natural Thyroid supplement

DianaSophie · 08-03-2004, 09:51 AM

HI,

I have an underactive thyroid as well as PCOS.

I have discovered a natural thyroid supplement called 'Thyodine' produced by www.greenwillowtree.com and it seems to have worked well for many. Just thought I'd tell you about it. I have only just started taking it today, so fingers crossed it'll help me. Has anyone come across this before?

Does anyone know if you have an underactive thyroid - is that th way is stays forever, or does it change sometimes?

I am avoiding having to take Thyroxine due to the risk of bones / calcium depletion.

Diana :-)

shenacat · 08-04-2004, 06:32 AM

Someone has scared you in a bad way and I am sorry for it.

Thyroid replacement hormone is the healthiest thing you can do for yourself if you are hypothyroid. There is no risk of bone depletion as long as your levels are good, which is as easy as a blood test once in a while and an eye to your own body's symptoms.

You would have to be on TOO MUCH thyroxine for a LONG PERIOD OF TIME in order to lose bone mass.

But having an underactive thyroid and not treating it properly will do much worse things to you than losing bone mass. You risk your heart (high cholesterol and heart disease), your sight, your hearing, your bones and joints and muscles (hypothyroidism kills fast-twitch muscle fibers), and much much more. Not in the least is that hypothyroidism worsens insulin resistance, making PCOS symptoms worse and speeding your way to diabetes.

Please, please be monitored by a doctor, have your levels tested and try to optimise them. If you want to go on natural supplementation, try Armour thyroid. It is dessicated pig thyroid and contains all the elements of a functioning thyroid, unlike Synthroid or Levoxyl which are T4 (thyroxine) only. There is also bio-thyroid as an alternative natural thyroid source.

DoorInward · 08-04-2004, 06:27 PM

Diane

I think you are confusing Thyroid replacement with something else--with thyroid hormone replacement, there is no detrimental effect on bones, etc. It is important if your thyroid is underactive that you DO get thyroid hormone in order to maintain proper nervous function and bone mass.

If this supplement to which you refer is iodine based or kelp, it is the worst thing to take if you happen to have an autoimmune form like Hashimoto's. Be careful with supplements.

nobimbo · 08-04-2004, 08:36 PM

The FDA regulates how much of any hormone is in any type of prescription med. There is no measurable amount of thyroid hormone in any OTC product. What I have read about non prescription thyroid meds is that they stimulate the thyroid to produce the hormones (unlike prescription meds, which actually add the hormones).Some people use these thyroid supplements because it is a way to attempt to reactivate the thyroid gland or to support good thyroid function. However, you do NOT want to try and "stimulate" your thyroid gland if you have autoimmune hypothyroid (Hashi's); you would end up raising your antibodies...
not a good situation.

The product you are talking about contains iodine.....if you have antibodies to your thyroid (you can get that tested) than the iodine would throw you INTO hypothyroidism, not "stimulate" the gland.

There is a blurb in the contraindications on the link you posted for this product about this:

Contraindications: If you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, please consult your practitioner before using Thyodine. (Some people with Hashimoto's, especially if it is mild, are helped by Thyodine. In other cases, Thyodine might aggravate the condition, due to the fact that it may stimulate the thyroid gland.)

Diana, have you actually had all the necessary tests and a diagnosis of hypothyroidism? If not, and you do start messing with OTC thyroid products, you can end up doing more harm than good. There are some natural ways to support the thyroid that wouldn't put you at risk (avoiding soy, cruciferous veggies, taking selenium, to name a few), but if you are diagnosed with a thyroid disorder and are not taking thyroid replacement meds, you may be risking your health.

Linda

DianaSophie · 08-05-2004, 06:35 AM

Thank you for replying... :-)

Shenacat -
are there any links / info where I can find out more about bio-thyroid? I'd really like to stick to the natural route if poss.

Doorinward -
1. i have been told by docs. that Thyroxine inhibits calcium absorbtion; this inevitably increases chances of osteoporosis... but as you say, if the levels are monitired then it shouldn't be too bad?

2. it looks like you are not taking any medications of any sort - did you really clear everything up through proper diet ONLY?? if so - how amazing!!

Linda -
thanks for your advice... you're right, I will wait for further tests and to check if I have Hashimoto's. I'll stop taking Thyodine for now just in case. Would you mind telling about your experiences with underactive thyroid & pcos? did one affect the other?

Thanks to you all

xxxx

DoorInward · 08-05-2004, 12:39 PM

Diana: on the contrary, I take both metformin ER-1500 mg -and Levoxyl (thyroid hormone replacement) 225mcg and I am about to stop taking metformin because it really doesn't do much for me--a boost of sorts at best. (It is my opinion/experience that eating right can resolve most of the issues around PCOS for most women who have it, but thyroid disease is another bird entirely.)

Thank you for pointing out that my signature read that way--I started editing it yesterday and then had to stop to take care of my kids. (That was just where I had stopped for the day--until yesterday, there was a full list of meds and supplements in my signature.)

This is the first time I have heard of a doctor advising a patient not to get thyroid replacement that she needs in order to keep her from developing osteoporosis. If I were you I would most definitely get a second opinion. I am aware of no scientific studies linking levothyroxine use to euthyroid levels and bone loss/mineral loss of any sort. (There are studies linking excessive use of levothyroxine to bone loss) In my opinion it is far more important for bone health and overall health to get thyroid hormone replacement if you need it.

DianaSophie · 08-05-2004, 01:29 PM

Dear Doorinward,

Thanks for your advice... perhaps if I helped the thyroid issue first, it might help me lose a little weight, and in turn help control some of the PCOS symptoms....?

From what you write you imply that thyroid hormone can HELP bone health? I wonder what you mean, since all I've heard about is how it depletes calcium absorbtion (if used excessively)

I wonder if you know much about the different types of thyroid replacement... I'm really trying to stick to natural means and have read that Armour is natural... if you have any opinions please share them with me...

i appreciate your time

many thanks

xx

DoorInward · 08-05-2004, 02:51 PM

Diane:

I am not an endocrinologist and I am not aware of thyroid hormone having any direct/indirect effect on bone health, but I do know that enough years with insufficient thyroid hormone in your body can lead to major deterioration...whether that is indirectly or directly related to thyroid hormone I have no idea.

I am mixed on the issue of Armour. (Armour is "natural" only in that it is derived from dessicated pig thyroid.) While on the one hand armour does contain a small dose of T3 (as well as T2, etc., which no one has much knowledge about yet) and many women swear by it, some of us just can't take it without accelerating Hashimoto's or destabalizing completely. This happened to me and my endo told me that she has had to treat a LOT of men and women for problems that can be attributed to use of armour (she mentioned to me before I "fired" her that she is about to publish a paper about armour triggering a sharp increase in antibodies in many patients even while the rest of their thyroid levels were acceptable). There are many websites right now that have a strong pro-armour bias, but I would caution you to keep your wits about you if you should decide to take it. Maybe you are one of the lucky women for whom it works, eh?

Good luck.

shenacat · 08-05-2004, 03:33 PM

I take armour and it works great. T3 is a serious necessity for many people with thyroid disease, it is now being theorized that Hashimoto's comes with a reduced ability to convert T4 to T3, which means those with Hashimoto's would do better on a combination T4+T3 regimen.

DoorInward- it is not the T3 in armour that is being blamed for the worsening of antibodies in some cases, it is the theory that our body will react to natural supplemental hormone the same way it does our own. This may be the case in some patients, but it hasn't been my experience.

Thyroid disease affects every system of the body when untreated. The thyroid gland makes the hormone calcitonin, which is involved in calcium metabolism and stimulating bone cells to add calcium to bone. I don't think when you are taking synthetic medication that there is calcitonin involved. I am iffy on whether calcitonin is in natural medication (like armour)... but if your thyroid gland is not working, or has been removed, you obviously are at higher risk for osteoperosis simply because of the lack of proper calcitonin levels.

DoorInward · 08-05-2004, 06:16 PM

Shena:

I think you misread--I didn't even suggest that the T3 in armour caused the antibodies in Hashi's patients to rise. I just mentioned that my former endo is about to publish a study indicating that most patients with Hashis who have been on it under her supervision experienced a sharp rise in antibodies--even those who thought that they were doing better because they were feeling good for a change.

I am neither anti nor pro armour...different strokes for different folks, I just can't take it myself because it makes me sicker.