Nature-Throid Shortage - When Will it Be Back?

Nature-Throid Shortage – When Will it Be Back?

The Nature-Throid Shortage Explained

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As a thyroid patient, you are probably accustomed to stock issues when it comes to thyroid medication. 

In the last year alone we’ve seen several recalls for various brands of NDT which have negatively impacted the stock and availability of these medications. 

These recalls and issues have trickled downstream to thyroid patients who are now experiencing a return of many of their symptoms when they were previously controlled. 

In addition, we’ve also seen many people who have issues when these medications come back in stock due to changes in the formulation. 

I do my best to keep thyroid patients informed and provide them with alternatives when certain thyroid medications go out of stock which is why we are talking about Nature-Throid today. 

I’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about Nature-Throid and whether or not it is available. 

At this time of this writing, Nature-Throid is out of stock and is not currently being produced or manufactured.

That means if you were previously taking Nature-Throid as your primary thyroid medication you will need to switch to a different brand or type of thyroid medication. 

For those who aren’t aware, Nature-Throid is a brand name thyroid medication that falls into the class of Natural Desiccated Thyroid. 

Natural Desiccated Thyroid, or NDT for short, are medications derived from crushed up animal thyroid glands that contain active thyroid hormones. 

Nature-Throid contains a combination of T4 and T3 thyroid hormone as well as additional ingredients including some amounts of iodine, calcitonin, and traces of other thyroid hormones like T2. 

NDT brands have long been preferred over synthetic versions of thyroid medication due to their “natural” classification. 

I’ve discussed why it’s probably not appropriate to think of them in this way but there’s no denying that many people prefer NDT over traditional synthetic versions of thyroid medications such as levothyroxine and Synthroid. 

Because Nature-Throid contains a combination of both T4 and T3 thyroid hormone, though, it is often far more effective at helping manage symptoms such as fatigue and weight gain. 

If you were previously using Nature-Throid with success the prospect of swapping over to levothyroxine is probably the last thing you’d want to do. 

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Why Did it Happen?

What caused the shortage? 

We don’t actually have a clear answer but right now the manufacturer of Nature-Throid is stating that the shortage is due to multiple issues including:

  • An increased demand for NDT given the recent recalls of other brands of NDT
  • Increased demand due to the recent recall of both Nature-Throid and WP Thyroid
  • Delays in manufacturing from changes to manufacturing facilities

Unfortunately, this is the best information we have right now but as more information becomes available I will continue to update this section. 

When Will it be Available Again?

At this time, we don’t have clear information on when Nature-Throid will become available again. 

The current official website for Nature-Throid shows the following image regarding the various strengths and their availability of Nature-Throid:

naturethroid stock

As you can see from the image above the following Nature-Throid dosages are all temporarily unavailable:

  • 1/4 grain (16.25 mg)
  • 1/2 grain (32.5 mg)
  • 3/4 grain (48.75 mg)
  • 1 grain (65 mg)
  • 1 1/4 grain (81.25 mg)
  • 1 1/2 grain (97.5 mg)
  • 1 3/4 grain (113.75 mg)
  • 2 grain (130 mg)
  • 2 1/4 grain (146.25 mg)
  • 2 1/2 grain (162.5 mg)
  • 3 grain (195 mg)

In addition, when you click on their “availability statement” you are met with a “PAGE NOT FOUND!” which means they do not have a current ETA for these doses right now. 

In the past, the manufacturers of Nature-Throid have been pretty good about providing updates regarding issues they have with doses or recalls. 

Their current recall page posted on September 29th, 2020 can be found here as an example. 

Don’t Stress! What to use Instead of Nature-Throid

Even though it can be disheartening to hear that Nature-Throid is out of stock and not available at this moment doesn’t mean that there aren’t options great available to you right now. 

The following options can be used if you were previously using Nature-Throid: 

  • NP Thyroid**Note: as of April 30th, 2021 there is another NP Thyroid Recall which is impacting NP thyroid availability. At this time only some doses are available** Even though NP thyroid is similar in the sense that it is NDT doesn’t guarantee that it will jive with your body. There are many people who are currently experiencing issues with various lots of NP thyroid so your mileage may vary in terms of how effective it is for you. Having said that, it’s still a potential option for those not able to use Nature-Throid and should be considered for most people! 
  • Armour Thyroid – Armour Thyroid is another brand of NDT that should be available at most pharmacies right now as well. It tends to be more tolerated than NP thyroid but has its own issues as well. Just like NP Thyroid, you may need to experiment with Armour Thyroid to see if it works for YOUR body. 
  • Compounded Desiccated thyroid – Another option is to have a compounding pharmacy compound desiccated thyroid for you. Compounded desiccated thyroid contains the same active ingredients (including T4, T3, T2, T1, calcitonin, and iodine) but differs in inactive ingredients. Compounded pharmacies can match your previous dose of Nature-throid almost exactly. The compounded desiccated thyroid base contains many of the same ingredients as active NDT medications but is typically slightly more expensive because it requires handling by a human. If NP Thyroid and/or Armour Thyroid don’t work you can always try this option. Worth noting is that some compounding pharmacies are experiencing issues in obtaining the base desiccated thyroid needed to create various doses of compounded thyroid medication. You may need to call your local compounding pharmacy to see if they have access to the raw ingredients needed to make your medication/dose. 
  • Combined T4 and T3 thyroid medications – Lastly, you can always combine synthetic versions of T4 and T3 to create your own personal thyroid medication regimen. Remember: each grain of NDT contains 38mcg of T4 and 9mcg of T3. You can match this ratio by taking two types of synthetic medications such as levothyroxine/Tirosint/Synthroid (to satisfy the T4 portion) and liothyronine/Cytomel (to satisfy the T3 portion). You can then adjust and titrate the individual amounts of T4 and T3 as needed. A simple way to get a roughly 80/20 mix of T4/T3 would be to use 100mcg of Tirosint and 20 mcg of Cytomel. 

Don’t Rely Solely on Thyroid Medication

There will be times when you can’t control the availability of your thyroid medication, I get that. 

But there are always things that are within your control that can help reduce your reliance upon thyroid medication. 

And even if you are someone who no longer has a thyroid (such as those who have had it surgically removed), you can still do things to enhance the maximum potential of whatever thyroid medication you are using. 

Imagine this scenario for a moment:

You were someone who was taking Nature-Throid previously and had your symptoms under control or at least mostly managed. 

Everything was going great and then BOOM the Nature-Throid recall hit. 

Because you could no longer get Nature-Throid you were forced to switch to Armour Thyroid. 

While Armour Thyroid worked somewhat you still noticed a recurrence of some of your old symptoms. 

Is all hope lost?

Not at all! 

There are things that you can do which may help make your medication more effective even if it isn’t the “best” thyroid medication for you. 

Some of these therapies include:

  • The use of thyroid supplements designed to enhance T4 to T3 conversion – Some supplements, such as this one, can help your body convert T4 into T3. Even though Nature-throid (and other versions of NDT) contain T3 in them they mostly consist of T4 so this process is still very important. Naturally improving your T3 levels will help you feel better. 
  • Consuming an anti-inflammatory whole food diet – The food that you eat has a huge impact on your thyroid. Certain foods promote a reduction in inflammation which can indirectly help thyroid conversion and thyroid function. Focus on eating whole foods and cutting out industrial seed oils from your diet. 
  • Exercising regularly – Exercise can naturally increase both free T3 and free t4 levels. If you are not exercising regularly then you are missing out on this simple and effective way to naturally boost your thyroid. Regular exercise of 3-5 times per week is enough to give you this benefit. 
  • Cutting out caffeine/coffee from your dietCoffee and caffeine both have a suppressive effect on thyroid function at the level of the brain. Yes, they may give you some temporary energy but it comes at the cost of a slight reduction in thyroid function. 
  • Taking time to fix/improve your gut function – If you can improve your gut then you can improve how much of your thyroid medication gets absorbed. Small changes to your gut may allow more thyroid medication to get INTO your body so that it can then activate and use it. 
  • Change when you take your thyroid medication – If you haven’t already, you can try taking your thyroid medication at night instead of in the morning. This small change is sometimes enough to improve thyroid hormone levels in the body! Many thyroid patients make the switch and see improvement almost right away. 
  • Ensure that you are taking your thyroid medication appropriately – If you are taking your thyroid medication with food or with supplements or other medications then you are not taking it correctly. Use this resource to make sure that you are following all of the right rules. 

These therapies can help make your current thyroid medication more effective by allowing your thyroid to pick up the slack. 

Supporting your own thyroid gland may reduce your need for thyroid medication and may allow you to reduce your dose or get off of it completely (depending on the situation). 

By the way, these are the things that you should be doing anyway regardless of whatever thyroid medication you are taking and whether or not it’s having stock issues! 

Preventing Stock Issues and Frustration in the Future

I’ve always been an advocate of creating a personal supply of thyroid medication as “just in case” insurance. 

My current recommendation is to try and get at least a 1 year supply of whatever thyroid medication you are currently taking and have that on hand whenever you might need it. 

There are too many variables outside of your control that can impact our medication supply chain. 

Issues with manufacturers, supply and demand issues for raw materials, trade wars with other countries, defects in the manufacturing process, and companies going out of business can happen at any time. 

And let me tell you this:

Issues with thyroid medications are becoming the norm, not the exception. 

In the last decade, we have seen issues with nearly every brand of thyroid medication including the synthetic versions. 

The good news is that there are various tips and tricks you can use to increase your own personal supply of thyroid medication to prevent issues when these problems occur. 

And you don’t have to be unethical about it either. 

There is a way to safely ensure that you have extra for yourself without taking it from someone else. 

Trying to stock up in the middle of a shortage will never work but if you plan it out and stock up BEFORE the shortage hits then you are golden. 

It can be difficult to get your doctor on board but by doing simple things like asking them to double your supply of thyroid medication you can slowly help you build up your reserve supply.

If you are currently taking 1 grain of Armour Thyroid then you can ask your doctor to double your dose to 2 grains per month instead of 1. 

You will then continue with your regular dose of 1 grain of Armour thyroid but each month you will gain an additional month that you can store for a rainy day. 

It also doesn’t cost that much, either. 

You can find additional tips and tricks on how to stock up here

Final Thoughts

At the time of this writing, Nature-Throid is not currently available and there is an ongoing shortage. 

We don’t have clear information about when it will be back in stock or when manufacturing will continue but I will keep an eye out! 

In the meantime, there are plenty of solid options available to you. 

While these options may not be exactly the same as Nature-Throid, you should be able to find a combination of medications that works for your body. 

Now I want to hear from you:

Were you impacted by the Nature-Throid shortage?

Were you forced to change thyroid medications?

If so, what are you currently using? Is it working for you as well as Nature-Throid did? Is it better?

Let me know in the comments below! 

nature-throid shortage explained

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About Dr. Westin Childs

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

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101 thoughts on “Nature-Throid Shortage – When Will it Be Back?”

  1. My Endo put me on Tirosint, since Naturethroid is no longer available. Since then, I’m doing OK except for sluggishness and weight gain. Can I just add a 25mcg. Cytomel pill to my 150mcg. Tirosint to help tweak the T4 med? Would that be safe?

    Reply
    • Hi Ingrid,

      For most people, that shouldn’t pose an issue but it’s usually best to start with smaller doses of cytomel and titrate up from there.

      Reply
      • I am in the same boat. I was on WP Thyroid for years, did fantastic on it. My weight was the best it had been in years, lots of energy, hair was thick and full. I had some WP and Nature-throid stockpiled so I continued to take them long after the recall. I was then put on NP Thyroid, I couldn’t stand the weird taste or smell, and I don’t think it was as potent. Told the Dr that so she switched me to Armour. I didn’t notice any side effects at first but after a while I felt severe anxiety, had hair loss, low energy, low appetite, weight gain, and heart palpitations. Miraculously I found a small amount of WP and Nature-throid in my closet and within a week or two I felt almost back to my normal self. I don’t want to run out of this stock because I know it’ll be my last! Really hoping for RLC to have their meds back soon with the same potency and efficacy as before. Numerous reports of people taking Armour and NP for years have said since their recalls they haven’t been the same. Hoping that’s not the same for RLC.

        Reply
        • Hi April,

          I’m hoping that it will be back in stock soon as well. Unfortunately, we don’t have a timeline at this moment.

          Reply
  2. Hi,

    I was taking Nature Throid for a few months when it was recalled. I was feeling pretty good on it but was still gaining weight. They switched me to NP Thyroid and I began having fast pulses and arrhythmias. Then we tried compounded T4 and T3. Heart palpitations were awful. So now we have to resort back to synthroid. Not gaining any more but can’t lose either. Exercise at least 5 times a week. Eat a gluten free anti inflammatory diet. I don’t know what more I can do anymore.

    Reply
    • Hi Denise,

      You could still try a combination of Synthroid + Cytomel/liothyronine or SR T3. It doesn’t sound like you’ve tried that yet.

      Reply
    • You weren’t on nature Throid long enough to give it a chance. Usually it takes at least 6 months for the body to adjust. I was in it 5 years and did great No problems at all. I lost the weight I gained from amour thyroid…Synthroid.. USP thyroid. Now I’m back on Amour and gained 42 lbs and no energy just feel like a vegetable. Good luck to you. I hope they put Nature Thyoid back on the shelves fast. Millions of us can’t tolerate anything else.

      Reply
  3. I have been impacted by the Nature-throid unavailability. There is also no dessicated porcine thyroid available anywhere for compounding – so you can cross that off the list. Armour is 10 times what I was paying and I can’t tolerate the additives. Levo + Lio, are cost-prohibitive also, if you have Medicare Supp. + Part D ($445 deductible this year) and don’t take a lot of other meds. I just tried compounded synthetic at the Nature-throid ratio for 6 weeks and I am very cold and lethargic while waiting for lab results. The word is that Armour (AbbVie) is working with the FDA to re-label natural thyroid as a biologic. They will be allowed to manufacture under the guise of “research” and continue their special interest lobbying, while the smaller labs will be forced out of business.

    Reply
    • Hi Joy,

      Some people are still able to get the compounded desiccated thyroid but it doesn’t seem to be available in all regions. The good news is that most pharmacies can ship across state lines. So if you can find one and send over a rx they should be able to ship it to you.

      Reply
      • Wanted to chime in…
        6 weeks ago I started compounded desiccated thyroid because the naturethroid recall (had been taking Naturethroid the past 6 years) and I react badly to synthetic t3/t4 (compounded or Synthroid/cytomel) even when I take a fraction of the dose. After a few weeks on the compounded desiccated I started having some of the worst symptoms Ive ever experienced. I have a lot of other health problems so I didn’t know what was happening…I had a worsening of all my current problems plus some (extreme chest pain, racing heart, sweating, weakness, trouble breathing, worst migraines of my life, vision problems, panic attacks, severe depression, etc etc), I stopped taking them and within a few days most of my symptoms went away. After 4 days of no thyroid medicine I started to feel really bad and restarted the compounded NDT again thinking maybe it could work, after two weeks I ended up in the ER. I stopped taking them again (3 days ago) and now I’m feeling ‘normal’. I called the compound pharmacy to see where they source their NDT, they said PCCA but didn’t know where that comes from. I am worried all the compound pharmacies use PCCA and that I will have terrible reactions again. I am trying Armour for the first time (day 4, feeling okay) but I’m so nervous that this may not work and I will have nothing to try.
        Do you have any suggestions? Is there a way to source good NDT from another country? Do you think all compounding pharmacies are getting from the same source?
        Any feedback would be much appreciated.

        Reply
        • Hi.. not all compounding pharmacy use that form of dessicated.. try women’s international pharmacy..I don’t have the info but you can Google it as well as Foothills pharmacy in Arizona

          Reply
        • This sounds so much like my experience on Synthroid (the only thyroid med the VA dispenses) several years ago… That I just had to reply.
          I don’t know how you feel about supps and homeopathics, but there is a supp that is available from VITACOST – very affordable. It’s called Thyroid Support Complex. I have been taking it for a couple years, off and on. Also there are homepathics for thyroid function available through Standard Homeopathic and also Boiron. A specific homeo is from NatraBio and is called Thyroid Support (60 tablets). One more is DETOXIDINE from Global Healing company (online). It seems spendy but I take a couple drops a day a few days per week and I’ve been working on the same bottle for a LONG time! Whatever you do, good luck on this journey – and know that there are millions of us on the same path. Don’t give up! And believe in alternative resources more and commercial resources less…But in your own innate power to heal yourself THE MOST!

          Reply
      • I need info on replacing NatureThroid 2 1/4gr with Armour thyroid. It appears to me that if my doctor doses by grains instead of mg then I will be getting 11.25mg less in Armour’s thyroid per dose. My doctor says 2 1/4gr (135mg)of Armour is the same as 2 1/4gr (146.25) of NatureThroid.
        NatureThroid has a chart showing a comparison of dessicated thyroid strengths in grains and mg of various brands. I thought the NatureThroid chart was to bring awareness to the fact that different drug companies can use slightly different amounts of milligrams per grain. Example: 1 grain of Armour thyroid = 60mg. 1 grain of NatureThroid is 65mg. Is there something I’m missing regarding changing brands of dessicated thyroid extract and trying to keep equivalent doses? Thanks for your help!

        Reply
      • I tried to US P throat that’s what they actually make it in the pharmacy or private pharmacy and then they send it to you well I was on 97.5 the nature through aid and the pharmacy matched it supposedly well it did not drop mine solo I ended up in the hospital and they had to put me back on armoire which I hate because I feel like a vegetable we can’t win. We need the nature throw it back on the market ASAP I’m slowly dying and dying here and nobody seems to care

        Reply
  4. Neglected to add… If you are sensitive to nightshades, stay away from Ashwagandha in thyroid supplements. It can increase your thyroid antibodies. It also increases melanin. If your hair is naturally blonde, it may turn considerably darker and be quite alarming. As there are few natural blondes, for most people this will not be an issue.

    Reply
    • Hi Joy,

      I didn’t add that because the number of people impacted by that particular issue is incredibly small. Most thyroid patients do great on Ashwagandha.

      Reply
    • Just went to pick up replacement for unavailable natur-throid. The armour would be about $250 a month (2 prescriptions required to meet dose). Cant do that. For now I will just go without until things become miserable. I’ll see about going back to synthetic but that gave me many auto-immune issues. US medical is such a bad joke but we love saying we’re the best.

      Reply
  5. I absolutely appreciate YOU and your continued care of your clients PATIENTS and a knowledge base that is do well explained …it truly gives me HOPE and a belief in health care specialist and a goal to spread the news
    I am impressed and grateful and
    Thank you for being the salt of the earth Dr and educator you are.

    Reply
  6. I just had my last 90 day supply of Nature Throid filled this week. Hope it is back by the time I need my next refill. If not finding a compounding company who can emulate this is my only choice. I haven’t been successful at getting optimal lab results with anything else. This article causes me a lot of anxiety to be honest!

    Reply
    • Hi Alicia,

      It’s certainly not meant to cause anxiety, I apologize if that happened. I’m just trying to keep thyroid patients informed.

      Reply
      • Dr. Childs I apologize didn’t mean it the way it sounded! You are fantastic at what you do to keep us all informed. It is much appreciated. I meant the whole shortage situation I should have worded that better!

        Reply
    • Hi Alicia. Where did you find Nature Throid, please? I live in CA and I’ve been looking for it far and wide and I can’t find any. Thank you, Gabriela.

      Reply
  7. The shortage may depend on where the medication is made–maybe the country where it’s produced ran out of an ingredient. Perhaps the FDA found the pills produce an undesirable or dangerous side effect. However, the most likely reason is…greed! Pharmaceutical companies are pulling the same ploy as when Brevital wasn’t available some years ago; only to find the price had tripled and quadrupled when it was finally made “available”.

    Reply
    • The mfgrs. voluntarily pulled their NDTs as the FDA found, both Nature-Throid (which I took, successfully, for 7yrs.), & NP Thyroid (which put me into a tailspin)to be sub-potent.

      Reply
  8. I was doing great on Nature Throid for 4 years & when RLC Labs stopped manufacturing it I went on NP Thyroid. I haven’t felt horrible on NP Thyroid but my T3 stays just below normal & I’ve rapidly gained 11 pounds. 5 of those pounds came on in 2 weeks! I do not have heart problems or swelling at all anywhere. On Nature Throid I rapidly lost weight. I was weighing 156 October 2019 & now weigh 174. It has nothing to do with Covid ( I was never quarantined & required to go to work as usual daily). I’ve been debating on asking my pharmacist to compound my meds for me to equal the dosage I was on while taking Nature Throid. NP Thyroid I have to take a 15 mg & a 60 mg to equal 75 to get close to the 87.5 mg I was on when taking Nature Throid. The 90 mg of NP Thyroid was to much. I’m 46 years old, in perimenopause & started seeing slight monthly cycle changes last November. I was fine until I stopped Nature Throid.

    Reply
  9. I have been taking Nature Throid for about 10-11 years. It has been difficult to get for the last three years then in January 2021, couldn’t get it at all. My doctor had me talk to a pharmacist and she told me that Levothyroxine was “biologically identical” to Nature Throid so I had to start taking that since I really had no choice except to see if I could get it compounded to simulate Nature Throid. The pharmacist also told me that Nature Throid did not have any other components other than T4 and I have heard the opposite for many years. It may not have been a lot of additional things but it must have been enough to make me feel much better. I have been getting more tired and less energetic every day that I take Levothyroxine, even with an additional 5mcg of T3. I have been wondering what in the world to do and wondering what to blame it on. I already eat as healthy as I can, avoid many of the things mentioned but still have the low energy problem that seems to get worse. I cannot blame it all on thyroid problems because I also have sleep apnea so I get a double whammy trying to figure out what is the real culprit. But one thing I do know is that Nature Throid improved my energy level for a long time. I do hope that this will resolve itself and I can use it again someday…..

    Reply
    • Hi LH,

      Your pharmacist is 100% incorrect. It is true that the T4 found in Nature-throid is biologically identical to the T4 found in levothyroxine but he/she missed the fact that Nature-throid also contains T3 which is 200x more powerful than the T4 found in levothyroxine.

      Reply
  10. I keep seeing on discussion boards that no one can be optimal on less than 1 – 1/2 grains of NDT because 1 grain is a starting dose. Is that true? I took one grain of Naturethroid before it went south for years and felt fine.

    Reply
    • Hi Lynn,

      Nope 🙂 Be careful of what you read on those boards. Dosing is highly individualized. I’ve seen people who only need 1/4 to 1/2 a grain of NDT to feel great.

      Reply
  11. I’m now on compounded NDT. I was only able to take NP thyroid and then that was discontinued. For that reason and because I’m so sensitive to the “other” ingredients, I’ll stick to compounded. There was a shortage at the Women’s International Pharmacy (the best compounding pharmacy of all) of even the desiccated powder, so even that might not be a permanent solution. I like your idea of having a year’s worth for emergencies. It seems necessary these days. Oh, it used to so easy! I really wonder why all the thyroid companies are so unstable and don’t have any backup plans?

    Reply
    • Hi Susy,

      I don’t think thyroid medication is a big money maker for them so it’s low on their list of priorities.

      Reply
  12. Hi. I’d like to get off of armour thyroid and try to keep my hypothyroidism in check through supplements only. Do you know if this is possible and are there any supplements you recommend to help toward this end? If you’re wondering why, it’s due to a mistrust of Pharma, where the meds are produced etc. Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  13. I was on Nature Throid for 5yrs and did very well on it. Since the recall I was switched to Armour Thyroid by my doctor, which I felt terrible on. The biggest compliant I had was brain fog and weight gain of 10lbs. I finally got my Endocrinologist to agree to give me a script for compounded dessicated thyroid. It is pure porcine powder with no fillers. It made a huge difference in how I felt. It was like day and night. The brain fog lifted and I lost the 10lbs. It is expensive but very worth it.

    Reply
  14. I’m 53 and 25 years ago when they removed my thyroid I weighed 135. I’m 5’9” tall. I’m a very active person and really love working out. When they removed it my love of living my best life was taken from me. In an instant. I gained 70 lbs in 3 months because the drs wouldn’t give me any thyroid med until I was flatlined. 25 yrs later and I’m still the same only I work out doing pilates 6 days a week for 2 hrs . In addition there’s dog walking in there as well. As soon as I’m allowed to go back to the office I’ll be including an additional HIIT workout. So all of this and I’ve lost a total of about 15 lbs. this is my life.
    Switching to np thyroid because of nature thyroid was a total disaster and I ended up with no thyroid med in my system for a month while the pharmacy was trying to figure out what to do. I explained over and over I can’t live without it. Finally after my 5th attempt my dr after my threatening to choose a new physician moved me to np. The small dosage of 60 mg which doesn’t correlate to my 4 grains but I did have a stash of 38 mg of nature thyroid that has started to improve my feeling. I gained 5 pounds in a week. I’m an average whole food eater. I know I should bot eat toast but it’s my most favorite breakfast item and I intermittently fast so I have it at lunch time. So I eat right around 1000-1300 calories a day and give myself one dessert a week. With this crazy regimen I’d think I’d have the weight/body or close to it before they removed my thyroid. I take all the supplements to support both it and adrenals but through reading this just now I realize I shouldn’t take them at the same time as the thyroid med. so when to take? I’m going to try the thyroid medicine at night and take the supplements vitamins in the morning and see how I do.
    This has pretty much ruined my life.

    Reply
  15. I was taking NatureThroid switched to NP and now I am on the Armour, After 7 years of managed care, symptoms had returned. So frustrating. As a senior I am concerned with side effects of Armour.

    Reply
    • Hi Candi,

      Armour thyroid and Nature-throid are very similar from the perspective of thyroid hormone so I wouldn’t worry about side effects too much. The side effects of being hypothyroid would be far worse for your health.

      Reply
  16. I like idea of having extra stock but one endo I spoke to said meds lose effectiveness if they’re old & not fresh. What do you think about this?

    Reply
  17. I switched back from Armour to NP, but still have issues especially with knee pain. I would get your supplement, but I won’t take anything with Magnesium Stearate. Why use that? I read it is not good for you.

    Reply
  18. This is my third go around with recalls on NDT. I have tried almost every thyroid option there is. Naturethroid worked the best for me. Armour was recalled- reformulated and then sold to big pharma. Pricing went way up and it didn’t work as well. After the first recall of Naturethroid around the same time as the Armour- I learned to stock up on anything NDT I could. Lucky I have a doctor who works with me. The reformulation of Naturethroid did not work as well as the original but it still worked the best. I am still hanging on to my stock of Naturethroid. I am currently taking a compounded version which I have been assured numerous times that it is the exact same thing as the Naturethroid but I’m sorry- that’s crap! If it is the exact same thing then why doesn’t it work as well. When I start to go down hill and can’t stand the negative symptoms anymore- I take a couple of days on my hoarded Naturethroid and feel terrific. I’m riding a freaking rollercoaster and seriously am terrified for the day when I run out of my Naturethroid. I think that it will not be back. The people at RCL were super helpful the first time they had a recall- this time they have just disappeared. I am of the frame of mind that big pharma has finally managed to overcome RCL and that Naturethroid will not be back. They don’t care one bit the suffering that this is causing people.

    Reply
    • Hi Jackie,

      I agree that it can be frustrating but I do think Nature-throid will be back eventually. A lot of companies are having issues with supply due to shortages of raw materials. I’ve been seeing issues in getting certain supplements out and I know the issue extends to pharmaceutical companies as well.

      Reply
      • Thank you Dr. Childs- this is reassuring. I do recall that there were some pig farms that had to slaughter a lot of their stock during the pandemic.

        Reply
        • Hi Jackie,

          It’s possible that this could also play a role but the manufacturers haven’t mentioned it.

          Reply
  19. I have not found anything that works as well for me as Naturethroid did. I have tried Armour, NP, Compounded and currently on Tirosint with T3, and still have fatigue and weight gain. I keep praying the original version of Naturethroid comes back. I don’t understand how big pharma can play with people’s health. I no longer have a thyroid gland and my life depends on medication that works. The entire medical system needs an overhaul. The way thyroid issues are treated and addressed from the start is problematic enough, now we can’t even get medications that work. Something needs to be done to get people the quality help they need!

    Reply
    • Hi Debbie,

      I completely agree. My goal with this website is to get the information out there to help thyroid patients get what they need to feel better.

      Reply
  20. Hi Dr. Childs
    I am on levothyroxine and liothyronine right now. I was on Nature throid about a year ago. Due to the recall I was taking it in a compound form from the pharmacy. Then the shortage started. When i got my prescription I did not get the three months that was ordered. Instead I got a full order of Liothyronine and only two months on the Levothyroxine. As my meds were getting low I called the pharmacy to see if they received their back order. They said not yet. Because of the shortage I started to panic. I called my doctor to let her know that I am low on my T4. She had her assistant to call another pharmacy. She found a pharmacy so she ordered my meds. When I received it on the label indicated generic, I didn’t want to take the med because when not the same formiula. Anyway i took it and and I started coming out with these eczema on my face. With the compounded formula it cleared my eczema. Right now I am back to where I started. I finally got a prescription for the compounded meds. I am not taking it right now. I am finishing the generic brand before I start with the original.(compounded). I felt that paying for these meds I can’t waste my money on though at times I want to do it. With the generic I have gained about 5 pounds.
    I have been with this issue since 2007. Until now it seems that it has gotten off balanced. I really don’t know what to do at times. Though I have changed my diet. I believe that the generic has done to where I have added some pounds on. While on the compounded I was on my normal weight.
    I am still trying to find other options that will end this cycle. Dr. Childs if you do have any other options that will help by all means. Thank you

    Reply
  21. I am 81 years and have been taking Nature-throid for at least 20 years.
    I received Nasal Radiation with Radium when I was about 7 years old when Nuclear medicine used too high a dose of Radium. I had a Partial Thyroidectomy at 14, a total thyroidectomy at 37, and removal of a pre-cancerous tumor on a remnant of thyroid at 71.
    I used Armour Thyroid until Kaiser refused to prescribe it anymore. I did not do well on Synthroid and began using Nature-throid prescribed by my Homeopathic Doctor. i
    When I tried to reorder (in March in 2021) my usual Naturethroid prescription I found out it was not available. I decided to try the Compounded Nature-throid. I found a Compounding Pharmacy in Berkeley, CA that said they could compound the ingredients to replicate the NDT Nature-throid.
    I ordered a 30 days supply (for $50) and then ordered a 3 months supply. By 40 days on the formula I began experiencing a number of disturbing symptoms. I experienced muscle pain, headaches, nerve pain in neck and head, daytime tired and sleepy. My adrenal problems at night worsened.
    I checked with the Pharmacist and discovered that he was not using NDT–he was combining Levothryroxine Sodium and Liothyronine and was not adding anything else but a filler and saying it was the Nature-throid formula.
    When I first talked with the pharmacist, I clearly stated that I needed the Naturally Desiccated Thyroid and that I did not do well on the synthetic thyroid drugs. My doctor specifically ordered the Nature-throid NDT formula.
    When I asked the pharmacist for an explanation of the ingredients they were using, he finally admitted that they were not using NDT- just called it T-4 and T-3. He kept trying to convince me that what they were using for T-4 (Levothyroxine Sodium) was equivalent to what was in the Nature-throid NDT formula.
    My Thyroid doctor recently found out about Woodland Hills Compounding Pharmacy and recommended I contact them. They are very experienced in replicating the Nature-throid formula and only use one filler. My Thyroid Doctor has now sent a prescription for the compounded Nature-throid NDT formula.
    Woodland Hills Pharmacy is in Woodland Hills CA–They are able to ship to about half of the states. I had found a good Florida Compounding Pharmacy, but they were not licensed to ship to California.
    I would like to find out if I can get a refund from the Berkely, CA pharmacy since they had substituted a synthetic thyroid for the NDT hormones.

    Reply
  22. Why have there been recalls on various brands of NDT? I have not seen any good explanations for this. Do you think they are trying to push us to buy the synthetic forms of thyroid replacement? With the way things are going now, I just don’t trust the pharmaceutical companies.

    Reply
    • Hi Debbie,

      They are from variations in the dosing. The medications must be within 10% of the dose that they advertise, either higher or lower. And if the dose falls outside of this range, due to bad manufacturing practices, then the entire lot must be recalled because they can’t guarantee potency.

      Reply
  23. Hi, I have been on thyroid meds for the past 25years, Im 60 yrs young.
    I have also been on that roller coaster of synthetic meds as well as the
    all natural ones. I was having alot of problems getting my doctors to prescribe the natural ones. I never felt normal since I had my thyroid removed by radiation, but I was able to function. After years of hair loss, palpitations, night sweats, weight gain and many other side effects I was able to convince my doctor to prescribe the Naturethroid. I started to feel better after awhile. Getting the doctors to agree to this medication was a real battle! Now this! I am currently in the same boat as everyone else. I have been put back on Levothyroxine, due to this shortage. I’m gaining weight by the week and I have lost a considerable amount of hair, after getting it to grow back over time. I’m exercising and I’m a vegetarian, so my diet is pretty healthy. It takes every bit of energy to get going and then it doesn’t last long! I’m currently taking 100mcg of levothyroxine every other day and 75 every other day. My questions is, since I’ve my thyroid removed will your supplements work for me? I’ve read that people that have no thyroid or a radiated thyroid cannot take the same supplements as those that still have a thyroid.

    Reply
  24. My thyroid meds were also switched due to the recall/shortage. I was switched to Armour and am having severe hair loss. Will this settle down and the hair return once my body gets used to it? It has been almost 5 months and the loss is extreme! I have read it will eventually settle down but have also read to switch from Armour the sooner the better if hair loss occurs. So confused. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
    Thanks so much,
    Stephanie

    Reply
  25. Absolutely. I hate having limited options. Especially since I have limited access to docs.
    It all started in 2017 with the first Nature-throid manufacturing glitch, and I’ve been on the thyroid roller coaster ever since. At the time, I was 40 years old, on a combo of Nature-throid and Cytomel and in the best health and shape of my life.
    Switched to Armour, antibodies went crazy, energy plummeted and weight started creeping up. 6 months later, switch to NP thyroid, antibodies improved, energy remained low, anxiety & moodiness crept in and weight continued to creep up. Fast forward to 4 years later, multiple med changes because TSH remains suppressed, but T3 & T4 numbers are not optimal, new endo that hates Integrative treatments ….currently on Synthroid and Cytomel combo,……65 pounds heavier, and my Hashimoto’s symptoms are coming back (insulin resistance, HTN, hyperlipidemia, low libido, unable to orgasm, anxiety/depression symptom) with the weight not budging. I have always managed my diet and exercise, but it doesn’t seem to matter, I just keep blowing up like a balloon. At this point I feel completely defeated and trapped in a failing body.

    Reply
  26. Not all NP thyroid are the same because of the fillers they use. I had been on Nature Throid for years. (all the synthetic brands did not work) Never felt better on NT. Since the elimination of Nature throid I have tried WP, Armour with severe side effects. I am 100% gluten free and these companies put fillers in the medications which can cause a gluten free person to become sick. Natural thyroid medication are not apples to apples. I still have about a 1/2 month left of Nature Throid. (I hoarded) I was trying to find a thyroid medication which worked before I was totally out of NT. There are no choices for me and many people. A person should not have to have side effects from a medication and continue to use. I say it is big pharm and our government who for years have tried to eliminate our NTD. Recent articles report the NTD will possibly has to go through the approval process which can take up to 5 years. What is going on?

    Reply
  27. Can you share any insights or experience with bovine thyroid and dosing using this potential alternative? For example, is bovine thyroid a viable alternative? Thank you so much for all you do to help here.

    Reply
    • Hi Sandra,

      Yes, bovine thyroid can work. It’s more about the person and not the medication as to whether or not it will work.

      Reply
  28. After 10 miserable years of being on synthetic meds, the doc put me on nature throid. (Thyroid was removed due to cancer). It was a life changer for me. Have tried all the other naturals, am on Armour throid at present and I’m miserable. I feel like I’m wearing concrete boots and can’t eat, or even have the energy to get out of the bed. This has put me back in to the surviving mode, not living. I’d go to another Country for Nature Throid if I could find it! This blog has helped me considerably just knowing I’m not the only one and going crazy. Good luck to all…..

    Reply
      • I have been without a thyroid for 12 years. It took me 5 years to get someone to treat me with T4 and T3. Nature Throid was the ONLY mediation that worked for me. The last 12 months have been absolutely terrible!!!! I have been on 3 different compounds and I tried NP. My labs are barley optimal and something is still missing!! The fact that they haven’t resolved this issue and brought the medication back blows my mind. Many of us rely on this medication to not only live but have a better quality of life!! For a fact, this has negatively impacted my life in so many ways, the largest being I’ve lost over 75% of my hair. It always takes a hit when my labs are off, so this isn’t new to me but this is by far the worst it has ever been. It’s not “just hair” to me and has really affected me this time. I’ve reached out to RLC labs multiple times and only get the same generic email. I thought maybe after the 1 year mark they would bring it back but here we are and still no resolution. I’m hopeful a company (any company at this point) brings it back and fingers crossed it will be the same formula! If it is….I will never be without at least a years supply! Good luck to the rest of you who are also impatiently anticipating the return of the illusive Nature throid.

        Reply
  29. I’m curious as to why NP Thyroid has an ammonia like smell that started in October 2019 in my area and continues to this day. I recently got a sample from my doctor because she said it didn’t smell and when you take out the desiccant packet you can smell the terrible odor that wasn’t there before (it’s tastes like it smells). I’ve tried two different compounding pharmacies for porcine with and without fillers and they all had the terrible smell. It appears to be in the porcine powder supply and the onset of my symptoms started with this smell. Has anyone been able to explain what is causing the smell? Is it a cleansing agent or is the porcine powder contaminated?

    Reply
  30. I was on 165.2mg of NatureThroid for many years, and felt great! When I ran out of it in early 2021, my doctor put me on NP, same dose, I felt terrible. So she switched me to Armour, 180mg, I still had many undertreated symptoms, fatigue, muscle pain, constipation. So I added 30mg of NP to the Armour for a month, and was less tired, but still had muscle pain. I then added another 30mg of NP for a month, and the fatigue was less, but still with the pain. So a few days ago I added another 30mg of NP. My question is, did my thyroid suddenly crash when I went off the NT, and why do I still have hypo symptoms?

    Reply
    • Hi Ann,

      It’s hard to say for sure but it could be due to the inactive ingredients/fillers found in various types of thyroid medications. It’s why some people respond well to one type of thyroid medication and not another, even if they are both in the same class such as Nature-throid and Armour thyroid.

      Reply
  31. I was taking two 65mg tablets of Nature Throid but that is not possible now. I found a Compounding pharmacy that has access to Nature Throid desiccated porcine and they provide me with 65mg capsules using Lactose as the filler. I use to take Armour thyroid tablets but they changed their inactive/filler ingredients and it did not agree with me. Nature Throid website does list Compounding Pharmacies that use their desiccated thyroid.

    Reply
  32. Was taking Naturthroid 130 for several years, was very stable on it, my hair was great energy was fine, etc. felt good. when it was not available I had to switch to anther desiccated thyroid, which was super expensive and my hair started to shed. Then that was not available, so had to switch to levy thyroxine. It is OK, but my hair continued to shed, that has slowed down, but it is not as glossy or healthy. No alternative found.

    Reply
  33. I have been taking Nature-throid for many years and after trying nearly everything else on the market I finally got my thyroid under control. I was lucky to be able to stock up on this but now it’s 2022 and I am almost out of it. I purchased ERFA from Canada but have yet to take it. Please give me your opinion on this drug.

    Karen Woodfin

    Reply
    • Hi Karen,

      I’m a firm believer that just about any and all thyroid medications have the potential to work. Whether or not they work for the individual, though, is the question. I have no real strong opinion on ERFA other than it can work for some and not for others.

      Reply
  34. I can’t find cytomel anywhere! I’ve called three counties around me trying to see if anyone happens to have it on their shelves as it is on back order.
    No one is able to tell me when it will no longer be on back order and available again. How do I find out this information?

    Reply
    • Hi Kris,

      It’s best to contact the manufacturer or pharmaceutical company to get an ETA. They will have the most information. This information is usually passed onto the pharmacy but not always.

      Reply
  35. I wish Naturethroid would come back. I felt 100%great on it. I’m on Armour and I’m exhausted all day every day and gained weight. I do workout but not dropping weight. I’m going off Armour and won’t take anything else until NT comes back. Lev put me in a huge brain fog. I can’t take this anymore. The government needs a restart and get someone in there that really cares for peoples health. This is ridiculous.

    Reply
  36. I was taking one grain (65mcg) of Nature Throid daily and all was good. NP Throid didn’t work the same and I tried a compounded one. It wore off in a few hours and pharmacist made a time released one. It was better but still want quite right when my provider retired. New doctor is clueless and I had to explain test results to her! She sent me to an wendocrinologist who has me on Levoxyl before bed and Cytomel twice a day. After more than 3 months it is starting to feel like it may be working but my whole life is centered around balancing when I eat and take my meds. I do not have the same routine every day, my life is somewhat random. It is really stressing me out as this regimen rules my life. The endocrinologist likes my new numbers so he doesn’t want to see me for 6 months but I’ve been barely able to put one foot in front of the other most days. I’m not anemic. Perhaps there is something else going on but I can’t find a new provider who is knowledgeable and willing to work with me. I’m on Medicare so it doesn’t cover naturopaths.

    Reply
  37. I am so glad to see that I am not the only one angry and disappointed that Nature Throid hasn’t come back. It worked for me perfectly. Then I was put on NP Throid. It worked but not half as good s Nature Throid even when my dose was changed. I tried the compounded version of Nature Throid. first 90 mgs. then 109 and finally 120 with zero success plus it’s expensive, $68 a month and insurance doesn’t cover it so now I’m going back to a higher dose of NP Throid. I have been so tired that I can’t function without taking naps all day and have gained weight, hives, brain fog, & muscle pain. I feel for all of us suffering because the FDA doesn’t have anything else to do but pick on a small company who has helped thousands of people.

    Reply
  38. Hi, I was our nature thyroid for over five years because I could not tolerate any other out there we’ve tried everything nature throws seem to stick for me. So now I’m on amor and I feel like a vegetable all I do is lay in bed and cry because I have no energy to do anything I feel like my head is in a cloud I can’t concentrate we’ve tried doing the USP throw it and it dropped my thyroid level so low I ended up in the hospital so I’m back on the Armoire and gained 47 pounds I’m only 5 foot one and we’re constantly have to adjust it for the last two years we’re constantly adjusting it what is there to do to help me I can’t live like this no more and I don’t want to I want to just die

    Reply
  39. Hello. I am really struggling! I’ve gained 30 pounds since the discontinuation of Nature Throid. I’ve tried Armour, NP, nothing works. It’s been almost 2 years. Please help. What can I do? Where can I find a compounding pharmacy?

    Reply
    • Hi Angela,

      There are a couple that have the base ingredient of Nature-throid and can compound it for you, they are mentioned in this article. Based on my experience, it doesn’t seem to work quite as well as the original Nature-throid but it may be worth a shot. Finding a compounding pharmacy is not difficult, you just need to search for “compounding pharmacy near me” and several should pop up. You’ll need to call and ask if they compound thyroid medications because sometimes they focus on certain types of medications (like pain, for instance).

      Reply
  40. Hi,
    This was an interesting article to read. My PCP retired 6 months ago, and I still don’t have a new one. I have acquired a stockpile of both synthetic and NDT medications over the years which I have tapped into. I’ve kept them in the fridge. I had Armour, Naturethroid, and NP thyroid, plus levoxyl. As I go through these, I have found that Naturethroid was the clear winner for me. 1.5 grains of that has me feeling wonderful. When I ran out of that, I went to NP thyroid from last summer. There was something really wrong with that batch. It was more than being suboptimal or whatever they claimed was the problem. First off, the pills had a definite off smell. Secondly , within a week after starting their 1.5 grain formulation, I started getting little blood hemorrhages in my eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was those pills causing it, but I stopped them. I tried taking them again two months later, same thing happened. I would really like someone to do a complete analysis of what is in this pills.

    I still have my stockpile, but it is getting pretty small at this part. It is so hard to get a PCP these days. And I’m so afraid that they will make me hypothyroid. The fear is real. My thyroid was destroyed 40 years ago (radioactive iodine for Graves). I was on Levoxyl for years, but as I got older, started to have a harder and harder time staying euthyroid. I got my genome done and ran the raw data through Promethease, which told me I have a genetic issue with converting T4 to T3. So I’m thinking that what I need to do, in light of the issues with NDT, is go on a combination of synthetic T3/T4. Thank you for putting down the ratios and the names of these medications, because my day of reckoning is coming where I will be having to deal with a PCP that may not listen to me and provide me with what I need. Thank you for listening and for posting this.

    Reply
  41. Let’s face it, let’s be honest. Naturethroid is most likely not coming back. It has been over three years since the supposed recall for it being sub-potent. The FDA plays games with anything that is a competitor to Big Pharma. Many don’t do well on Levo (generic or brand name), including myself. If they can push us all onto their expensive “approved” thyroid drug, yay for them and not for us. Armour contains corn gluten, which is really not good for most thyroid patients, especially those with Hashimoto’s. Even generic Synthroids have gluten. Why? Do we get it yet that Big Pharma and most of Big Med do not care about us? They care about their profits. That is it. Outing them is the best thing. Expose them so they can’t hide their corruption in the darkness any more.

    Reply
    • Hi Ang,

      I would agree that it doesn’t look good for WP thyroid or Nature-throid. There could be other things going on behind the scenes too, including decisions like whether or not it’s financially worth it to continue making it since Armour thyroid and NP thyroid still exist. I have no idea, though, just speculating.

      Reply
    • Hi Murielle,

      It is true that the FDA is trying to label desiccated thyroid extract medications as biologics, but it’s not clear why they are doing this. It’s highly unlikely that NDT will go away completely, but it seems somewhat likely that some of the smaller manufacturers of NDT formulations will be pushed out. This means medications like Armour thyroid (and probably NP thyroid) will stick around but formulations like Nature-throid and WP Thyroid may never make it back to the market.

      Reply

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