Desiccated Thyroid Supplements

Desiccated thyroid is mixed beef and pork thyroid glands, dried and powdered for therapeutic use. Pork, or mixed beef and pork, thyroid preparations were developed in the late 1800s, and are still used today to treat hypothyroidism.

This product is sometimes referred to as:

natural thyroid
natural thyroid hormones
pork thyroid
thyroid USP
and thyroid BP

Desiccated thyroid is thyroid hormone derived from pigs' thyroids, usually in pill form. It contains both of the main thyroid hormones T4 and T3, and probably the lesser-known hormones T2 and T1. Its use began in the late 1800s and has continued to the present.

The best known American brand is Armour. Others include Forest Labs' Naturethroid, Westhroid by Western Research Labs/Time Caps, and Qualitest by Time Caps Labs. Canada's desiccated thyroid is made by Erfa and called simply Thyroid. All consist of desiccated porcine thyroid powder, differing only in the binders and fillers.

All brands contain a mixture of thyroid hormones: T4 and T3 in the proportions usually present in pig thyroids (approximately 80% T4 and 20% T3).

Where is Desiccated Thyroid Available

The best-known brand name is Armour, which is sold in the US and imported in some other countries. In Canada, desiccated thyroid known simply as Thyroid is made by Erfa. Most pharmacies in both the US and Canada carry desiccated thyroid medication.

In the UK, only a few pharmacies carry Armour, but other desiccated thyroid products are more widely available. A thread with information about the availability of desiccated thyroid in the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and Norway is online here. Desiccated thyroid is a prescription medication, so patients can choose to take it only if doctors are willing to prescribe it.

Results of Desiccated Thyroid

Some people feel the effects within minutes of taking desiccated thyroid. For others, the effects may take as long as six weeks to be felt.

Regardless of how long it takes to notice the effects, it may still take months to feel normal again. The body needs time to heal from the results of insufficient thyroid hormone.

Synthetic Thyroid Alternatives

Most synthetic medications contain T4 only. Pharmaceutical company representatives typically say that synthetic medications for hypothyroidism are superior to desiccated thyroid. They may say that desiccated thyroid is unstable.

For many patients, synthetic medications are adequate and sometimes preferable, especially when T4 and T3 are taken together. For many other patients, however, synthetic medications didn't or don't relieve all their symptoms, while desiccated thyroid does.

Natural Alternative to Synthroid - Thyax

Thyax is a natural supplement designed to help your thyroid function normally. Thyax can be taken with desiccated thyroid medications to help your thyroid produce thyroxine.

The ingredients in Thyax provide support to your thyroid to help you regain a balance of the many thyroid-related chemical reactions that take place in the body on a daily basis. As a dietary supplement, take two capsules in the morning and two capsules in the evening with 8 ounces of water.

A few active ingredients in Thyax are:

Acetyl L-Tyrosine, L-tyrosine complex - Tyrosine is required for synthesis of thyroid hormones, and deficiency of phenylalanine and L-tyrosine has been associated with hypothyroidism.
Iodine (Kelp) - Iodine is a trace element that is required for thyroid hormone synthesis. Deficiency of iodine causes goiter, thyrotoxicosis and developmental disorders in children.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine HCl), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin),Vitamin B3 (niacin),Vitamin B5 (d-Calcium Pantothenate) - These B vitamins are essential for energy production, mood, nervous system function and wound healing.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCL),Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin),Folic Acid - Required for optimal function of the nervous and immune systems, these B vitamins are useful in reducing levels of homocysteine, a detrimental amino acid associated with heart disease.

For a complete list of ingredients in Thyax Click Here.