(TBS #9) Is NDT (Natural Desiccated Thyroid) the Best Thyroid Medication?
This is lesson #9 in my thyroid beginner series and today it's all about NDT or natural desiccated thyroid!
So what is NDT?
Stands for Natural Desiccated Thyroid. This thyroid medication is porcine-derived which means it comes from the thyroid gland of pigs.
It contains both the active T3 thyroid hormone and the inactive thyroid hormone T4.
The ratio of T4 to T3 is around 76% T4 to 23% T3 which is roughly similar to the same amount that your thyroid gland produces naturally of 80:20.
NDT is felt to be safer and more natural than other synthetic hormones such as Synthroid or Levothyroxine and other people believe it's the best thyroid medication.
But is that actually true? There may be some truth to it, but your main goal should be to always find the best thyroid medication for YOU.
Some of the problems with NDT include:
- Many people take too much thyroid hormone which may cause issues
- Dosing is static which means you can’t tweak the T4 and T3 concentrations.
- May lead to variations in free T3 & Free T4 levels.
- Symptoms arise from the use of T3 which can be difficult to manage in some patients.
- May be hard to break down for some patients in the intestines due to fillers or dyes.
- May lead to immunogenic reaction (may not be ideal for patients with Hashimoto’s)
So with that in mind, who should use NDT? I've come up with a quick list below:
- Those who have failed T4 medication.
- Those with low free T3 levels (usually need a T3 medication).
- Those who are post-thyroidectomy.
This isn't an all-inclusive list but it should really help to get you started and determine if NDT is right for you!
Hey guys!
I'm Dr. Westin Childs and I focus on thyroid health, hormone balance, and weight loss. I write about thyroid disorders, weight loss, insulin resistance, estrogen/progesterone balance on my blog. I truly believe that hormone balance is the key to managing your weight, your mood and your quality of life which is why I'm so passionate about it.
I take a personalized/functional medicine approach to management of conditions. I'm not accepting patients but you can learn more and get plenty of information on my blog!
You can learn more about high-quality supplements that I create (and personally use) here:
https://www.restartmed.com/shop/
You can find more general information on my site here:
https://www.restartmed.com/
If you enjoyed this video please subscribe on youtube or leave a comment on my podcast here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-westin-childs-podcast-thyroid-weight-loss-hormones/id1141207688?mt=2
This video is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you have questions about your health please consult your physician or primary care provider. Dr. Westin Childs goes to great lengths to produce high-quality content but this is NOT a substitute for medical care.
Do you have any topics or video ideas? Please say so in the comments below!
So what is NDT?
Stands for Natural Desiccated Thyroid. This thyroid medication is porcine-derived which means it comes from the thyroid gland of pigs.
It contains both the active T3 thyroid hormone and the inactive thyroid hormone T4.
The ratio of T4 to T3 is around 76% T4 to 23% T3 which is roughly similar to the same amount that your thyroid gland produces naturally of 80:20.
NDT is felt to be safer and more natural than other synthetic hormones such as Synthroid or Levothyroxine and other people believe it's the best thyroid medication.
But is that actually true? There may be some truth to it, but your main goal should be to always find the best thyroid medication for YOU.
Some of the problems with NDT include:
- Many people take too much thyroid hormone which may cause issues
- Dosing is static which means you can’t tweak the T4 and T3 concentrations.
- May lead to variations in free T3 & Free T4 levels.
- Symptoms arise from the use of T3 which can be difficult to manage in some patients.
- May be hard to break down for some patients in the intestines due to fillers or dyes.
- May lead to immunogenic reaction (may not be ideal for patients with Hashimoto’s)
So with that in mind, who should use NDT? I've come up with a quick list below:
- Those who have failed T4 medication.
- Those with low free T3 levels (usually need a T3 medication).
- Those who are post-thyroidectomy.
This isn't an all-inclusive list but it should really help to get you started and determine if NDT is right for you!
Hey guys!
I'm Dr. Westin Childs and I focus on thyroid health, hormone balance, and weight loss. I write about thyroid disorders, weight loss, insulin resistance, estrogen/progesterone balance on my blog. I truly believe that hormone balance is the key to managing your weight, your mood and your quality of life which is why I'm so passionate about it.
I take a personalized/functional medicine approach to management of conditions. I'm not accepting patients but you can learn more and get plenty of information on my blog!
You can learn more about high-quality supplements that I create (and personally use) here:
https://www.restartmed.com/shop/
You can find more general information on my site here:
https://www.restartmed.com/
If you enjoyed this video please subscribe on youtube or leave a comment on my podcast here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-westin-childs-podcast-thyroid-weight-loss-hormones/id1141207688?mt=2
This video is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you have questions about your health please consult your physician or primary care provider. Dr. Westin Childs goes to great lengths to produce high-quality content but this is NOT a substitute for medical care.
Do you have any topics or video ideas? Please say so in the comments below!
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