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Thyroid health

For women who use natural thyroid hormones — availability and alternate solutions

For many women, taking care of themselves every day involves making sure their thyroid function is stable and supported. If you’re one of the women who has been taking Armour Thyroid or another natural thyroid hormone, you may have noticed limited availability among these products. Women who have chosen Armour Thyroid or similar formulations may have settled on this type of thyroid hormone after trying others, and the inability to acquire their preferred product may be causing concern.

Periodically, Forest Laboratories, the company that makes Armour Thyroid, has been unable to acquire a steady supply of the active ingredient in Armour Thyroid to meet product demand. The company is also thought to have reformulated the product, though the company’s website makes no mention of a new formula. Forest recently announced that a limited supply of the product is currently available in the 60-mg (approx. 1 grain) dosage. The company acknowledges availability issues but says it plans to replenish the range of Armour Thyroid product stock. The company does not specify a date for the full product line to return to market.

There are some reports that the reformulated Armour Thyroid does not perform in the same way as the original product. If you find that is the case for you, you can talk to your practitioner about treatment options and other possible thyroid hormone choices.

What are your options if you can’t get the natural thyroid you prefer?

In general, Armour Thyroid is dispensed through conventional pharmacies. An effective, though little-known, option for getting a natural thyroid hormone medication similar to Armour Thyroid is to use a “compounding pharmacy.” This type of pharmacy takes your prescription recipe and custom-blends a product using the individual ingredients in the proper amounts. This is especially helpful if you already know that a specific formulation works best for you.

Definitions for “natural” and “synthetic” prescription thyroid medications

“Natural” forms:

  • Made from the thyroid glands of pigs
  • Contain both T3 and T4 hormones (which works better for some women)
  • Include Armour Thyroid, Nature-Throid, WestThroid, Thyroid USP*

*USP stands for United States Pharmacopoeia, a non-governmental organization. USP signifies that the manufacturers have prepared the medication according to the organization's specific formulation standards.

Synthetic forms:

  • Completely synthesized in a laboratory
  • Contain only synthetic hormones
  • Brand names: Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Unithroid, Eltroxin, Euthyrox (T4), Cytomel (T3)
  • Generic name: l-thyroxine (levothyroxine sodium)

The Women to Women clinic often sends prescription orders to Apothecary by Design or Northern New England Compounding Pharmacy, and there are other compounding pharmacies throughout the United States (the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board can help you find an accredited pharmacy near you). For providers who are unfamiliar with this process, compounding pharmacies will guide them through the process. For natural thyroid hormone prescriptions, compounding pharmacies can use Thyroid USP, the same base ingredient found in Armour Thyroid. Some compounding pharmacies still have supplies of Armour Thyroid from which they can prepare natural thyroid hormone medication in a range of dosages.

If your practitioner recommends levothyroxine (or one of its brand-name equivalents, such as Synthroid) in place of Armour Thyroid, these readily available and widely prescribed synthetic thyroid hormones are fine to try and many women do well with this option. Because individual results vary, Synthroid doesn’t work for all women. If you already know that’s true for you, or you prefer a natural option, you may want to consider the compounding option.

Whatever your decision — whether you choose to use Synthroid while awaiting the return of Armour Thyroid or a custom-compounded option — you can always support your thyroid gland, adrenal glands, and overall health by following Women to Women’s detailed guidelines. We encourage you to consider providing your body with targeted support that can improve your overall hormone balance, including thyroid hormones. This type of support may help you feel better.

Four steps to consider for supporting thyroid health and overall wellness

1) Learning more about your own thyroid function empowers you to work with your practitioner to tailor a thyroid health regimen that works well for you. You can ask your provider about ordering specific tests that can help isolate your individual thyroid requirements. These tests can help you define more precisely the measures you should take to meet your own unique thyroid needs.

Ask about these thyroid function tests:

  • TSH
  • free T3
  • free T4
  • reverse T3
  • anti-TG antibodies
  • anti-TPO antibodies

If you work with a functional medicine practitioner, you might also consider having your iodine levels tested. Iodine deficiency is more common than most people realize, and it impairs thyroid function.

2) Good nutrition is a key element of thyroid health. Women to Women offers you specific suggestions on eating for thyroid health, along with additional information about how specific foods and nutrients influence thyroid function.

3) Learn about the ways in which adrenal function is linked to healthy thyroid function, and how high cortisol levels — due to stress and adrenal imbalance — can affect the thyroid and overall health. Supporting adrenal health can help women who are experiencing thyroid issues.

4) Consider how fostering hormonal balance can help support physical wellness, along with hormone production and regulation. Even if you have a thyroid condition, balancing your overall hormone picture may help you feel better. Our article on thyroid health in menopause is a good place to start understanding the connection between hormonal balance and thyroid function.

Again, we encourage you to discuss all your options for supporting thyroid health with your practitioner, especially if you have been affected by the availability problems with Armour Thyroid and other natural thyroid hormones. We hope these shortages are quickly resolved, and will continue to provide you with updated information on creating thyroid health.

Our Personal Program is a great place to start

The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements, our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-800-798-7902. We're here to listen and help.

We’re always happy to welcome new patients to our medical clinic in Yarmouth, Maine, for those who can make the trip. Click here for information about making an appointment.

 

Original Publication Date: 11/01/2009
Last Modified: 11/06/2009

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