From the Research
Effectiveness of Armour Thyroid vs Levothyroxine
- Studies have shown that some patients with hypothyroidism prefer Armour Thyroid (desiccated thyroid) over Levothyroxine (T4) due to perceived better effectiveness and improved overall well-being 1, 2, 3.
- A study found that 81% of patients described Armour Thyroid as moderately to majorly effective, and 77% reported it to be more effective than their previous therapy 1.
- Another study reported that treatment with desiccated thyroid produced better clinical results than Levothyroxine in some cases 2.
- A case series study found that patients who switched to natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) from Levothyroxine experienced significant symptomatic benefit and improvement in quality of life 3.
Patient Preferences and Experiences
- Patients reported switching to Armour Thyroid due to lack of improvement in hypothyroidism-related symptoms (58%) and development of side effects (22%) while taking Levothyroxine 1.
- The most frequently described benefits associated with Armour Thyroid use were improvement in symptoms (56%) and change in overall well-being (34%) 1.
- Some patients experienced side effects related to Armour Thyroid use, but the majority described it as effective and preferred it over Levothyroxine 1, 3.
Comparison of Treatment Options
- Levothyroxine (T4) is the preferred treatment for hypothyroidism due to its long half-life and ability to normalize serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels 4, 5.
- However, some studies suggest that combination therapy with T4 and T3 (such as desiccated thyroid) may be beneficial for patients who remain symptomatic on T4 therapy alone 4, 5.
- The use of desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) is not formally regulated by the FDA, and consistency of T4 and T3 contents is monitored by manufacturers only 4.