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Natural thyroid extract is made from the thyroid glands of animals and is used to treat a range of conditions associated with poor thyroid functioning. Synthetic hormones are often prescribed to treat these conditions, however there are some key differences between the synthetic and natural extract treatments.
What does the thyroid do?
The thyroid is actually a gland that produces hormones responsible for the development and correct functioning of many organs and bodily systems including the brain, the heart, metabolism, the muscular system and the digestive system as well as playing a part in regulating mood.
What’s the difference between synthetic and natural thyroid treatments?
The thyroid gland produces two major hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Both play an important part in how your thyroid functions. T3 is the active hormone, the one that does all the grunt work, however the body can only produce it with the help of T4.
Synthetic thyroid treatments only contain T4 as T4 is the more stable of the two hormones and can be measured and encapsulated in standard doses. T3 is T4’s rebellious younger sibling and is not so easy to stabilise for use in drug manufacturing. Drug manufacturers reason that if you introduce more T4 into the body, more T3 will naturally be produced, addressing the thyroid disorder.
Where this reasoning falls down is that some people cannot convert T4 into T3 as easily as others, if at all.
This is why natural thyroid treatments contain both T4 and T3 – they introduce T3 directly into the body without relying on T4 alone to do the T3 conversion. This way you know, for sure, that you’ve increased levels of T3 in the body.
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that T3 improved mood and neuropsychological functioning when given to people with hypothyroidism.
Do I need a prescription for Natural Thyroid Extract?
National Custom Compounding regularly makes up orders of Natural Thyroid Extract for people with thyroid disorders around the country. However just like all pharmacies around Australia, we can only supply medication on presentation of a script from a GP or other suitably qualified medical practitioner. Talk to your health care provider about your interest in Natural Thyroid Extract Alternatively we regularly work with integrative doctors around the country who understand the services offered by compounding pharmacies. Our list of integrative doctors is also available on our website.
We’re based in Queensland however we have systems in place that allow us to deliver anywhere in Australia. We also have a large network of Partner Pharmacies across the country who can arrange to have your script filled by us on your behalf. Check the online list to see if there’s a partner pharmacy near you.