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