This conversion chart can help you compare the dosages of different types of synthetic and natural hormone therapies. Please note that each grain of WP Thyroid or Nature-Throid contains 38 mcg of T4 and 9 mcg of T3.
Talk to your doctor about whether natural thyroid hormone replacement is best for you, and what dosage will best suit your medical needs.
Thyroxine, often called T4, affects almost every cell in your body! It plays roles in3:
Triiodothyronine (T3) is made by enzymes called deiodinases acting on T4. Like T4, it has many functions, such as playing roles in growth and development, body temperature, and heart rate1.
T3 is more active--about three to four times more potent than T4--because it is easier for cells to take up and utilize T31, though it also has a shorter half-life than T45.
Levothyroxine doesn't actually affect the thyroid gland2; it provides the body with the T4 hormone that the thyroid is failing to produce5.
There may be multiple reasons why your body isn't doing enough converting of T4 to T3:
One way to get enough T3 is through hormone replacement therapy4. Talk to your doctor today to see if T4 + T3 combination therapy is right for you.
1. Childs, Westin. How to Increase Free T3 Levels Naturally: 8 Step Guide + Tips and Tricks. Restart Med. 2016 March.
2. Cooper, D. S. Thyroid hormone treatment: New insights into an old therapy. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1989 May, 261(18): 2694-2695.
3. Lichten, Edward M. Synthetic Thyroxine vs. Desiccated Thyroid. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004 March, 291(12): 1445.
4. Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2016 October, par. How is thyroid replacement therapy dosage determined?
5. Wiersinga, W. M. Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy. Hormone Research in Pediatrics. 2001 May, 56(suppl 1): 74-81.
Precautions
As with any prescription medication, talk to your doctor about any existing medical conditions, and let your doctor know immediately if you experience any side effects.
Tell your doctor if:
Warnings: Don’t Take For
Use WP Thyroid® and Nature-Throid® exactly as prescribed. Unless otherwise directed by your doctor, do not stop taking either medication or alter how often it’s taken. Many factors can contribute to the length of time symptoms are alleviated, though generally people feel an improvement within a few weeks. For some, though, improvement in symptoms may take up to three months. Your doctor will determine which dose is right for you. If any life changes or new symptoms occur, consult your doctor to adjust your dose. Continue to see your doctor until your dosage levels prove stable based on your lab work, then continue to see your doctor at their request. Thyroid replacement therapy is usually taken for life.