Allen had fatigue, brain fog and cold hands. Denise took a preventative approach to her health. Dr. Steven Hotze explains how our hormones decline as we age, and by replenishing them with bioidentical hormones we can restore our health and energy. Now Allen and Denise have so much energy that they run marathons around the world!
Category Archives: Natural Desiccated Thyroid
Natural Desiccated Thyroid 101
The following Q & As are posted with permission from Stop The Thyroid Madness – Natural Thyroid 101 http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101/
How long has Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) been around?
It’s been used by patients for over 110 years, as reported in old medical journals. For interesting information on its history & details on the product itself, see the revised STTM book, Chapter 2.
What’s the big deal about natural desiccated thyroid (NDT)?
Unlike T4-only meds (Synthroid, Levoxyl, generic levothyroxine, Eltroxin, Oroxine, Levothyroid, Levaxin or Euthyrox, etc)…desiccated thyroid is natural and gives you exactly what your own thyroid would be giving you: T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. Chapter One of the revised STTM book details what each of these hormones are. Patients who’ve tried T4-only, or even the two synthetics (T4 and T3) or even straight T3, have reported far better results with NDT. It’s a smoother treatment, removes lingering symptoms, improves your immune system (which helps Hashimotos), allows many to wean off anti-depressants, statins, BP meds and more, gives you your life back, stops you from falling into low cortisol/sluggish HPA [Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis] function ( (which SO many patients end up with because of the inadequacy of T4-only) and could be far better for your immune system if you’ve ever had thyroid cancer (because of the direct T3 within NDT).
Are there any beneficial supplements that I can take with desiccated thyroid?
Many patients take a Selenium tablet with their thyroid meds, which assists the T4 to T3 conversion. L-Tyrosine helps some patients, too. Zinc and Vit. C may play a role. Your need for B-vitamins will increase as you improve your energy levels. Some patients benefit from iodine supplementation. Optimizing your Vit. D levels can be important. Minerals are also important. Chapter 15 in the revised STTM book has great information on supplements and good foods!
Support for the use of Armour Thyroid or Naturethroid
Support for the use of Armour Thyroid or Naturethroid
When to Prescribe Thyroid Hormone Combo? Dr. Michael T. McDermott, a professor of medicine and clinical pharmacology, and director of endocrinology and diabetes practice at the University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora gave his expert opinion at an update on internal medicine sponsored by University of Colorado: “Adding T3 or liothyronine is a reasonable treatment strategy when symptoms of hypothyroidism persist on optimal levothyroxine or T4 alone.” However, he said it should belong on the bottom of the management plan for the difficult thyroid patient only after coexisting autoimmune disease (like Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, systemic lupus erythematosus and Addison’s disease) and other medical illnesses are ruled out.
Five published studies demonstrate that many patients experience lingering fatigue, memory problems, and other symptoms despite while on T4 and while their TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is in the target range of .5-2.0 mU/L.
He often measures a vitamin D level in his difficult cases of hypothyroidism because vitamin D deficiency is a common cause of fatigue. He also encourages his difficult patients to eat a well balanced diet and get regular exercise. He also refers them for treatment of depression. Only after doing all of the above does he add T3.
LT4/LT3 therapy is controversial. The first ever randomized clinical trial was positive (N.England J.Med. 1999;340:424-9), meaning patients did better on it than LT4 alone, however, may studies that followed after showed no benefit. So the book was closed, and doctors were not prescribing the combination therapy.
But a recent study demonstrated that patients who had a certain genetic polymorphism (16%) had impaired conversion of T4 to T3, and significantly benefitted from the combination therapy. (J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2009;94:1623-9). His explanation for the previous studies failing to show benefit with combination therapy is that if about 16% have the genetic polymorphism, than the number of patients studied was not enough to detect enough patients that would benefit.
The combination he uses is 10-14:1 ratio of LT4:LT3. He has his patients take the LT3 twice daily before 6pm on the second dose to avoid sleep issues.
He even switches to another brand of LT4 if all other options have failed since some forms of LT4 have dyes and fillers to which the patient can react to. Tirosint is a form of Levothyroxine sodium LT4 FDA approved that has no fillers or dyes.
My Opinion: I use Bioidentical Hormone Combo first
I prescribe a lot of armor or nature-thyroid to my patients because it is bioidentical and has the combination of T4 and T3. To be clear, not only do I use the combo described above, in the first place, but the combo is the bioidentical form T3/T4 and not the synthetic LT3 and LT4. Most of my patients, but not all, feel much better on this bioidentical combination, and that would be more than 16% of them.There are some patients that do not tolerate the natural thyroid hormone and thus require a compounded form of LT4/LT3. Hence, I will prescribe this for them in a 12:1 ratio which is precisely what Dr. McDermott does. In addition, I check most of my patients for Hashimoto’s, celiac, and vitamin D. I also identify a lot of low thyroid in patients whose blood work does not suggest they have it, but all of their clinical symptoms do. Once I prescribe them thyroid hormone, most of them feel so much better. It is one of my most successful therapies for adult patients.
In conclusion, I do not put the use of combination T4/T3 therapy low on my list, rather it is the highest with major benefit to my patients. Patients who continue to feel tired despite adequate thyroid hormone therapy then need to have their other hormones checked like adrenal function, growth hormone, aldosterone, and sex hormones. They should also consider complete nutritional panels as well as testing for toxins and parasites like candida. You may consider this approach as a Functional Medicine or Integrative Medicine approach.
http://www.drhirani.com/featured/bioidentical-thyroid-hormone-support-for-use-of-naturethroid/
This article is reproduced, with her permission, from the website of Dr Karima Hirani. http://www.drhirani.com/
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Letters to the press: Let consumers make the choice
Let consumers make the choice, 8 May 2014, Catherine Cook
This letter again discusses the enormous benefits experienced by a patient using bioidentical and natural desiccated thyroid hormones. The letter was edited before publication, removing the references to the failure of osteoporosis drugs and the description of the writer’s integrative practitioner in Singapore. The writer has allowed us to post the original below.
| Please give us back our bio-identical hormones
Dear Editor Like many others, I am extremely upset that I can no longer receive my bio-identical thyroid and other hormone treatment in Singapore. I have been hypothyroid for 20 years. I took synthetic thyroxine initially but never felt well. I was thus delighted to find, in Singapore, as in other developed countries, a Western medical doctor practicing integrative, functional medicine, to prescribe desiccated thyroid and do the necessary regular tests and resultant dosage adjustments. This treatment provides not only the T4 hormone that synthetic drugs provide, but also all other compounds produced by the thyroid, which some people cannot produce from T4. It was the only treatment some years ago, and is still frequently used in the USA, UK, Europe and Australia. To alleviate menopause symptoms I took synthetic estrogen but suffered more. I am particularly concerned about osteoporosis but, wary of side effects, I refused to take drugs for osteoporosis. My “intuition” proved correct. US drug companies have recently had to make huge payouts to compensate for some serious consequences of these. After much research, I decided to take natural progesterone, getting my supplies from overseas without medical supervision but feeling much better. When the first compounding pharmacy opened in Singapore I benefitted immensely from being medically supervised with a prescription finely tuned for my body, and adapted for my body at different times, if circumstances changed. As I understand it, unlike synthetic hormones, bio-identical hormones have exactly the same composition as those produced by the body and are a perfect fit for cell receptors. This treatment has been wonderful. My health, and consequently my quality of life, has been excellent with no side effects. The argument is that “there is no scientific evidence” for bio-identical hormones. Obviously, since they are natural and cannot be patented, money will not be spent on research, while drug companies try to suppress this increasingly widely used treatment. There was “science” behind the much touted drugs for osteoporosis but taking them has proved disastrous for many. Can we not look instead at the results of treatment, at the way patients feel? Yes, bio-identical hormones carry some risks but so does every single drug. Please let me choose which risks to take. I will now have to get my treatment overseas, at huge inconvenience and cost. I beg the MoH to give us back our treatment of choice. Regards Catherine Cook (Ms)
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Testimonial – Natural Thyroid Treatment for Hashimoto’s
Ministry of Health
Singapore
To Whom it May Concern,
It has come to my attention that there are concerns within the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) over the use of desiccated pig thyroid. I am writing to convey my despair and frustration that the MOH does not seem open to allowing a patient to determine their own health choices, especially when my doctor provides an invaluable, scientifically founded and results-driven service.
I came to know about my doctor after being diagnosed with an auto-immune condition, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. The specialist I was seeing upon my diagnosis could offer no explanation for my condition, nor offer any advice on how to improve my symptoms, other than by taking the prescribed T4 based medication. Out of frustration, I educated myself about my condition and looked for a doctor who would consider all my symptoms in a holistic way.
My doctor guided me on my learning journey to make sure I was in control of my own health choices. However, he would always recommend that I made changes slowly, determine what was working and what was not, as well as providing good reasons for not following a particular form of treatment. Through his guidance I have improved my knowledge of my condition and most importantly improved my symptoms and health markers.
Before making lifestyle changes I was taking Nexium for reflux related issues, T4 for Hashimoto’s and was well on the way to needing a statin because of increasing blood cholesterol levels. After adopting the paleo lifestyle and changing to desiccated pig thyroid I no longer need Nexium and my cholesterol continues to fall from very high levels. Not only am I taking less drugs, but my symptoms of itchy scalp, itchy shins, weight gain, light headiness and others have practically disappeared. This was most definitely not the case when taking conventional medication.
I believe strongly enough in the services my doctor provides to recommend him to two friends that I’ve met through an auto-immune support group. Both of whom have provided positive feedback on their interaction with my doctor as they begin to address their own health issues.
I wish to continue having my doctor’s services available in Singapore to monitor and guide my journey to a healthier life through the use of appropriate lifestyle changes and supplements required for complex, chronic conditions, such as mine. If the MOH sees fit to discontinue my doctor’s ability to provide the treatment that I require then I will have no other choice but to find another holistic/integrated medicine practitioner overseas.
I am happy to provide more detail on just how effective the changes that my doctor made to my treatment have impacted my health and upon request will be happy to release my medical records as proof of such treatment.
Yours faithfully,
Blair Layton.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Under Threat in Singapore
This Hormone Choice Singapore (HCS) Website has been set up by a group of concerned patients in response to a recent communication from the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) to Licensees/Managers of all clinics disallowing the provision of nonvidence based treatment in licensed healthcare institutions.
Letter 15 April 2014. Provision of non-evidence based treatment in licenced healthcare institutions
The letter calls attention to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which we take to include natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) medication, but does not specify other forms of treatment that may be impacted by this decision.
This announcement and previous investigations by the MOH have created a great deal of uncertainty amongst doctors, patients and pharmacies about whether they can continue to use existing treatments that show considerable benefits for patients.
As a result of this uncertainty, a number of patients who could be impacted by any restriction in the use of BHRT and NDT treatment have come together to form HCS. We aim to try to find out what MOH’s letter actually means and hopefully, by showing the support for and benefits of the treatment worldwide, to convince the MOH not to remove access to the bioidentical hormone and natural thyroid treatments that we know work for us and so many people around the world like us whose symptoms are not relieved by synthetic drugs or who do not want to take synthetic drugs to relieve their symptoms.
Since all the bioidentical and desiccated thyroid hormones in Singapore are prescribed based on rigorous testing both of patients’ blood hormone levels and of the products themselves and since the treatment is endorsed by many well-known experts in other countries, following various studies, we believe there is sufficient “evidence” for their continued use. We feel much of the information on this site is extremely convincing, as is our own experience taking bioidentical hormones or desiccated thyroid, or both.
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