- Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) contains both T4 and T3 hormones, giving your body active thyroid hormone immediately rather than requiring conversion from T4.
- Your dose depends on your individual body chemistry and symptoms, not just lab numbers, so finding the right NDT dose requires careful adjustment and symptom tracking.
- Some patients feel dramatically better on NDT after failing on synthetic medications because NDT mimics what a healthy thyroid naturally produces.
- Starting low and going slow with NDT dosing prevents overdose symptoms, but being too timid with dosing leaves you undertreated and continuing to feel terrible.
Update 3/30/26: Nature-Throid is still not available; however, this information is still updated and relevant and applies to other formulations of NDT.
Is Nature-throid the missing link to helping you FINALLY feel better?
The short answer: Maybe…
Like most things in life, the answer is never straightforward!
And that’s why I’ve created this guide.
I will show you which patients do best on Nature-throid when you should consider switching to NDT and what to do if Nature-throid isn’t enough for your body.
But first, we need to dive into some basics…
What Is Nature-throid?
Nature-throid is a medication used to treat Hypothyroidism.
This particular medication is unique among thyroid medications in that it is created from desiccated (or dried up) animal/porcine thyroid glands.
It contains a combination of T4 and T3 hormones which is why many people feel it is superior when compared to T4-containing medications (like Levothyroxine or Synthroid).
It also contains other hormones including minor amounts of Calcitonin, T1, T2, and even Iodine.
All of these ingredients are normally found in thyroid gland tissue (even the human thyroid gland) so it makes sense that they would all be in there.
In fact, it is widely believed that these extra ingredients found in thyroid extract may be why so many patients prefer this medication (1).
Nature-throid falls into the class of thyroid medications known as Thyroid extract or Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT for short) along with other medications which we will discuss in this guide.
One of the reasons you may have found this article is that you’re currently being treated with Levothyroxine and you have heard that Nature-throid or Armour thyroid might be a better option for you.
And that may be true for many people…
But we need to discuss why:
Is Nature-Throid Better than Levothyroxine?
Many people actually do better on Natural Desiccated Thyroid hormone instead of T4-containing medications.
Not only is that popular opinion on the internet, forums, and blog sites – it’s also been confirmed in clinical studies (2):
These various studies show that many patients actually prefer to be treated with NDT over T4-only thyroid medications.
Some of this preference may have to do with the fact that patients who switched from LT4 medications to NDT experienced greater weight loss.
The authors of this study did not conclude that the patients experienced an improved quality of life, but if you lost weight without exercising or changing your diet, wouldn’t you be pretty happy about that?
So why is that? Why do patients prefer these medications?
A big part probably has to do with the composition of thyroid hormones found in these desiccated thyroid extracts.
Nature-throid contains a combination of T4 and T3 thyroid hormone but more than that it contains it in a ratio of about 23% T3 to 76% T4 and this ratio is fairly close to the 20% T3 and 80% T4 that your thyroid gland produces naturally.
If you recall from basic thyroid physiology, T3 is the active thyroid hormone and T4 is the inactive thyroid hormone.
By providing your body with both sets of hormones you are re-creating normal thyroid physiology (or at least close to it).
This can be compared to treatment with T4-only thyroid medications which must be metabolized into the active thyroid hormone before they are usable by the body.
So why don’t Doctors use these medications more frequently?
Most Doctors believe that providing T3 to the body is unnecessary as the body will take T4 and convert it into T4 at a constant rate regardless of the individual or genetic makeup of the patient.
The hesitation to use Nature-throid and other thyroid extract medication stems from a fundamental disagreement in thyroid management philosophy and the current treatment paradigm.
Patients Who Should Consider Switching to Nature-Throid
If you are one of the many patients who isn’t feeling well on T4-only medication you’re probably wondering right now if Nature-throid will help you feel better…
And for many patients, the answer is yes (though not everyone!).
Certain patients tend to do better than others but the general theme is that if you are taking LT4 and not noticing a difference you may benefit from the switch.
In my experience, patients who fall into these categories tend to do well on Nature-throid or other forms of Natural Desiccated Thyroid:
- Patients who have not felt better on T4-only medications like Synthroid, Levothyroxine, or Tirosint (4)
- Patients with known or suspected DIO2 genetic defects (5)
- Patients with mild weight problems (6) or who are weight loss resistant
- Patients who have undergone thyroidectomy or RAI (7)
- Patients with low free T3 and low free T4 levels but with a relatively normal TSH (8)
If you fall into one or more of the categories above then there is a good chance that Nature-throid may be right for you.
Switching From Levothyroxine to Nature-throid
If you’re on Levothyroxine and would like to try switching to Nature-throid there are a few really important things you need to know.
The dosing, side effects experienced, and lab tests all differ dramatically when you switch from LT4 medication to thyroid extract.
If you (or your Doctor) aren’t familiar with these differences then you may falsely believe that something is wrong or that this medication isn’t working for you when the opposite is true.
Making sure you follow the steps below it will ensure that you’ve given Nature-throid a fair chance at working for you.
1. Titrate Slowly
When switching from T4-only medication to NDT it is VERY important that you start out slow with your dosing.
T3-containing medications can be very stimulating to patients who have never been on them before.
This means it’s best to start with less medication compared to the equivalent T4 dosing, at least in the beginning.
During this transition, and as you drop your dose, you may feel slightly worse until the dose gets ramped up and as your body acclimates to the new medication.
This process of titration may last for several months.
If you find that switching medication is too stimulating for you it may be best to split your dose.
You can split your total dose into 2 or 3 smaller doses (while keeping the total dose the same) taken throughout the day.
A sample dosing schedule may look like this:
- Take half of your dose first thing in the morning
- Take the other half of your dose in the afternoon or evening
- You can even split it up even further into 6 or 8-hour intervals if necessary
This helps reduce swings in T3 concentration in your bloodstream and, therefore, in your tissues.
Symptoms of too much T3 in your body include:
- Increased anxiety or agitation
- Heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat
- Heat intolerance or hot flashes
- Uneasy feeling or overall feeling worse
- Increased fatigue
- Dizziness or the sensation of being light-headed
If you have any of these symptoms it doesn’t necessarily mean Nature-throid is NOT for you, instead, it might mean you titrated too quickly.
Starting doses may be as low as 16.25mg to 32.5mg taken in the morning and/or in the afternoon.
If you experience the symptoms above they may resolve over time, or they may not – if they persist beyond 2-4 weeks, it’s likely that they will stay.
If this happens you may need to switch to T4 + T3 combination medication or back to LT4 medication.
2. Get Your Dose Right
Dosing is also very important when switching medications.
Any time you add T3-containing medications the TSH will always drop very quickly (9).
Because of this many doctors will unintentionally under-dose thyroid patients when switching from LT4 to NDT or Nature-throid and then use that as an excuse that the medication doesn’t work.
Of course, your TSH will rise when switching medications if you are under-dosed or if your new dosing is not equivalent to your old dose.
The only way to determine if your medication is sufficient is to follow TSH, Free T3, and Free T4 both before and after the transition.
If these values do not align afterward then you know your dosing is insufficient.
When switching medications it’s important to start low and titrate slowly.
That means a starting dose of 16.25-32.5mg with an increase every 10-14 days unless you experience symptoms of excess T3 (stated above).
Instead of basing dosing off of the TSH, dosing with T3 medications should be based on a combination of the following: lab tests (free t3/reverse t3/sex hormone binding globulin), subjective symptoms, body temperature, metabolism, and heart rate.
This approach creates space for differences among individuals including genetic differences, the presence of medical conditions, and other factors which may alter dosing at the individual level.
Newer studies have shown that in order to achieve normal free thyroid hormone levels, it is necessary, and safe, to lower the TSH to non-suppressive ranges (10).
Using this standard, the traditional dosing recommendations based on TSH may result in undertreatment for many patients.
3. Monitor your Symptoms
Whenever you switch to T3-containing medications I recommend that you follow both your resting heart rate and basal body temperature.
Both of these will increase when taking T3-containing medications (direct effect from thyroid hormone) and tracking them will help prevent accidentally overdosing.
In addition, make sure to track your symptoms of Hypothyroidism.
The rise in body temperature and heart rate usually indicates an increase in metabolism as your body produces more energy and more heat.
The rise in body temperature stems from an increase in energy production from improved mitochondrial function.
This is from the direct effect of T3 on your mitochondria (11).
Will Nature-throid Help You Lose Weight?
Many people want to know if Nature-throid will be the magical medication to help them lose weight.
The answer to that is almost always no.
While it is true that Hypothyroidism can damage your metabolism and lead to weight gain, at most this usually leads to an excess of 10-20 pounds of extra weight.
If you have gained more than that amount of weight it is almost always due to another hormone imbalance.
To explain this effect further I’ve elaborated on the combination of hormone imbalances that occur in hypothyroid states which contribute to thyroid weight gain.
Having said that, some patients will experience some weight loss after switching medication.
Patients more likely to experience this weight loss usually are those who don’t have problems with T4 to T3 conversion or who have relatively low reverse T3 levels.
Generally, the higher your reverse T3 levels and the more metabolic damage you have (from calorie-restricted dieting), the less likely Nature-throid will help you lose weight.
That doesn’t mean it won’t help you feel better – because even if it doesn’t help with weight loss it still is more likely to help reduce your symptoms when compared to levothyroxine or Synthroid.
But the weight loss you are most likely looking for may not occur unless you also address other factors such as hormone imbalances, damage to your metabolism, your diet, and so on.
Low thyroid hormone may lead to an increase in insulin resistance (12), leptin resistance, (13), and sex hormone imbalances (14) that may compromise more than just your thyroid.
You can find more tips to help you lose weight with hypothyroidism here. For tips on how to lose weight with Hashimoto’s please see this post.
How to Get Nature-throid
While many patients stand to benefit considerably from switching to Nature-throid (or other forms of NDT), unfortunately, it can be difficult to obtain, especially from conventional physicians.
Most Endocrinologists and Primary care providers are not comfortable prescribing Natural Desiccated thyroid or any medication which contains LT3.
A portion of this hesitation stems from the fact that NDT contains the active T3 thyroid hormone.
In addition, they also erroneously think that NDT results in unstable thyroid levels and concentrations throughout the day and that the exact dosages of T4 and T3 in each grain of NDT are not standardized.
The current standard of care and treatment paradigm within the insurance model is to treat hypothyroidism with T4-only thyroid medication and base dosing off of the TSH.
Unfortunately, this treatment usually results in persistent symptoms of hypothyroidism, consistent weight gain among hypothyroid patients, and overall a reduction in quality of life.
The takeaway here is that you may need to spend some time and energy searching for an open-minded physician who is willing to work with you.
Finding this kind of physician to help you may be difficult but is certainly worth the wait.
In my opinion, you can’t put a price on finally feeling healthy and getting your life back and the single most effective thing you can do is find someone to help guide you along the way.
Managing your thyroid is very complex and involves multiple hormone systems, so figuring this out on your own may be possible but will take a considerable amount of time.
Consider these resources to help find someone who may be able to help you further:
Note: Try to find providers who can prescribe medications including thyroid hormone replacement as these form the cornerstone of thyroid management.
How much does Nature-throid Cost?
Compared to other forms of Natural Desiccated thyroid, Nature-throid is reasonably priced as you can see from the chart below:
If your insurance will not cover Nature-throid you can use Goodrx.com to find the cheapest cash price near you.
Goodrx.com will provide you with a coupon you can use to take to your pharmacy to get a cash “discount” on medications (including other prescription medications you may be taking).
Simply go to the website and type in Nature-throid:
You will then be brought to this screen which will show you where the medication is cheapest and how to get your coupon for the discount:
You can even use Goodrx.com for other medications (including Armour thyroid, levothyroxine, etc.).
The average price of Nature-throid will depend on both your location and local pharmacies, but you should expect to pay no more than $10.00 per month for a 1 month’s supply.
What is in Nature-throid?
Are you a sensitive person that reacts to fillers/dyes/etc.?
Nature-throid has a very limited amount of ingredients as you can see below:
Active ingredients include:
- Thyroid USP (desiccated porcine thyroid)
- Triiodothyronine at 9mcg per grain
- Thyroxine at 38mcg per grain
Inactive ingredients include:
- Colloidal silicon dioxide, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactose Monohydrate, Magnesium Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Croscarmellose Sodium, Stearic acid, Opadry II 85F19316 Clear
Dosages and Formulations include:
- 16.25mg (1/4 grain)
- 32.5mg (1/2 grain)
- 48.75mg (3/4 grain)
- 65mg (1 grain)
- 81.25mg (1 1/4 grain)
- 97.5mg (1 1/2 grain)
- 113.75mg (1 3/4 grain)
- 130mg (2 grain)
- 146.25mg (2 1/4 grain)
- 162.5mg (2 1/2 grain)
- 195mg (3 grain)
- 260mg (4 grain)
- 325mg (5 grain)
It’s important to note that it is gluten-free and safe to use if you have Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
It also does not include artificial flavors, artificial colors, fish, rice, soy, gluten, peanut, egg, or shellfish.
It does, however, contain porcine (pig), so if you don’t consume animal products you should take this into account.
It’s also important to note that WP Thyroid has even fewer ingredients, so if you react to Nature-throid you may want to consider WP thyroid as an alternative.
What to do if Nature-throid isn’t Working
While Nature-throid may be enough to alleviate the majority of your symptoms and issues it may not be enough to get you back to 100%.
If you have any of the following then you may need further treatment beyond thyroid medication:
- High levels of Reverse T3 ( >15 ) or signs of thyroid resistance
- Leptin resistance (Leptin level > 12)
- Diabetes, prediabetes, or insulin resistance
- Extremely low body temperature despite being on Nature-throid or NDT
- Personal history of bipolar disorder or a strong family history of mental health disorders
- Personal history of Fibromyalgia or Chronic fatigue syndrome (15)
In these instances, it may be beneficial to consider adding T3 (Cytomel or Liothyronine) to your Nature-throid or NDT.
Cytomel is a medication that contains pure T3 thyroid hormone and is the most powerful thyroid hormone medication available.
Use Caution if You Have Autoimmune Thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Any patient with autoimmune thyroiditis or a known diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis should be careful when using Nature-throid or any other form of Natural Desiccated Thyroid.
Why?
Because NDT is porcine-derived, meaning it is an animal product and may contain porcine tissue.
Even though the hormones themselves are bio-identical (meaning they are the same hormone your body would have produced naturally), components of the animal still remain in the formulation.
Like any piece of foreign tissue, it is possible for your body to create an immune response to it (16).
For this reason (and many others) some patients may actually feel worse when switching to Nature-throid and feel like their symptoms come back even though their TSH may be normal or low.
This leads patients and providers to believe that the medication doesn’t provide stable thyroid levels and this isn’t necessarily true.
It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take Nature-throid if you have Hashimoto’s or autoimmune thyroiditis, but you should take this into consideration when switching medication and monitor for adverse effects.
If this does occur, you can check your thyroid antibody levels to determine if they raised in conjunction with starting Nature-throid.
If this occurs you may need to stop the medication.
Treating any GI-related issues like low stomach acid can improve your digestion and absorption of Nature-throid and may reduce any antigenic stimulus from the medication.
Nature-throid vs Armour thyroid
Even though Armour thyroid and Nature-throid are both forms of natural desiccated thyroid they are NOT the same medication.
Believe it or not, I’ve had many cases of patients who have simply switched from one form of NDT to another and have had many of their symptoms resolve spontaneously.
This same sort of effect is seen in patients switching from Levothyroxine to Synthroid or Synthroid to Levothyroxine even though they technically contain the same active ingredients.
Studies have shown that some individuals are exquisitely sensitive to minor differences in medications and that these medications cannot be considered bioequivalent for all patients (17).
I want to provide a word of caution to you, especially if you fall into this boat.
Don’t assume that ALL forms of NDT (Nature-throid, wp thyroid, Armour thyroid, etc.) won’t work for you if one of them isn’t currently working for you.
Much of this tolerance is likely due to the various fillers and binders used in each medication.
While all forms of NDT do contain the same amount of bio-identical thyroid hormone, they differ in these inactive fillers and binders.
In the case of Armour thyroid, the formulation was recently changed which reduced the amount of dextrose and increased the amount of methylcellulose in the formulation.
This change either dramatically improved or worsened the tolerance of the medication in some patients.
The binder methylcellulose acts like a “glue” in the body and delays the absorption of the medication.
This is the same binder that compounding pharmacies use for sustained-release T3.
This example really highlights the importance of these fillers and binders and helps to explain why some people do very well on certain types of medications.
If you are on Armour thyroid and it isn’t working for you, then it would be worth a trial of switching medication to see if the switch improves your symptoms.
You can find more information about Armour thyroid here.
Heart Palpitations with Nature-throid
One of the more concerning symptoms that patients may experience while taking Nature-throid is the sensation of a rapid heart rate otherwise known as heart palpitations.
These palpitations result from the T3 that is inside the medication.
Recall that Nature-throid contains a combination of both T4 and T3 thyroid hormones, compared to levothyroxine or Synthroid which contains T4 only.
T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone in your body and it activates certain receptors in all tissues in your body.
In your heart, T3 acts differently than it does elsewhere by directly activating calcium channel pumps (18).
This may lead to an increased force of contraction of the heart combined with an increase in the heart rate (19).
Because serum levels of T3 usually spike around 2-3 hours after ingestion of thyroid hormone, this is usually when patients experience heart palpitations.
These palpitations don’t necessarily indicate that the medication is harmful to your body, but they may mean that you are getting too much T3 too quickly.
You can combat these symptoms by changing how you take the medication.
Simply spacing your dose (take half in the morning and a half at night) may be enough to alleviate this problem.
Alternatively, taking your thyroid medication at night may improve your symptoms by altering how quickly your body absorbs it.
Many patients report heart palpitations in the middle of the night (usually 2-3 am) which likely stems from changes in cortisol levels and other hormones.
You can learn more tips and tricks on how to take your thyroid medication in this article.
Conclusion
Nature-throid is a medication that contains both the inactive T4 and the active T3.
Because of the active T3 and combinations of other thyroid hormones (listed above) many patients actually do much better on Nature-throid instead of T4-only medications like Synthroid and levothyroxine.
If you are considering switching to Nature-throid (especially if you are switching from T4-only medications) make sure to start LOW and titrate SLOW.
That means starting at a lower-than-normal equivalent dose but increasing your dose slowly every 10-14 days.
Doing this will prevent unwanted side effects from the T3 in the medication.
And remember that Nature-throid is not a magic weight loss pill, but it can help some individuals lose up to 10-20 pounds.
Now I want to hear from you:
Are you currently taking Nature-throid?
Did it work for you?
Do you believe you need different thyroid medication?
Why or why not?
Leave your comments or questions below!
Scientific References
#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4045230/
#2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23539727
#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5763098/
#4. https://journals.lww.com/co-endocrinology/Abstract/2017/10000/Persistent_hypothyroid_symptoms_in_a_patient_with.10.aspx
#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19190113
#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23539727
#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17465862
#8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28056660
#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/494987
#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27700539
#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11174855
#12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3041250/
#13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC377492/
#14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9846161
#15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5869352/
#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19869635
#17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3565118/
#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2820695/
#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746964/
Hello,
I have been taking a compounded t4/t3 at 65/16 ratio, I have a new doctor and he gave me naturethroid 1.5 grain, he said I should take 1 1/2 tabs, how does this break down to mg?
I see a few people above mentioned concerns with Nature-throid since they have moved to the new manufacturing facility. They (RLC Labs) state that the ingredients have not changed. However, I have seen a significant drop in my free T3 and T4 levels a month after taking Nature-throid from the new facility, and a moderate uptick in TSH. Also, some hypo symptoms have returned. Have any others experienced this? I am wondering if I just need a higher dose now? It seems like something changed, even if it’s just the way they make the medication which in turn is potentially affecting how it is being absorbed or used (just my theory).
I have been on nature thyroid for 4 yrs. It has made me feel better but not totally. I do have digestive issues that I have been dealing with too and I know it keeps me from absorbing vitamins or nutrients. I do have MTHFR gene from both parents and I have trouble with B’s so I keep trying different types of methylated B’s. I use a cream form now but only once away of I react. I have increased heart from Nature thyroid , I take 2 grains. Have you treated anyone with the MTHFR gene taking thyroid medicine? It’s hard when your body seems to battle you with the simplest foods or meds.
Hi Cindy,
The short answer is yes because up to 30-40% of people may have some issue with methylation. It’s important to use the right pre-methylated B vitamins, if necessary, in these patients but it doesn’t alter treatment dramatically.
I am currently taking levothyroxine 75 mg based on this what should be the dosage if I want to transition to nature-throid.
Thank you
Hi Cristina,
You can learn more about conversion in this post: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-medication/
I have been taking Naturethroid for about 3 years without issue. However, in the last year of taking it, my TSH levels have fluctuated greatly (from 0.1 – 6.4).. I was taking 2.5 grains daily, but my labs 4 weeks ago showed a TSH of 6.4. My Free T3 and Free T4 are also at the very bottom of the range. I have gained 20 pounds. I have read several of your posts. Is it lactose intolleance causing the swings? Would you suggest adding more Naturethroid and/or adding T3? My doctor suggested moving off Naturthroid and trying a T4/T3 combination, but 4 weeks into that regimen, I have daily headaches and still donโt feel good. Iโm considering moving back to Naturthroid and increasing it and/or adding T3, but am concerned about the swings I saw on the TSH levels. Thank you for your input. Your articles are so helpful!
Hi Randee,
I don’t think lactose intolerance would cause the symptoms you are experiencing here. You may want to consider switching to a different type of NDT to see if it helps.
I’m taking NatureThroid and have been doing very well on it (nothing else has been helpful for many years.) I was diagnosed in 1990 with Hashi. I’ve found that I only need a tiny sliver/speck of the 1/4 grain. Now I’m pregnant and will likely need to increase my dose, but as I’m taking such a low and unstandardized dose, I’m not sure how to effectively do this. Do you have any suggestions? I’ve had 2 doctors give the okay to take this kind of self measured dose because its the first time I’ve figured out a way to make something work for me.
Hi Rebecca,
I would take a look at this post which discusses how to manage your dose when pregnant: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-and-pregnancy/
I started naturethroid a little over a year ago and have tolerated it very well. I was on synthroid for 17 years prior to this. My labs have remained stable and I made the switch after a Doc I worked with suggested that my continued fatigue could be related to a conversion issue. I recently started an energy and metabolism vitamin with a low level of caffeine, but cut out my 2-3 cups of coffe per day. I developed palpitations despite no change in dose or timing of taking my meds. I found that the vitamin had selenium and iodine in it, so now Iโm wondering if my thyroid problem may have been an iodine deficiency all along. This was never checked by my PCP when I started synthroid, and neither were TPO antibodies. I plan to have levels of iodine checked, but do you have any recommendations if level is low about how to replace iodine and taper the naturethroid? My PCP isnโt experienced in this but is definitely willing to work with me on it.
Hi Jessica,
Sure, you can learn more info about dosing iodine here: https://www.restartmed.com/iodine-supplements/
I have T1 and they just diagnosed me with Hashimoto. I have had symptoms for a year but my endrochronologist said my thyroid was fine. My Ob/gyn diagnosed me 2 weeks ago. He put me on NatureThyroid. I haven’t notice any difference yet. My skin is extremely dry and my hair is falling out ๐ waiting for something to happen. Will this help with those two symptoms? Should I expect it to get better? Thank you so much.
Hi Donna,
It’s certainly possible but it depends on whether or not you are dosed correctly.
I am being treated for heart palpitations and arrhythmia and take Naturethroid, at 2 pm empty stomach 1 grain and alternate mornings, empty stomach, add half grain. it is not sufficient to manage my fatigue and brain fog and hair loss and concentration/focus issues but internist and cardiologist are careful regarding the heart. I am 65. I could work on digestive issues. Would changing to WT at nighttime be good idea? I am taking the 2 pm due to crashing in the afternoon. I have had low adrenal function and low cortisol. My palpitations are as I wake in the morning, upon exercise, and when tired and sedentary, so meditating can be challenging. If I move they tend to resolve fairly soon. Suggestions?
Love your column! I was diagnosed 4 years ago with Hashimoto’s and was doing ok on 97.5mg Nature Throid until it was unavailable late last year and switched to NP Thyroid…disaster. Finally, in April the Nature Throid was back on the market so my MD put me on twice a day dosing to get my labs back in line. Just had new labs done 7/23 and don’t know what to make of it. T3- 84 but T4 is only at 4. TSH – .053 as would be expected.
Hi Kathryn,
I would take a look at this post which outlines the optimal ranges for your thyroid lab tests: https://www.restartmed.com/normal-thyroid-levels/
Dr. Childs,
My Dr. started me at 1/2 grain and had me titrate up 1/2 grain per week until I got the jitters. I’m at 1 1/2 grain now and feel ok but am gaining weight. Is that normal?
Hi Angel,
It’s certainly not normal to gain weight while taking thyroid medication.
I have epilepsy. Does Naturethroid have drug interactions with anti-seizure medications? I am terrified of this new (to me) entire thyroid “thing” because of possible interactions. Nasty interactions are why I am incredibly reluctant to take any medications other than my (2) anti-seizure meds. I am on nothing for my thyroid right now because I am chicken little and want to do research first rather than just swallow more pharmaceuticals. Thanks.
Hi RoseMary,
Usually, anti-seizure medications are responsible for damaging the thyroid, not the other way around. Thyroid hormone can be safely taken with many medications because it’s a hormone that your body produces naturally and not a pharmaceutical. You should check with your current provider though because I’m not sure what medications you are taking.
Hi Dr. Childs. I have been reading and listening to your podcasts for months and have been working on my thyroid health taking in your advice and expertise. I was put on NDT April 2015 after seeing a Naturopath. I live in Canada and take NDT. 90 mg in the early morning to avoid any conflict with food/supplements and then 30 mg at around 3 pm. I changed to the half dose in the afternoon a few months ago. I have been feeling much better. I sleep better, have more energy and seem to be on the right path.
I have no good recent labs as I can;’t get R/T”s or T’s but what I have is this March 2018
Cortisol am (blood) 441, Ferritin 95ug/L, FSH 42 U/L, LH 17 U/L, Progesterone 1.3 mol/L, TSH 3.06 (previous TSH Dec 2017 1.07, Jan 2017 2.46) Glucose fasting 5,.2 mmol/L, DHEA 7.2
My main issue now is rapid weight gain and I can’t seem to lose or even stabilize. I tried the Victoza for almost 3 months and was at the highest dose with no results. I eat healthy, (clean diet, higher protein) weight train at the gym 2 or 3 x per week, go for brisk walks 3x per week and an active person. 55 and menopause for 5 years (progesterone at bedtime and estradiol cream in the morning) I also had a RmR test and I use 1950 calories in a resting state.
I take your T3 conversion booster, Vit D, probiotic, a cortisol supporter, a magnesium spray on the skin at night to help me sleep.
Can you recommend anything to combat the weight gain? I was even considering taking Synthroid as I have never tried anything other than the NDT. Here is the link to what we get in Canada.
https://bodyandhealth.canada.com/drug/getdrug/thyroid
I would even consider a compound NT.. but I am open to suggestions.
thank you for your time and your dedication to thyroid patients.
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
If you’ve tried all of those therapies then you may be someone who needs to look into thyroid medication, probably medication which includes T3 thyroid hormone. Synthroid probably won’t work to help with your weight loss, to be honest. You’ll also need to take a good look at your own personal history to see if previous yo-yo dieting or eating disorders in your early life may be contributing to your condition now.
Hi! I have been struggling for years! Diagnosed w Hashimotos in 2014. I have been on nature throid all this time..currently 4 grains and I split my dose..TSH is always 0.01 still always cold, dry skin, hair nails, cracked feet, flaky scalp, hair loss,and cant lose weight! My TPO fluctuates with diet and mu Antithyroglobin Antibodies are Always greater than 1000! It does not matter how good my diet is..weight loss is impossible but weight gain is super easy! I feel beyond frustrated to never have these Hypo symptoms go away despite my TSH..my t3 t4 are NOT optimal and are very low. I feel so very lost
Hi Dr Childs,
I really appreciate your expertise and resources – thank you! I was diagnosed with Hoshimotos about 6 years ago. After getting fed up with conventional medicine’s treatment, I began working with a functional nutritionist last Jan and a functional MD in August. I was on 88 mg of synthroid 5 days/wk and 1.5 dosages 2 days/wk. My labs still showed sub-optimal levels of thyroid. My functional MD switched me to 1 grain of NTD in Aug. I felt poorly, we retested after a month, and there was no improvement. He switched me to 2 grain, I retested after a month, and my thyroid markers are literally not budging. NO difference between my last two blood work results despite doubling the dosage. I am on a strict paleo diet (and have been for a year), I am careful to take my NTD as directed (on an empty stomach and apart from other supplements). I am still experiencing crappy hypo symptoms (exhausted all the time, brain fog, aches, headaches, general “slowness”). Any idea how changing medicines and dosages could seemingly have no effect? Have you seen patients have little to no response to medications?
Hi Emily,
Yes, I’ve seen patients who are difficult to treat but I’ve pretty much always been able to get some measure of improvement with enough trial and error.
Hi
I have started taking the nature throid a year ago. And my doctor told me that I needed 65 mg to take one pill once a day on an empty stomach. And to make sure that I take it at the same time everyday. Well I did that Faithfully and my test results showed that there was a great Improvement. But I personally was not satisfied. Because I had only lost 10 lb that year and I wanted to lose more. I ended up gaining five of it back. And recently lost too. But I am now in my second year of taking nature throid and I had my test results show that there was a significant decrease. And my doctor was concerned that I wasn’t taking my medicine. I told her that I was but I do not take it on an empty stomach. I told her I take it between 10 and 2. From either between 10 or 11 a.m. but mostly around 12 12:30 in the afternoon depending on my sleep cycle. Sometimes I haven’t been able to take it until 2. But it’s always the early part of the day. But my stomach is never completely empty I always have a little something in my stomach and she can’t understand why I can’t just wake up to go pee and just take the pill and then go back to sleep. Well I try to do it that way but it doesn’t always work that way. If I eat breakfast at 9 a.m. then I should be able to take my thyroid pill at 12 noon. But sometimes I’ll eat 30 minutes later a very small meal like half a sandwich or something. And she said well it shows up on your blood work. Because it’s not fully absorbing in your body and she says I need to learn discipline and she says that I’m getting to a point where I’m defaulting. And I’m angry because I want to take some version of nature throid that will allow me to have food in my stomach and it’s a pain in the tail that I have to take it the same time everyday. I know I sound like a spoiled brat. But it was going good the first year. But now I just find it to be such a nuisance. Like I had a doctor’s appointment and I had to make sure I took my pill at 12 noon can’t eat anything for 2 to 3 hours now I’m nauseous I need something to eat blah blah blah. My doctor does not want to give me any other thyroid medication she thinks that nature boy is the best and it’s best suited for me I take 65 mg a day one whole pill. I told her I want more than 65 mg for the I can lose more weight. That’s my main concern out of ignorance of course. A friend of mine said that I need to take more than 65 mg a day a friend of mine said that I need to take two doses. And for a while I did without telling my doctor. But I took it all at once I took two 65 mg all at once until I did research and found out that that was a foolish move. Someone please set me straight someone please say something to help me to be on the right path.
Hello, I must began by letting you know that this blog is very informative and very appreciated. Thank you!I can only wish to find a physician like yourself in Chattanooga Tn. If you know of one Iโd be delighted if you would share the information with me. I had RAI in 2012 my body didnโt respond to t4 medications . I was on a major roller coaster . I leveled out on nature throid since 2013. By being my own advocate Iโm trying to research and survive this nasty autoimmune that makes me struggle. I have graves and hashis. Now recently Iโm starting to gain weight like 20 lbs in 3 months also itโs hard to get up in the mornings. I wonโt allow myself to settle for this I have to dig and find the answers.. I refuse to give in. I work long hours and struggle after 3 ish. Iโm on 2 grains of nature throid and 10 mg of cytomel. As one ages โIโm 39โ does this generally change the dose one takes? Iโm also curious if it may be due to the change in naturethroid?
Hi Katie,
Glad you found it helpful! The short answer is that yes, the demand for thyroid hormone in your body changes over the course of your life. It also might be possible that the change in thyroid medication formulation is leading to your issues as well (or a combination of both).
I have been treated for hypothyroid since I was 11 years old. I have been on and off medications depending on who my primary doctor is an their beliefs. Talk about a condition that has gone in and out of favor over the years. I have tried to hang on to lab work results through the years just for my own desire to research and try to resolve my own issues. Thanks to your excellent web site I now know I have always had a low t3. No one has ever suggested I try adding supplements. I am reading through your site and making my own notes but wanted to share that I was on Naturethroid for 5 to 6 years and felt terrible, but that’s what my insurance said I had to take. Recently I asked my MD to change it to Armour and I just pay for it. Feel so much better on Armour. So I agree with you that the fillers/binders etc. make some not work for a certain percentage of ppl. Also probably 8 or 9 years ago I purchased Natural Sources – Raw Thyroid Glandular Concentrate at a vitamin store. It made me feel so much better. Can you explain what is the difference between this OTC product and the rx version of NDT thyroid? Why did I have good results with the raw thyroid glandular OTC product? Is there benefits to taking both at the same time?
Hi Sherry,
You can learn more about thyroid glandulars (and adrenal glandulars) in these posts:
https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-glandular-supplements/
https://www.restartmed.com/adrenal-glandulars/
I am currently on armour thyroid, daw. 90 mg. I have trouble sleeping and have severe acid reflux disease. I have 2 stomach ulcers with hiatal hernia. My lab tests are within the range but t4 is on the low side of that range. Nature throid seemed to make my heartburn worse so I switched to armour but still suffering from heartburn. Do thyroid medications contribute to acid reflux disease?
Hi Linda,
Generally, they tend to help improve acid reflux but they could also potentially cause it in the right circumstances.
I have very low TSH [RAI] but normal levels of T4 and T3 and I take Armour but have experienced AFIB in 2015 and again recently. Am I getting too much T3.
Hi Trish,
Perhaps, but typically atrial fibrillation is not related to thyroid medication unless it is excessively high. You can always check your labs to see where you stand.
Should Naturethroid be taken on an empty stomach or with food? I’ve read both ways are appropriate.
Thank you.
Hi Tivkah,
The default position should always be to take thyroid medication on an empty stomach. Very rarely, if ever, should you take it with food.
I have taken NatureThroid for at least 10 years, and other thyroid meds before that. I can never stabilize the quantity for very long: I seem to be fine, then I get symptoms, so dr adjusts it. This occurs about every 4 to 6 months. My TSH is .006 and my Free T3 is 3.7, and I am not doing well. Naturethroid has become hard to find in my area; I have to cut small pills in quarters to get the recommended dose. Any help at all would be appreciated. (I am going to search for a new dr.)
Nature-throid changed in early Jan 2017 after they shut down and reopened their factory. The previous pills tasted sweet and were easily dissolved in the mouth, the new pills are harder and less effective according to many people on the internet (including me). I assume a change in fillers/binders.
I was on 1 grain for over 10 years and did great, but after the change in pills I started getting hypo; weight gain, hair loss, anxiety. My new doctor looks at free Tโs and not just the TSH, so she is raising my dose and I am currently at 2 grains.
I started chewing the pills before swallowing the last few days when I started the new dose and I noticed I feel a little hyper. My resting heart rate is 90โ100 and I feel slightly lightheaded off and on during the day.
My question is is it fairly common to feel slightly off and have a faster heart rate when first upping your NT dose? If so, should I just stay on this dose for now and see if I feel better in a few weeks? I am getting blood work in 8 weeks.
Also, I have read that chewing the newer Armour has helped with absorption, so I was hoping it would do the same thing with Nature-throid. I also read studies that low stomach ph causes low thyroid absorption, thus chewing it first would seem to help. But now I wonder if my body is getting too much T3 right away because I chew them up. Is it a problem to chew them before swallowing?
I’ve had hypothyroidism and hashimoto’s for 15 years. I was on T3 and T4 meds previously (Synthroid 100 mcgand Liothyronine 10 mcg). I switched to Naturethroid 113 mg this past June. I’m not sure Naturethroid is working for me. I just got my labs done and I’m waiting to see what they look like. I’ve noticed my vision has. Even blurry and I’m tired, lack of energy. I was feeling pretty good on T3 and T4 but wanted to try NDT. Now I’m questioning whether I should switch back. Do you think I need more T3? I know I have a conversion problem because I was only treated with T4 meds when I was diagnosed and felt horrible. Adding T3 made a huge difference. I will talk about my symptoms at my next appointment when we go over my labs. Still deciding what I shoukd do.
In 2013 at the age of 66 I saw a general practitioner for the first time. My TSH was 1.71, free T3 was 3.17 and free T4 was .98. I had no complaints. A year later my TSH was .76, T3 was 2.62, and T4 was .84 so my doctor started me on Naturethroid 1 grain which he sells in his office. I didn’t question his decision. In 2015 my TSH was .61 and T3 was 11. T4 wasn’t checked. In 2017 my TSH was 1.51. T3 and T4 weren’t checked. In 2018 my TSH was .12, T3 was 5.3H, and T4 wasn’t checked. I decided that right after my last blood work (which was ordered by my new M.D.) and which was drawn on 10/22/19 that I would start weaning myself from the Naturethroid and have been taking 1/2 grain since. The doctor also checked my thyroid gland and didn’t feel any abnormalities. I just received the results and my TSH is .71 and T4 was .8. The nurse at the office who gave me the results said I should keep doing the same thing but when I saw the doctor at her office I was questioned why I was ever put on Naturethroid to begin with and that it can actually weaken my bones. Now that the results came back I’m continuing the 1/2 grain but wondering if it would be a bad idea to keep weaning or if I should keep taking it. I was able to look at my results online and see that my BUN/Creatinine (now 35)is still high as it was in 2015 (39) which I understand is also affected by the thyroid. I appreciate any input. Thanks so much.
Hello there, I have heart disease but my functional felt that naturthoid might help me. I cant find any information on how naturthoid can be harmful if a person with heart disease takes it but I have read if you have HD then you shouldn’t take it. Was my functional doc wrong by prescribing this to me? Thank you!
Hi Mary,
Thyroid medications are not a problem if you have heart disease provided your dose is normal. They only become a problem if your dose is too high.
Went years searching for a diagnosis finally found out Hashimoto’sThyroiditis, Sjogren’s, osteoarthritis, tinitis, hemochromatosis. Female age 79. Was around 200#. Made additional changes to diet, took supplements, got on Nature-throid 1 grain and lost almost 40#. Then couldn’t get Nature-throid, so went to Armour. Since then put on 17#. Quit Armour and been trying other thyroid formulasโput on another 5# and now cholesterol raised, losing more hair. Tests not showing much TSH, other numbers not great (barely in range), day-to-day blood pressure in range or high (140s)(take turmeric). Thinking about going back on Nature-throid if can find it or maybe WP Thyroid, also ordered Berb-ALA. Have been told difficult to work with as have too many issues. Some guidance could help. Thank you
Tried NP Thyroid 90mg for two weeks but was having hyper symptoms because my FT4 was a little over 2 and FT3 was 4 . Took Levo 88 mcg for 10 years and for the past 4 years had been suffering from aggravation, fatigue and crashes. In the past three years my levels of FT3 went from the mid to high 3 range down to mid to high 2 range. Unfortunately I don’t have any of my test results from the previous 6 years to know if my FT3 levels may have been higher.
NP Thyroid doesn’t have anything in between 60 and 90 so figured I’d try Nature Throid 81.25 mg. I started out too high. If you try to make a jump from Levo(any T4 therapy) straight to NDT then it’s smart to start low and work your way up but not too low. I don’t think there’s much point to starting at anything under 1 grain if you take 75mcg of Levo or higher. Personally, I need all my T4 in the morning. I didn’t do well splitting the dose.
So here I am on 65 mg of Nature Throid for the past couple of days. I can tell it’s too low but I’m going to wait at least 10-14 days.
My question is that there isn’t a dose between 65mg and 81.25 mg of Nature throid and I was slightly hyper but close to optimal after two weeks on 90 mg of NP Thyroid so do you commonly see people need a dose in between doses? If a person is low on 65 mg do you find that they might need to make the full jump up to 81.25 mg or something in between like 73 mg? If you say that 1 grain is more like 75 mcg of T4 then one has to assume 81.25 mg may be closer to 88 mcg of T4. Is it possible I tried to go to 81.25 mg too soon while still coming down from Levo?
Overall, even though I haven’t found the right dose yet on NDT it has helped with the aggravation and mystery aches and pain.
I’m so happy I happened to find this website!
I was on Nature Throid 81.25 for many years and felt fine. Then, the 81.25 was backordered and I had to switched to Armour (60mg and 15 mg , which ended up being quite expensive) for approx. 3 years. In Jan 2019, my T4 was 1.o, free T3 3.2, and my TSH was .20.
In Jan. 2020, my blood tests showed my free T3 at 3.1 and my TSH at 2.00 (a large jump), and unfortunately they did not run the T4.
In early February I was again able to access Nature Throid 81.25 which was about a third of the cost of buying the two Armour prescriptions, and thus I switched back. It has been an interesting adjustment. I’ve gained 5 lbs., feel sluggish, and notice skin changes. I am an active 60 year old elementary school based occupational therapist (my job is quite active!) and I’m always on the go. This has been a real puzzle to me. My doctor would rather put me on Synthroid, but due to my insistence, allows the Armour/Nature Throid so he is no help at all.
Any insight would be most appreciative!
and in Canada its a bummer that I cannot get NDT [even made up from scratch] without the Microcrystalline Cellulose to which I am allergic. + when last I tried it I believe Im in that small percentile that reacts to porcine protein.
Thank you for this wonderful website in this desert of docs who have little knowledge about natural thyroid meds! My question is, what might cause (new) middle-of-the night “adrenaline rushes” in someone who is usually hypothyroid and completely exhausted most days? NatureThroid side effects? Cortisol issues? Adrenal issues?
Thanks for any ideas.
I would like to know this as well. Except mine are all day long.
Hi I have Recently started taking naturthroid but I feel like it isnโt working. I have body aches, fatigue loss of hair and weight gain more than I did in armpit or synthroid. But on synthroid I had major anxiety and heart and armour wasnโt balancing my number either and I had symptoms in that. Any suggestions on directions to go? Things to test
Hi Dr Childs,
Why do you feel Naturethroid is better than Armour as what fillers do Nthroid use?
Many thanks, Barbara
Hello! Any time I try to take any thyroid hormone in any amount (cytomel, levothyroxine, NP thyroid) I almost instantly have fluid retention and constipation. Itโs as if Iโm getting more hypothyroid. Iโve tried low doses, medium doses, higher doses with the same response. 10 yrs ago when I was first dx with peripheral hypothyroidism I took cytomel only and it made a world of difference, but something has changed since 2019 when I noticed getting more hypo with medication. I have all of the classic hypothyroid symptoms when Iโm not medicated, and they are exacerbated with any type of thyroid replacement. Labs are low normal everything (free t3, free t4, TSH) and a RT3 of 16. Negative antibodies
I felt so good on nature thyroid, I didnt realize how good I felt until I tried something else, I had to get it from a compunding pharmacy and it was alittle expensive, money got tight and I was naive enough to think all meds were the same, went to synthroid, horrible, went to armour not much better, went to T3/T4 drug and want to get back to naturthroid but now they are not making it, It was like a light switched my brain was great, i had energy and motivation, I woke up and started cleaning the house at 6am most days it was amazing, now on all the other meds I have the constants blahs again and am tired and not my best self. I am looking to get on to NP thyroid as that seems to be the closest alternative right now
Hi Jeff,
You can still get nature-throid from certain compounding pharmacies so that would be worth looking into if you can afford it.
I saw this article anchor so excited because I thought it was back on the market at first. I wish it would come back out again.. I was allergic to synthetics after my thyroid removal in 2014 and tried everyone out there with Naturethroid being my last hope. Took it and improved dramatically so much so that I felt like I did when I was younger before any health issues.. lost so much weight as well. But since the recall I have tried the compounded they talked about on their page from several different pharmacies only to have my TSH get messed up with weight gain and side effects as well .. I take armour only because I know it will be closer to the right amount then if compounded but feel like crap still with joint and muscle pains still feel fatigued but my numbers are good border line hyper almost .. but gained more weight the last yr and half I’ve been on it ..ugh and now weigh 206lb which I’ve never weighed ever.. my highest after thyroid removal was 168 and on Naturethroid went back to my normal weight of 133.. I feel so sad and depressed because of this weight gain and these side effects ..I just want Naturethroid to come back again so I can regain the quality of life I had before.
Hi Liz,
I wish it were back as well! If it does make it back to the market I will let all of my email followers know. I’m keeping an eye on it, especially with the new developments with the FDA trying to label NDT as biologics.
Hi Dr Childs,
Do u know if np thyroid and armour have the ingredients incl. minor amounts of Calcitonin, T1, T2, and even Iodine? It does not say when searching, but naturethroid has it. Maybe the dessicated versions all have it in small amounts? Pls let me know.
Hi Sasa,
Yes, all formulations are said to have it though they aren’t tested for it (as far as I know) and I’ve been unable to find exactly how much each lot contains.
Hi Dr. Childs,
Farmakeio bought the rights to Nature-Throid and it can not be obtained through Farmakeio for patients. You may know this, but I didn’t see it anywhere on the thread. I DO prescribe this for patients and have really seen an improvement in my patients’ symptoms