What is the advantage of T3?

[laraline]

I have tried Armour for over a year and have not felt any improvement in my energy levels. I was thinking of trying T3 on it’s own? Can someone advise me of the advantages of that or do I need T4 as well?

[greygoose]

T3 on its own is a last resort if all else fails. Most people need some T4, as a back-up if nothing else. How much they need is a very individual thing.

How much NDT are you taking? Nothing will work if you don't take enough. Or, maybe there isn't enough T3 for you in NDT and you need to add a little T3 to it.

T3 is the active hormone, needed by every single cell in your body. T4 is basically a storage hormone that needs to be converted into T3. Not everybody is good a that, which is why they need some T3 in addition to T4. Again, how much T3 they need is a very individual thing. We're all different. But, without seeing your lab results, no-one can tell you anything about what's going on with you.

[laraline in reply to greygoose]

My latest results on Armour were

TSH 0.391

Free T4 19.67

Free T3 7.5

Do these results seem good? I was still so tired! I was on 1.5 grains? Thank you

[Freddyy in reply to laraline]

Your FT3 is bit high, probably you took your medication just before blood test ?

Anyway, the body produces naturally 80% T4 and 20% T3, however most experts recommend 10% T3.. so let’s suppose you take 100 T4, then you can try 10 mcg T3

[laraline in reply to Freddyy]

Thank you!

[greygoose in reply to laraline]

Without the ranges, it's impossible to say. But probably. Can you add the ranges, please, the numbers in brackets after the results?

It that FT3 has the sort of range we normally see on here - although there's no guarantee it is - then your result is over the top of the range. So, in that case, it's very doubtful that T3 only would be of any advantage to you.

[laraline in reply to greygoose]

TSH 0.391 (0.270-4.200)

Free T4 19.67 (12.0-22.0)

Free T3 7.5 (3.1-6.8)

So my free T3 is more than the permitted range what does that mean please?

[greygoose in reply to laraline]

That probably means you are over-medicated. And being over-medicated can make you as tired as being under-medicated. Try dropping your NDT by 1/4 grain.

[laraline in reply to greygoose]

Ok thank you will do that!

[greygoose in reply to laraline]

You're welcome.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Absolutely essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 regularly

Have you had these tested recently?

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

Many of us find Levothyroxine plus T3 is more flexible on minute adjustments required to get optimal dose for you

[laraline in reply to SlowDragon]

Ahh that is interesting. I am more or less gluten free but not strictly I must admit!