Myth: Armour Thyroid contains only T3.
Truth:Armour thyroid is dried up thyroid gland of pigs. It contains both T4 and T3, in a 4:1 ratio, just like a human thyroid gland. That’s why it helps patients with hypothyroidism.
Myth: Medical guidelines recommend Synthroid, so Armour must be inferior.
Truth:Guidelines almost always recommend synthetic drugs over natural substances. The reason is the guidelines are written with the help of the pharmaceutical companies. Armour thyroid is identical to human thyroid, with all the important ingredients, therefore it is superior to a synthetic fake T4.
Myth: There’s no scientific evidence supporting Armour Thyroid.
Truth:Doctors have been treating hypothyroidism since 1800s. There was no Synthroid back then. Doctors used Armour Thyroid, which has a 200-years track record of success. There are studies showing greater symptoms improvement and better satisfaction with treatment when patients use natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) like Armour thyroid.
Myth: Armour is outdated and old. It was replaced by better drugs.
Truth:Armour has been used for two hundred years and is still prescribed today. It’s certainly not obsolete, there are a number of companies that produce NDT and the truth is that it works better for most people that Synthroid. Old does not mean inferior. In fact, there are many old items that are more valuable today than they were in the past. From old jewelry and coins to vintage cars to vinyl records, new products are considered less valuable.
Myth: Taking Armour Thyroid causes dependency or addiction.
Truth:Armour Thyroid, just like Synthroid, simply provides the hormones that are missing. Armour does it better because it has all the hormones, while Synthroid only has synthetic T4. Armour is like Insulin that is given to patients who don’t make enough. It's not addictive and doesn’t cause dependence in the way that narcotics do.
Myth: Armour Thyroid must be taken multiple times per day.
Truth:Patients taking Armour do very well taking it just once a day. I’ve heard that some doctors recommend splitting the dose and taking it twice a day. I have never had the need to do that. I have always used it as a once-a-day medicine with very good results.
Myth: Pregnant women shouldn’t take Armour.
Truth:Because most doctors are not familiar with Armour, they recommend levothyroxine to their pregnant patients. But if a woman taking Armour becomes pregnant, she can safely continue Armour under careful medical supervision. The key is close monitoring of thyroid levels.
Myth: Armour works instantly because it has T3.
Truth:Typically, a newly diagnosed patient with hypothyroidism usually has been low in thyroid for many months if not years. This deficiency cannot be corrected instantly. At the same time, you can’t give the patient as much thyroid as she might need, because it may be too much at one time. So, you figure out a dose that’s not too high and not too low. It takes about 4 weeks to see the full effect of this dose. Very rarely, this initial dose is just what the patient needs. But usually, the dose has to be increased and then you need to wait another month to see the result. So, it may take several months before establishing the right dose. But that dose is not set in stone, so the patient has to be monitored to see if the requirement has gone up or down as time goes on.
Myth: Armour is dangerous because it contains animal products.
Truth:It is true that Armour is derived from pigs, just like bacon, pork chops and hot dogs. But unlike the food items from pigs, Armour Thyroid is pharmaceutical grade which means that it is highly purified and processed. Which means that it is a lot safer than eating bacon.
Myth: Armour is safer because it’s natural.
Truth:Being natural is not a guarantee of safety. There are many natural things that can cause harm or even kill. From spoiled food to bacterial toxins to snake venom, to radioactive exposure. So “natural” is not necessarily always safe. This applies to Armour Thyroid, which contains potent hormones T4 and T3, which is why it is only available by prescription.
Both Synthroid and Armour Thyroid can cause side effects if not used properly, if given in wrong amounts and if not monitored carefully. That’s why you should only deal with doctors who are familiar with the use of Armour Thyroid.