Medical Treatment for Thyroid ProblemsYour doctor or endocrinologist can administer medications such as synthetic forms of T4 (Synthroid, Levothroid, Levothyroxine), which usually need to be taken for life. Innovative treatments for hypothyroidism
Armour Thyroid This is a prescription medicine that is derived from the thyroid gland of the pig. It contains T4 and T3, and most closely resembles natural human thyroid hormone. Thyroid extract is available by prescription from compounding chemists. It should not be used without professional advice. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine described a study in which patients with hypothyroidism showed greater improvements in mood and brain function if they received treatment with Armour thyroid rather than thyroxine. The authors also detected biochemical evidence that thyroid hormone action was greater after treatment with Armour thyroid (Bunevicius et al. 1999). Dehydroepiandrosterpone (DHEA) DHEA, a hormone that enhances metabolic function, may also be deficient in people with hypothyroidism. DHEA can be tested via blood or saliva. The following have been shown to improve your DHEA levels:
Thyroxine may not be enough A hormone supplement is the standard medical treatment for an under active thyroid. Some hormone medications, however, are better than others. This is because many people do not respond well to T4 (thyroxin) alone. Thyroxin does normalise blood tests, but it cannot relieve low thyroid symptoms until it has been converted to T3, the active hormone. Failure to make this conversion is common. Selenium, Zinc vitamin B6 and other co-factors are required for conversion of T4 into ‘active’ T3.
Return to the Natural Hormone Health Home Page
|
