Natural dessicated thyroid anyone?

[siskin]

evidence.nhs.uk/search?q=Na...

Link to September 2014 BNF

[ThyroidThora]

Hi Siskin,

This article makes interesting reading in that they won't sanction NDT as a suitable alternative for Levothyroxine but the research study they mention in the article states that a high percentage that took the NDT had improved health and well being and were losing weight. Where's the logic??? They just won't prescribe it because there haven't been enough research studies into it's efficacy. Perhaps they should conduct a research study to approve or disapprove the evidence out there and put to bed all the speculation. After all, if it works for some people then they should have the choice to decide how they are treated to ensure that they reach optimum health.

The system sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Glynisrose]

This is not evidence, its a cover up!! NDT works well, its just that most doctors think its too expensive!! OR they have been brainwashed into thinking it doesn't work. There are NO 'ethical' reasons it can't be prescribed, its another attack on a reasonable medication. Maybe they should examine levo which has has NO clinical trials to see if it works!!

[JLTsirius]

I SEETHE when I read something like this..........

Answer

Few robust studies of desiccated thyroid have been carried out in the last 10 years. Most data are pre-1980, many studies date from the 1950s to 1970s. These tend to be uncontrolled, open-label studies which compared desiccated thyroid with levothyroxine, not in terms of efficacy and safety but comparative potency, speed and duration of action, and effects on serum lipids; these have not been included in this Q&A.(12-15) It is not clear whether studies comparing levothyroxine alone with levothyroxine/T3 combination can be extrapolated to desiccated thyroid. These studies have not been reviewed because they do not provide information supporting the clinical effectiveness of natural desiccated thyroid.

OF COURSE THERE ARE NO STUDIES - THE BIG PHARMAS WHO CREATED SYNTHETIC THYROID MEDICATION WOULD RUN A MILE FROM FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING ANY STUDIES, THEY CANNOT PATENT A PIGS THYROID...... NO MONEY IN IT FOR THEM....

I have been on NDT for 4 years. I also use Iodine. There is very sound advice and opinion out there if you delve deeper about NDT. I self treat, my GP knows this and actually agrees with what I am doing. Her words "you would not fall in our category of 'blood test ranges' being Hypothyroid, I know you are, but we would not treat you - you would just suffer. Even if we did treat you it would be Thyroxine, But that's only 1 hormone I said.... Yes said she, it's a ridiculous situation. .....

[teacherspet]

What about all decades when NDT was the only form of treatment available......... this should have been taken into account rather than insisting on drug trials.

The fact that research is conducted over a short period doesn't even come close to long term use (how many of us waited months and months for an improvement) and 16 weeks of one then a switch to the other doesn't really give a true picture of what is happening.

[SophieBella]

Could anyone advise regarding NDT. If I wish to buy some how do I go about it. Do I have to see my GP, pay for a private prescription each time and submit by post and wait?