Are supplements such as Thyroid Care Plus helpful for hypothyroidism? Can supplements worsen thyroid function? And what is nascent iodine?

Hi Catt21948, I have had hypothyroidism since 1998. I started taking Quercetin about five years ago without any negative affect on my thyroid levels. I am still on thyroid replacement hormone, but my levels have remained stable throughout this time. I would hate to stop taking Quercetin, too, as I feel so much better on it. Just wanted to share my experience.

Good for you! I have been taking Armour thyroid for about 22 years and my hormone panels have remained stable. My Reverse T3 can become high when I am under great stress.

Sandra, I responded to you way down at the bottom, and then I realized I should have commented here. Try applying for a formulary exception through your Medicare prescription drug plan. Call your prescription drug plan and ask them about the steps you need to take. Then ask your Dr's office to follow up. They will need to explain the other types of thyroid that you were on, that didn't work.

Good luck! Madeline

I had the same experience and have been on Armour for years - no complaints.

Ditto here. I've been on Armour since 2002. I felt great within two weeks of starting it. I took levothyroxine from 1991 until I started armour. It worked for a few years but then symptoms returned. Three different endo specialists would not increase the dose. I was so fed up and feeling bad I finally found a doctor prescribing armour and never looked back!

I have taken armour since 1995. I am 70 years female and have great bone quality and density.

I am euthyroid, having had thyroid removed in 2002. I tried many forms and brands of levothyroxine and nothing would stabilize a functional level of thyroid hormone. My wonderful and trusted endocrinologist and I finally settled on Armour thyroid and it works perfectly. I have been monitored with good lab testing and it is steady. I have encountered refusal to cover it by my drug plan, so I just pay for it myself, and I am now leaving that drug plan.

Have you found a drug plan that covers Armour ?

I've tried a few and none so far will cover it. 100.00 a wack.

Hi Palline, Please see my comment above to Sandra. Consider applying for a Formulary exception through your medicare prescription Drug plan.
Good luck! Madeline

Yes, NP Thyroid skyrocketed in price.

My first doctors would only prescribe levothroxine even though I still felt terrible. I could barely stay awake for the whole day. I finally found an endocrinologist who listened to me. He switched me over to Armour thyroid and after only two weeks, it was as if I was finally awake again.

My insurance company does not pay for it (Thanks, Blue Cross) so I gladly pay for it out of pocket.

Thank you. My sister in law, an endocrinologist, would agree it has a place in treatment for the same reason you explained: some of us do not convert T4 to T3. She would also agree with your implied frustration that the doctor would only regard the TSH value rather than have the clinical symptoms be important to diagnosis and treatment.

Yes! And the reason is that Armour provides both T4 (like levothyroxine does) and T3, the active form of thyroid. Many of us don't convert T4 to T3, so we need to supplement.

Another option is to take liothyronine (T3) in addition to levothyroxine (T4).

After many years on Amour, my doctor switched me to levo + lio, and it's working better for me than Armour did.

Same!

After going through years, yes, literally years of Dr. visits with symptoms of exhaustion, fatigue, general malaise, etc. And my Dr. telling me I was just doing to much, or maybe I was perimenopausal, or was I depressed?....... I came to his office feeling really bad and he was out of town on vacation and I saw his clinical partner. She examined me, and asked if I minded if she ran some tests, YES! Please do! The next day she called me and asked that I come to her office immediately. So, I did. She met me at the door with a pill and asked me to take it. I did. My TSH test had come back with a level of 128!!!!! I was close to going into thyroid storm. No wonder I had felt like poop. I was found to have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I was raised to work hard, don't make excuses, and always do your best. These are good traits, but, remember that applies to healthy people. When you are sick, stop and take care of yourself! I let others make me feel like I was a slacker. I wasn't. Listen to your heart ladies. I knew something was very wrong, but couldn't get my initial Dr. to listen. All I can say is thank the Lord he went on vacation! I did all treatments as prescribed for the next two years with little relief from symptoms as a whole, then I talked the endocrinologist into letting me try Armour Thyroid. I finally began to get relief. I had greatly increased cognitive function and memory capacity after a few months of use and general increased feeling of well being. Later I took Nature Throid and that worked even better. Sadly, that is no longer available. Man, that made me cry! So now I am back on Armour. I wish all of you well on your journey to better health. It is at times like walking in a fog bank! No one knows squat about autoimmune issues.

Thanks for the article. I haven’t seen similar info about supplements interfering with thyroid metabolism anywhere else.

Absolutely agree that Armour provides a good balance of T3 and T4 that helps many manage their hypothyroidism more effectively that T4 alone.

In some cases, only generic Synthroid is covered. I have never had coverage.

AMEN!

Amen again!

I guess it depends on how you feel and what how your testing is like. Having Hashimoto's is very frustrating, So many things are affected by it, I generally stick to a few brazil nuts now and then, vit d, zinc a few times a week. Trying black seed oil at the moment. Haven't tested yet, but it sure does bring my morning blood glucose readings to within range. Also was told I was pre diabetic.

I personally saw a marginal TSH value of about 4 become 8+ when I took large amounts of ALA.

hi mark, i wonder the same thing. i was taking a generous amount of resveratrol, milk thistle and quercetin. i also ate a large amount of cruciferous vegetables . i ended up with a goiter. anyone else with similar experiences. God bless you all!!!

Amen to this. My doctor switched me to Armour 6 years ago. I’ve had consistently normal labs and felt better ever since.

I agree& would love to have Armour get FDA approval. Not only would that allow for insurance to cover this drug, it would allow for ongoing regulation.

Totally agree!

I've been taking desiccated thyroid for 20 years for Hashimoto's and it works very well. I've only had to increase my dosage slightly once in that time period. I've also taken quercetin for about 10 years (it keeps me at very manageable levels with my allergies). Doesn't seem to affect my thyroid at all.

Ditto! I've been on it for since I was 10, have great lab results and no issues related to Armour Thyroid.

Here is the American Thyroid Association's website summary of 2013 research regarding comparable efficacy and higher patient satisfaction with desiccated thyroid, from the March 2013 issue of "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism":

"SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
This was a study of 70 patients with hypothyroidism who were treated with either desiccated thyroid extract or levothyroxine for 12 weeks followed by a switch to the other option for another 16 weeks. The participants were “blinded” during both phases – they did not know the type of pill they received. After each treatment period patients were weighed, had blood tests, underwent psychometric testing and were asked which therapy they preferred. The researchers report that 49% of the patients preferred desiccated thyroid extract, 19% preferred levothyroxine and 23% had no preference. Desiccated thyroid extract use was also associated with more weight loss. There was no difference in the psychometric testing or in any symptoms. Both types of thyroid hormone were able to normalize the abnormal thyroid blood tests."

Research from last year indicated the same regarding efficacy and preference for desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) vs levothyroxine (LT4), from the Nov. 2021 issue of "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism:

Conclusions: As a group, outcomes were similar among hypothyroid patients taking DTE vs LT4 + T3 vs LT4. However, those patients that were most symptomatic on LT4 preferred and responded positively to therapy with LT4 + LT3 or DTE.

Rebecca22701, same thing happened to me! I started on Armour, did very well, and with a job move, was changed to Synthroid, who believes in “one size fits all” lab values. I wound up in the hospital, after another M.D. suddenly cut that dosage by ¼. My hair came out by the handsful, my skin got very dry, I actually experienced a lone SVT and wound up in the hospital, where they tried to make me get a pacemaker! (It was confirmed by an electrophysiologist that I was fine). I went back to my old doctor, back on Armour, and I am well!

I also agree that Armour saved my life. I was a mess when I was on Synthroid and it wasn't until I switched to armour thyroid that I felt normal again and my weight stabilized.

So grateful to see these comments! Thank you!

AMEN!

Armour works for me for 10 + years when Synthroid made me feel sick.

As a RN, I can say that natural desiccated thyroid such as Amour and Thyroid NP have been life changing for many patients. Unfortunately much of the evidence supporting its use is anecdotal.

I have been on Armour Thyroid for 21 years and have had no problems.

I tried Levothyroxine after over 35 years of taking Armour/NP when insurance declined to cover it. Levothyroxine threw my system into chaos. I could not tolerate at all. All my autoimmune diseases flared up. Switched back and all autoimmunes went into remission.

I WAS on Synthroid but my hair fell out in heaps daily and I had balding on the sides of my head like men do but I'm female. Doctor put me on Armour Thyroid and the hair loss ended almost immediately. Shocked, elated, thrilled. Armour rocks my world:)

I just got put on armour 10 wks ago and my hair has started falling out, one bald spot thus far, eyelashes falling out, I'm getting scared, was in levothyroxine for 25 yrs, nothing like this, you seem to love it, still okay with it?

Synthroid is not pure levothyroxine. There are inactive ingredients, including acacia and lactose.

I have a family member who has Hashimoto's and must be on medication for the rest of their life. She started with Synthroid but that aggravated everything. Her Doctor suspected she was not converting T4 to T3 and therefore was not receiving a balance of T3. When put on Armour (which has T3 as well as T4) everything totally changed for the better.

I agree that there are also those out there that are deficient in iodine. I had a 53 (Quest range 52-109) on the iodine serum test. I have used sea salt for decades and I do not care for seaweeds or seafood, so I must supplement. As far as Nascent Iodine is concerned, I use the Heritage Store brand and the iodine is from North Atlantic Kelp. One drop equals 246 mcg.

Not so. Over the last 20 years food makers have stopped putting iodine in many salts and substituted bromine for iodine in baked goods. Iodine deficiency is now emerging again.

I mean substituted bromine for iodine. In fact, the Mediterranean salt I've bought clearly states 'this product does not contain iodide, a necessary nutrient." I can remember when all Morton salt was iodized. Not so today, must look for it.

And if you are gluten free you don't eat much grain to start with.