Synthetic vs. Natural thyroid

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If you cut out the thyroid gland in a pig, freeze dry it, and make it into

pills, then you have what is called natural thyroid pills. Natural thyroid

pills contain T5, T4, T3, T2, and T1 thyroid as well as calcitonin. (T5

thyroid has 5 iodine atoms attached, T4 has three iodine atoms attached,

etc.) T3 is the active hormone that your body needs to function properly.

T4 is more of a storage form of the hormone. The body makes T3 by removing

an iodine molecule from T4. Doctors don’t know the purpose of the other

forms T5, T2, and T1. But it is likely that all forms of the hormone are

important. The other component of natural thyroid, calcitonin, helps keep

your bones strong. The most well known brand of natural thyroid is called

Armour. However, if you are extremely sensitive to additives like corn

sugar, you might have to have your pharmacist make a purer supplement for

you.

There are other types of thyroid supplements too. The best known ones are

Synthroid and Cytomel. Synthroid is a synthetic thyroid medication that

only contains T4 thyroid. Cytomel only contains T3 thyroid. T4 stays in the

body for a relatively long time. Therefore you only have to take one pill

per day, and if you skip a day, it usually isn’t a problem. T3 should be

taken several times per day, and therefore it is not as popular with

doctors. A few pharmacies carry time release T3.