In 2015, the hypothyroid drug Synthroid by AbbVie was the most prescribed drug in the United States with 21.6 million prescriptions in a 12-month span.[1] Synthroid is a common brand name of levothyroxine, a synthetic (manufactured in a lab) form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4). Levothyroxine was first made in 1927. Common brand names include Eltroxin, Euthyrox, Letrox, Levaxin, Lévothyrox, L-thyroxine, Thyrax, and Thyrax Duotab in Europe; Thyrox, Thyronorm in South Asia; Unithroid, Levothyroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, and Tirosint in North and South America; and Thyrin and Thyrolar in Bangladesh. There are also numerous generic versions.[2]

If these medications worked for every patient, do you really think there would be over one million hypothyroidism patients following the Hypothyroid Mom Facebook page?

The T4 thyroid hormone found in levothyroxine medications must be converted into T3, the potent form that enters every cell in the body and makes the cells of the body function normally. Unfortunately, many individuals are unable to successfully convert T4 into T3 in their bodies, so the patient’s symptoms remain.

Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) is made from the thyroid glands of pigs, which produce thyroid hormones biologically similar to that found in humans. It contains all four thyroid hormones that our bodies make – T4, T3, T2, and T1. Natural desiccated thyroid (brands like Armour, NP Thyroid, and Canada’s “Thyroid” by ERFA) are not commonly prescribed by mainstream doctors and few patients even know they exist. Despite patients reporting improvement in their symptoms, NDT continues to be a challenge to obtain. I’ve heard from countless Hypothyroid Mom readers facing challenges when discussing NDT with closed-minded physicians who insist that synthetic T4-only medications are the only option.

I’m asked all the time, “What is the best thyroid medication for hypothyroidism?” I wish there was one simple answer. The truth is the answer is individual. Each person’s body reacts to the different thyroid hormone replacement medication types and brands differently. What may be the perfect treatment for one person may not be for another. That’s part of the reason why thyroid treatment is so complex.

What I do know? I would be a very ill woman today if I had not found an open-minded doctor willing to explore all the thyroid treatment options to find what was right for ME. I’m feeling fabulous on NDT after years of struggling on T4-only medications.

This groundbreaking study is critical for hypothyroidism patients. We now have research to help back us in our discussions with doctors about thyroid treatment options. [Read more…]