Thursday August 5, 2010


Q: What is the difference between available synthetic thyroid hormone replacement and natural thyroid hormone replacement in market?


Answer: Synthetic thyroid hormone contains T4 only and is therefore largely ineffective for patients unable to convert T4 to T3. Also some patients may develop allergy to synthetic thyroid hormone.

Natural thyroid treatments hormones are still available. Armour Thyroid is the most popular brand available and is a natural, porcine-derived thyroid replacement containing both T4 and T3. The ratio of Thyroid T4 to T3 is 4.22:1.

Armour thyroid is available in strengts as grains (1/4, 1/2, 1 grains).

1 grain of Armour is approximately equal to 100 mcg of levothyroxine.