I’ve heard the story numerous times: fatigue, weight gain, low mood, hair loss, irregular periods but thyroid tests are normal on blood work.
That’s because thyroid testing usually only involves TSH which really only gives a very small look into thyroid function. The truth is that thyroid testing should include a complete set of thyroid labs (TSH, free T3, free T4, and antibodies, and sometimes reverse T3), along with proper interpretation of the results and symptoms experienced by the person. Only then, does it usually tell the whole story about your thyroid health.
In my practice, if my patient’s symptoms are highly suggestive of a thyroid condition, I will recommend the entire thyroid panel. From there, depending on results and symptoms, we will work on optimizing thyroid function.
Natural desiccated thyroid is something I prescribe in patients who have under functioning thyroid glands (hypothyroidism). It is considered a more natural form of thyroid medication and is sourced from porcine (pig) thyroid gland. The difference between desiccated thyroid and Synthroid is that the synthetic version contains only one hormone, T4 whereas desiccated thyroid contains the full spectrum of thyroid hormones, including T3.
I have a very different approach to restoring thyroid health. I appreciate the interconnectedness of thyroid hormones to female sex hormones and our adrenal glands and when one system goes out of balance so do others. This is why I usually support healthy hormone balance and adrenal glands when working on optimizing thyroid health.