Hi - I have heard about NDT which i believe you have to buy yourself as it's unlikely my GP will prescribe it. There have been many posts by people saying that it made them feel so much better - the brain fog lifted, they lost weight and felt energised. Can anyone tell me - should i take it (I'm on 125mg levo a day). What are the benefits, should it replace levo? Should i tell my doctors? Should i take anything else with it? Can it do you any harm if you take it and you shouldn't really take it? I have so many questions to ask about it!! I have been on levo for years now and on this dose for a while and as with most people i do wonder if it helps at all? I am also taking iodine which i've heard will benefit me? A good medical practitioner please!!
NDT - Should I take it and what are the benefits? - Thyroid UK
NDT - Should I take it and what are the benefits?
Hi Live, Armour Thyroid was the only hormone treatment used for decades before synthetic T4 was developed in the lab. Armour is considered a natural bio identical since it is more similar to what our own thyroid would produce (T4, T3 and more). Still, there are some are do better on synthetics but I would always try natural hormone first.
I used to think iodine might be helpful but if you have hashimoto's, it probably isn't a good idea except for what is contained in your food. It's been controversial.
Keep in mind, that some people don't do well on levo only because they are having side issues because it takes proper levels of iron, especially, and folate and ferritin for it to work well.
I don't see why you couldn't replace your levothyroxine dose with one grain of Armour which I think is equal to 100 T4. But you may need to increase that.
In the UK we had Thyroid BP until (if I remember correctly) the1980s.
Rod
I had difficulty switching from Synthroid to Armour in the 1990's so I guess the naturals fell into disrepute at about the same time.
Thank you Heloise - this information has been really helpful. Many thanks
I have been on NDT for nearly 10 years and I took a low dose then built it up over several weeks, my doctor told me to just substitute the dose, it never works, its too much for the system I feel. If you go down the self medicating route don't take the levo, its only T4 (the storage hormone) drop it completely for about 2 weeks before you start on a low dose of NDT.
Thank you Glynisrose - this information is really helpful
Livelifetothefull, I recommend you visit this site and read around the subject. There are also two books which are very useful
Thank you Hypnoteq. Have gone on this website and its really useful
Glad you found it useful 
The British Thyroid Association have made false statements in their guidelines about NDT. It has been in use for more than 100 years, safely. It comes in grains, i.e. 1 gr equal to approx in effect on 100 levo. Levothyroxine is generic and is synthetic. We did have a Brand in the UK, Eltroxin but that has been discontinued for a while. The fact too levo is much cheaper and if we are not on an optimum dose we may have to take additional prescriptions if levo doesn't relieve all our clinical symptoms, i.e. pain relief, anti-depressants etc.
Some don't do so well on NDT either and I tried about 4 before I found a suitable one. It is trial and error. The fact that NDT is made made from pigs thyroid gland it is more synergistic to the human body that synthetics, particularly as we have to take it for a lifetime. It also contains all of the hormones our bodies require plus calcitonin which I have read helps to prevent osteoporosis.
Dr Lowe requested three times for a response to his Rebuttal but it was ignored.
thyroidscience.com/Criticis...
thank you Shaws for this information and website. It's been really useful
I feel a lot better on NDT (ThyroidS) than I did on Levothyroxine.
I used theThyroid Patient Advocacy dosing advice and slowly swapped from 120/125mcg Levo 2/5 days per week to 1.25 grains of ThyroidS daily. I did it gradually so if it did not suit me I could pull out. It was important for me to split the dose of NDT once I went to up to half a grain. I chop my tablets with a pill cutter.
As mentioned it is important that you address any vitamin deficiencies to ensure best results.
FYI:
The Thyroid Patient Advocacy NDT dosing advice:
Thank you TSH110. This information's been really helpful
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