Does T3 thin bones?

[Hypopotamus]

I expect some of you have been discouraged from taking T3 by doctors telling you that it can thin your bones (and increase the risk of a heart attack).

Four years ago, my (NHS) endo wrote to my GP and suggested that because I was taking NDT, that I should have a DEXA scan in a two years time. (I had been taking T3/NDT for around 13 years already!)

Early this year, I had an appointment wi h a GP about another matter, but while I was there, I asked him when I could expect a DEXA scan. He asked me why, and I told him about the letter from the endo. He told me that he didn't have time to look up the letter, and if I had a copy, could I email it to him. I did that as soon as I got got home, but heard nothing at all from the practice.

Last month I made a written complaint to the practice. Not only were they ignoring a letter from a specialist, but they were also not testing me for B12 levels (also requested by a specialist, they had also ignored a request to test my PSA as the prostate cancer specialist had asked them to do.

I was asked to book an appointment for blood to be drawn for the B12 and PSA, but after a couple of weeks they wrote to me saying that my GP had checked the 'test' for patients needing a DEXA scan, and I didn't qualify. I looked at the test on-line, and there was no mention of hypothyroidism, or taking T3, so no wonder I didn't qualify for a scan.

I will discuss this matter with my endo in a couple of weeks, but it has got me wondering if the bit about T3 thinning the bones is valid or not. We all know that 'they' want us all on thyroxine, and will tell us what they like to put us off T3. What do you think?

[diogenes Remembering]

All the published studies alleging a link between T3 and bone thinning/atrial fibrillation are fatally compromised. By this I don't mean high T3 in hyperthyroidism, where it is true that bone thinning can occur. I am referring to taking T3 as therapy either with or without T4 for hypothyroidism. So long as the FT3 in this case doesn't rise above the reference range top limit then that is OK . The problem is that doctors have got mixed up with suppressed TSH in their mistaken opinion promoting bone thinning and its supposed effects on FT3 (which they don't usually measure and therefore cannot know). The reason why all the studies are useless is difficult to explain because it involves a statistical argument but nevertheless it is true and cannot be got around. A paper we have got accepted will come out soon in which an explanation of t his problem is part of the argument. Simply put, you can't do a legitimate study by lumping everyone together.

[jimh111]

This study ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/269... found no increased risk. My view is that liothyronine or any T3 therapy has a higher inherent risk than levothyroxine (we lose the protective mechanism of the deiodinases) but doctors who prescribe liothyronine take more care to monitor their patient's response. A sharp knife is safer than a blunt knife, in the right hands. Keeping fT3 within its reference interval is OK but you have to make sure the blood is drawn roughly half way between doses and there are no signs of over treatment.

Some patients need high doses of liothyronine, presumably to overcome a form of peripheral resistance to thyroid hormone. In these cases you have to balance the risks of high hormone levels against the harm of being hypothyroid and the need to have a life.

Many older studies looked at patients who had high T3 levels arising from thyroid disease. Sometimes this thyroid disease affects the parathyroid glands which control bone structure and so these old studies report an association between high fT3 and bone loss. The bone loss is due to concurrent parathyroid problems not the high fT3 levels.

Also bear in mind that hypothyroidism causes congestive heart disease. Thus patients who need T3 treatment may develop heart problems from hypothyroidism that may be inadequately treated for years.

[Hypopotamus in reply to jimh111]

Thanks for that. I agree that under-treated thyroid problems will have more serious consequences than any side-effects of T3.

[Hidden in reply to Hypopotamus]

I would think that if you became fatigued as a result of not taking T3 and therefore walked less your bones would weaken as a result of not taking T3. I would keep your vitamin D and K2 at good levels. Even if they gave you the scan all they would do is give you some chemicals that might do more harm than good to apparently streghten bones.I am cutting down on medical tests as they are unpleasant and the treatment when they find something often worse than the illness. I am sure they are trying to kill us all off anyway.

[Hypopotamus in reply to Hidden]

And you are quite right too mandyjane. I have actually been quite diligent in taking a calcium supplement that includes vitamins D and K. I also get as much (sensible) exposure to sunlight as I can.And despite my ME, I make sure that I get enough exercise. If it wasn't for the NDT, I wouldn't have been able to get the benefit from that exercise.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I quite agree when I was taking Levo I had to be helped off the floor because my legs wouldn't operate. No walking, yoga or anything else I was just so tired. It has taken me several months to start getting fit again.

[Hidden]

I think that most GP's and Endos are not fit for purpose of course there are exceptions.

I don't worry to much about my heart or bones I feel happy and well and it matters. Just scare mongering perhaps, to put us all on the Levo path.

I take the same combination as you. NDT and T3. I make sure that I stay fit with plenty of organic food and exercise, walking, yoga and weight lifting. I am 71 years old.