Can thyroxine and desiccated thyroid be taken together?

Answer 1

Yes, thyroxine and dessicated thyroid can be taken together.

The thyroid glands in humans releases two kinds of thyroid hormone - thyroxine (T4) and a less-active form called tri-iodothyronine (T3). Dessicated thyroid (often called by the brand-name "Armour Thyroid") contains both these hormones, in a ratio of approximately 2.5-to-1 (T4:T3).

There are basically two opinions on taking supplemental thyroid hormone among physicians in the U.S. The mainstream medical opinion is that a patient who lacks sufficient thyroid hormone can be adequately treated by giving T4 alone. They reason that it is the more active form anyway, and that there is ample evidence to suggest that T4 is converted to T3 in the body.

An alternative opinion has developed, however - largely among those who identify themselves as alternative/complementary healthcare practitioners - that T4 alone is often not enough. They advocate the use of a combination T4/T3 supplement like dessicated thyroid in order to more closely resemble the function of a properly-functioning thyroid gland.

In some patients, however, the ratio found in desiccated thyroid is not exactly right for a particular patient, and an addition of T4 (thyroxine) or T3 (triiodothyronine) may be prescribed in order to properly balance that patient's thyroid hormone levels.