Why Don’t Doctors Like to Prescribe Desiccated Thyroid Gland?

e The thyroid gland is small and unassuming and doesn’t usually command a lot of attention. When it misbehaves, though, its owner suffers. That happens more often than you might imagine. The American Thyroid Association suggests that the usual estimate of 5 percent of adults with an underactive thyroid gland is an underestimate. This advocacy organization suggests that the rate might be much higher, between 10 and 20 percent. Doctors usually treat it with a prescription for levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, Tirosint, Unithroid). Sometimes patients wonder about a natural alternative, desiccated thyroid gland.

Will Desiccated Thyroid Gland Treat Hypothyroidism?

Q. What can you tell me about desiccated thyroid? I’ve been on levothyroxine for 40 years, but it’s never been able to regulate my thyroid. My hair, skin and nails are a mess. I have chronic insomnia and frequently feel fatigued.

I’ve also read that levothyroxine causes osteoporosis. Apparently, I have developed that even though osteoporosis does not run in my family. I’ve always exercised and eat 80 percent very healthy. My doctors seem indifferent to my plights. What are your thoughts?

A. Many physicians have been reluctant to prescribe desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) because they feel that there is too much variability in this natural product. However, a study examining health care for complications of thyroid treatment (cardiovascular and bone health) did not detect differences between patients on synthetic levothyroxine and those on DTE (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Feb. 20, 2024). They point out that DTE or T4 + T3 now make up more than 10 percent of the new prescriptions for hypothyroidism in the US.

Some Readers Prefer DTE:

We have heard from many readers who prefer DTE to levothyroxine. There may be a genetic basis for this preference, leading to a less efficient conversion of T4 (levothyroxine) to the active form, T3.

You can read more about this and other particulars of taking DTE such as Armour thyroid in our eGuide to Thyroid Hormones.

A Link Between Thyroid Treatment and Osteoporosis:

Unfortunately, people like you with overt hypothyroidism may be more susceptible to osteoporosis when their condition is treated (BMC Endocrine Disorders, Jan. 14, 2025). That said, people with hypothyroidism feel terrible if they forgo treatment, and we don’t recommend that. We could find no evidence that DTE is either more or less likely to contribute to bone loss.

Why Don’t Doctors Prescribe Desiccated Thyroid Gland More Often?

Q. My hypothyroidism was initially diagnosed before I was 20 years of age. Nothing was done about it because the tests did not show that it was ‘out of range.’ Skip from 1966 to 1991 when my TSH was at 224 and I was immediately put on Synthroid. The Synthroid brought the TSH down, but not enough to get me anywhere near normal;  changes in the dosing were made to see if that would work. I had seen various psychiatrists since 1981 for chronic depression.

In 1999, I started with another psychiatrist and told him about the unsuccessful trials with Synthroid. He tested for T3 and other thyroid tests and concluded that Synthroid simply was not doing the job. He contacted my Internal Medicine specialist and requested that I be place on ‘dessicated thyroid’ immediately. The psychiatrist actually warned me that it could take years for my system to have a full response to the attempts to normalize things again.

Amazingly, my depression lifted within a month. Friends noticed because I had just had a death in the family (my dad) and I had lost my mom the year before. I was handling things extremely well and was displaying far more energy than they had seen in years. The huge amount of weight that had been gained is slowing going away. I don’t miss it. I am having a great time trying on clothes that have stayed in my closet waiting for me to fit into them.

Feeling Better on Armour:

I am now almost 67 years old and haven’t felt this good since I was in my 20s. My current doctor knows that he can adjust the dose, but he will never get me onto a synthetic levothyroxine. Why don’t doctors embrace desiccated thyroid gland more often? So many problems could be helped by simply letting go of the ‘rote’ lessons learned from the big pharma sponsors of the medical schools and medical specialty groups.

A. Many doctors believe that desiccated thyroid (Armour, Nature-throid, Westhroid) varies too much from one batch to the next to be reliable. But a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (May, 2013) revealed that when Armour Thyroid was compared to Synthroid, almost half the participants felt better, scored higher on cognitive tests and lost more weight on the natural thyroid supplement.

Another Reader’s Story:

Several years ago, Dolores reported:

I have been on thyroid medication since the 1960’s, when I started taking natural desiccated thyroid. They had to run tests regularly to make sure my levels were OK. Then a doctor decided to put me on Synthroid (levothyroxine) because it was easier. I have had all kinds of problems since.

To my consternation, I cannot get the doctors to change the prescription back to desiccated thyroid gland. I have fatigue, hair loss, arthritis problems, finger nail problems, memory problems, nerve problems, etc. A neurologist told me that most of it was due to the thyroid and the medication I was on. I wish I could just find a doctor who will change it back to desiccated thyroid. Maybe then the rest of my life would be a little better.

Learn More:

Not everyone benefits from desiccated thyroid, but some people notice a marked difference between such a formulation (that contains both T3 and T4) and synthetic levothyroxine (that only contains T4).  People who would like to learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid problems and details on natural approaches may wish to consult our Guide to Thyroid Hormones.