Hormone Therapy for Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, a condition characterized by not enough generation of thyroid hormones by the thyroid glands, is a long-term condition and thus those who are affected by it have to deal with it in their lifetime. It is however quite manageable as you just have to take particular medicines. Here are a few numerous ways on how hypothyroidism is handled.

The common treatment used for managing hypothyroidism is synthetic levothyroxine (T4). Even though the most active thyroid hormones is actually triiodothyronine (T3), the synthetic T4 is the suitable treatment as it is more stable and only demands once a day dosing, while T3 is shorter-acting and thus necessary to be ingested on a multiple basis. Furthermore, T4 is readily transformed to T3 in the system. Synthetic T4 is ideally consumed in the morning, 10 minutes before eating. Other medicinal drugs that contains iron and antacids should be avoided as they definitely could mess with the absorption of T4 by the body.

Older people are usually required a dose of 100 to 150 micrograms of synthetic T4 per day. Children however need a greater dosage for their growth and metabolism. Synthetic T4 isn't a good idea for people with an underlying heart problem as it could worsen it.

Aside from the common T4 treatment, there are also other treatments that people with hypothyroidism can choose to take. As an example, one can take a combination of both T3 and T4 medications. Some researchers reported that taking supplemental T3 with the standard T4 can help affected individuals feel better by relieving them some of the symptoms such as depression, fatigue, and brain fog. Another alternative medication is desiccated thyroid extract made from pork or a combination of pork and beef thyroid glands. This treatment contains both T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, although the downside to it is that it didn't have uniformity of potency from batch to batch. However, some advocates of this treatment maintain that its better since it is more natural and is effective in alleviating symptoms such as fatigue and depressed mood.

Those who go through treatment of hypothyroidism ought to be supervised on a regular basis to make certain their thyroid hormones are consistent. This is critical to make sure that the procedure is working for the patient and to guarantee as well that what is being given is not too much, as it can result in symptoms of hyperthyroidism.