them, whether your nutrition etc is up to supporting them, and dosage. I consider it reckless to launch into a high dose and/or quickly raise the dose, unless you have definite evidence of severe deficiency. There seem to be possible unwanted consequences, and some of them seem to be tricky to untangle. Also, supplementing thyroid while malnourished can worsen deficiencies and add to stress.

A cautious, safer approach, in my view, is to:
- make sure nutrition is in place first.
- monitor and record temps and pulse and other hypothyroid symptoms for a couple of weeks before beginning. Only consider thyroid supps if temps are low.
- start with 1/4 grain/day for 3-4 weeks. Monitor temps. If it helps, but temps still too low, increment by 1/4 grain. Monitor and repeat.

Peat has said that most people who need thyroid supps do better on a combination of T3 and T4, usu in the range 1:2 - 1:4 T3:T4. Good NDT products should have some of each. Some people convert T4 to the active T3 more readily than others. T4 has a long half-life, so it can take 2-4 weeks at steady dose to reach stable blood levels. Easy to overshoot. T3 has a short half-life (hours), and the healthy body produces about 3-4mcg/hour. If you get separate T3 preparation, use T3 in tiny doses - eg 1-2 mcg every couple of hours or so, and the T4 or T4+T3 combo in the evening.

I'll leave comment on particular products to others, since I'm short on experience - some seem to be more potent than others, some people have concerns about fillers, and some kinds can be hard to get.

 

[FredSonoma]

What are the generally recommended thyroid hormone supplements? Is thyroid hormone something that is generally safe, as well as very helpful?

Peat has recommended cynomel/cytomel and cynoplus, but cytomel/cynomel seem not to be available currently (see related thread).

Safety:
Depends on whether you need them, whether your nutrition etc is up to supporting them, and dosage. I consider it reckless to launch into a high dose and/or quickly raise the dose, unless you have definite evidence of severe deficiency. There seem to be possible unwanted consequences, and some of them seem to be tricky to untangle. Also, supplementing thyroid while malnourished can worsen deficiencies and add to stress.

A cautious, safer approach, in my view, is to:
- make sure nutrition is in place first.
- monitor and record temps and pulse and other hypothyroid symptoms for a couple of weeks before beginning. Only consider thyroid supps if temps are low.
- start with 1/4 grain/day for 3-4 weeks. Monitor temps. If it helps, but temps still too low, increment by 1/4 grain. Monitor and repeat.

Peat has said that most people who need thyroid supps do better on a combination of T3 and T4, usu in the range 1:2 - 1:4 T3:T4. Good NDT products should have some of each. Some people convert T4 to the active T3 more readily than others. T4 has a long half-life, so it can take 2-4 weeks at steady dose to reach stable blood levels. Easy to overshoot. T3 has a short half-life (hours), and the healthy body produces about 3-4mcg/hour. If you get separate T3 preparation, use T3 in tiny doses - eg 1-2 mcg every couple of hours or so, and the T4 or T4+T3 combo in the evening.

I'll leave comment on particular products to others, since I'm short on experience - some seem to be more potent than others, some people have concerns about fillers, and some kinds can be hard to get.

Thanks a lot Tara!!

 

[montmorency]

The Supplement List sticky doesn't have any updated information - the links there all lead to "404 Not Found" or something similar. What are the generally recommended thyroid hormone supplements? Is thyroid hormone something that is generally safe, as well as very helpful?

It's worth looking here of course:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/op ... treatment/
(and elsewhere on that site).

 

[supercoolguy]

I had results w/Nutri-Meds Bovine. Taking the whole cap was too much after a week bc I THOUGHT it was a small dose, but according to mg to grain conversion it = 2grains. Thats a lot. So i stopped and will re-start at 1/4 cap in 2wks.

 

[Mmmaurshmallows]

Is Standard Process' Thymus a good brand?

 

[Kasper]

I use tyromax from IdeaLabs Online Store - Worldwide Ordering And Delivery.

 

[tara]

Is Standard Process' Thymus a good brand?

Are you looking for thymus or thyroid? I've not come across many here supplementing thymus.

 

[tara]

- start with 1/4 grain/day for 3-4 weeks. Monitor temps. If it helps, but temps still too low, increment by 1/4 grain. Monitor and repeat.

Just came across a comment from Peat to someone recommending to adjust dose after 2 weeks. I think Barnes used to recommend 4 weeks.

 

[Mmmaurshmallows]

Are you looking for thymus or thyroid? I've not come across many here supplementing thymus.

Thanks for catching that Tara. I meant Standard Process' Thytrophin PMG.

 

[PeatInspired]

I use the american biologics glandular thyroid: American Biologics Thyroid Glandular, 90 caps which I like, but I'm considering trying haidut's tyromax next for ease of altering dose.