Millions of people suffer from hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones to meet the body's needs. Historically, doctors have used dried thyroid extracts (DTEs) such as Armour Thyroid to replenish these hormones. However, Armour Thyroid is not approved by the FDA, and its safety and efficacy have not been evaluated for any use. The FDA's drug approval process helps ensure that drugs are safe and effective for their intended use.
Unapproved drugs pose risks because the FDA has not reviewed them for safety, efficacy, or quality before selling them to patients. Despite this, some people continue to use unapproved products made of animal origin. The FDA has been encouraging manufacturers of unapproved drugs to seek FDA approval, as required by law. Before synthetic thyroid (Synthroid or levothyroxine) existed, doctors relied on DTEs to treat people with underactive or missing thyroid glands.
Once the primary treatment for hypothyroidism, Armour Thyroid has been largely replaced by synthetic thyroid drugs. Despite this, DTEs remain popular with holistic, alternative, and integrative physicians as a thyroid hormone replacement treatment for underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). In addition to the crushed thyroid glands of pigs, other components of Armour Thyroid are calcium stearate, dextrose, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate and opadry white. Many organizations, such as the American Thyroid Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, recommend not using dried thyroid extracts in pregnancy.
Armour Thyroid is already around twice the price of its competitors, including its FDA-designed generic equivalent, NP Thyroid. I predict that Armour Thyroid will quickly navigate through the FDA process and gain formal approval as a “biological thyroid hormone replacement drug”. Over-the-counter glandular thyroid support supplements are not the same as prescription DTEs, nor are they a substitute for prescription thyroid hormone replacement drugs. Always take your medicines as directed by your doctor. The safety of Armour Thyroid is unknown due to the lack of clinical research.
Very few studies have evaluated its effectiveness.
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