Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) Medication
Thyroid medication is an important part of improving thyroid symptoms. In clinical practice, we can continue your current medication or discuss alternative options, including Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT).
In my practice, I prescribe NDT for several reasons:
💊 It contains active free T3 hormone in addition to T4
💊 Not synthetic, biologically similar to what our own body produces
💊 Doesn’t rely entirely on our body’s ability to convert T4 into T3
💊 Well absorbed
💊 No gluten or dairy non-medical additives (in ERFA)
💊 NDT has been used clinically for over 100 years and modern formulations are standardized for consistent dosing and safety.
Who may benefit from taking NDT medication?
👉 Because NDT contains the 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐓𝟑, many people feel better taking NDT than Synthroid which only contains inactive synthetic free T4.
👉 NDT doesn’t rely entirely on your body to convert T4 medication into active free T3. It comes with some free T3 in it.
👉 It provides a balanced ratio of T3 and T4 hormones.
👉 NDT contains the full spectrum of thyroid hormones, including 𝐓𝟏 & 𝐓𝟐 which aren’t in Synthroid/levothyroxine.
👉 T2 has been shown to support a 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲.
👉 T2 increases basal metabolic rate.
👉Who can take NDT? Anyone with hypothyroidism who requires medication, including those with Hashimoto’s. It does not increase thyroid antibodies.
👉 It can be especially helpful in people who have had a 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐲 as NDT provides the full spectrum of hormones that their own body can no longer produce: T1, T2, T3, & T4.
Research on NDT
Research on Natural Desiccated Thyroid shows that many patients report improved symptoms and prefer it compared to T4-only therapy.
📌In patients who continued to experience symptoms on levothyroxine, switching to NDT was associated with improvements in energy, mental clarity, sleep, mood, anxiety, and overall quality of life within 6 months.
📝PMID: 34626513
📌 In a randomized, double-blind crossover study comparing NDT to levothyroxine, 48% of participants preferred NDT, 18% preferred levothyroxine, and 32% had no preference. Those who felt most unwell on T4 alone were more likely to improve and prefer NDT.
📝 PMID: 23539727
📌 Additional blinded trials and expert review show that when patients are unaware of which medication they are taking, combination T4/T3 therapy is generally preferred by about 2:1 over T4 alone.
📝 PMID: 15705921
NDT is not a complete solution for thyroid health, but from a medication standpoint, many patients report feeling better and prefer it when given the choice and appropriately monitored.
Learn More: Thyroid Medication & Combination Therapy
For patients interested in a deeper, evidence-based discussion on thyroid hormone replacement, there is an excellent conversation with Dr. Antonio Bianco, an internationally recognized thyroid researcher and former President of the American Thyroid Association.
In his interview with Dr. Peter Attia, Dr. Bianco reviews the current evidence on thyroid hormone replacement therapy and explains why T4-only treatment may not be sufficient for every patient. The discussion includes a clear, balanced overview of combination therapies, including Natural Desiccated Thyroid.
Podcast: The Drive with Dr. Peter Attia
Episode: Interview with Dr. Antonio Bianco
Recommended listening: Start at 1 hour 15 minutes
👉 Listen here:
https://peterattiamd.com/antoniobianco/