What Doctors Get Wrong About NDT Thyroid Medication

The Dr. Westin Childs Podcast

Millions of prescriptions of thyroid medication will be filled this year and the vast majority of them will be for levothyroxine. Of those millions, only about 10% or so will go to a class of thyroid medication called natural desiccated thyroid. Despite being only 10% of all prescriptions, thyroid patients have a clear preference for it. Not only does it help with weight loss, but it also can help better control thyroid symptoms based on surveys of thyroid patients. There’s only one problem: Doctors don’t like to prescribe it. Unfortunately, they are under the impression that NDT is an inferior medication to levothyroxine which is why today, I’m busting these NDT myths. Here they are, in no particular order: 1. Claim #1: Taking NDT Will Cause Bone Loss & Heart Problems Long-term studies show this isn’t true PROVIDED you are not taking more than you need. 2. Claim #2: Newer Synthetic Medications Are More Effective The idea here is that NDT may cause side effects because of its T3 content. This may happen, but it’s also the reason that people prefer NDT... because it works. 3. Claim #3: NDT is Not FDA-Approved This is true but irrelevant. NDT has been use since 1890 so it was grandfathered into the FDAs newer requirements. 4. Claim #4: NDT is Old-Fashioned This isn’t true either as all thyroid medications contain the same bio-identical thyroid hormones. The same T4 that is found in levothyroxine is also found in NDT. 5. Claim #5: Taking NDT Will Cause Mad Cow Disease NDT comes from pigs (not cows), and there’s never been a reported case of Mad Cow disease in the US. 6. Claim #6: Taking NDT Will Increase Thyroid Antibodies This is theoretical and may be a problem for a rare subset of people, but not enough to warrant that everyone avoids it. Claim #7: NDT Isn’t A Real Medication Because it Can Be Purchased Over The Counter NDT is not the same thing as over-the-counter thyroid glandulars which is what this claim confuses. Need help optimizing your thyroid medication? Check out this video next: https://youtu.be/Yyf3XgB97l0?si=yBjZ094s6CIylfl9 Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges, foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease, and more): https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/ Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function: - Supplements that everyone with hypothyroidism needs: https://bit.ly/3tekPej - Supplement bundle to help reverse Hashimoto’s: https://bit.ly/3gSY9eJ - Supplements for those without a thyroid and for those after RAI: https://bit.ly/3tb36nZ - Supplements for active hyperthyroidism: https://bit.ly/3t70yHo See ALL of my specialized supplements including protein powders, thyroid supplements, and weight loss products here: https://www.restartmed.com/shop/ Want more from my blog? I have more than 400+ well-researched blog posts on thyroid management, hormone balancing, weight loss, and more. See all blog posts here: https://www.restartmed.com/blog/ Prefer to listen via podcast? Download all of my podcast episodes here: https://apple.co/3kNYTCS Disclaimer: Dr. Westin Childs received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic medicine in 2013. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Childs is no longer practicing medicine and does not hold an active medical license so he can focus on helping people through videos, blog posts, research, and supplement formulation. To read more about why he is no longer licensed please see this page: https://www.restartmed.com/what-happened-to-my-medical-license/ This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between D