Do you have hypothyroidism and want to make some real changes to your weight? You may have heard about Armour Thyroid, a prescription medication for treating hypothyroidism, and its potential role in weight loss. Could it be the answer to all your troubles?
In this article, we'll discuss what you need to know about Armour Thyroid and its impact on weight loss for those with hypothyroidism. We'll also explore some of the potential side effects and weigh up whether taking Armour Thyroid is really worth it.
Armour Thyroid is a prescription thyroid medication used to treat hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, and enlarged thyroid glands (goiter). It belongs to a class of thyroid hormone replacement called natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) or desiccated thyroid extract (DTE). It's made of dried porcine thyroid glands and contains all of the hormones your thyroid would normally produce, including T4, T3, T2, T1, and Calcitonin.
When someone experiences unexplained weight gain, they often point the finger at hypothyroidism as the cause.
Hypothyroidism refers to a condition in which the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck, does not produce or secrete enough thyroid hormone into the bloodstream. This causes symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, and constipation. Moreover, the majority of people who has hypothyroidism gain weight to some extent. Most people gain only 5 to 10 pounds (2.3 - 4.5 kilograms), but women tend to gain more weight than men.
It's unclear exactly how low thyroid hormone levels lead to weight gain, but there are multiple factors that may explain the connection between the two.
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which help regulate your metabolism (the way your body breaks down food for energy). They also keep your liver and pancreas working efficiently to burn stored calories into energy, as well as support your muscle as they use energy.
When you don't have enough thyroid hormone in your body, your metabolism slows down. This will eventually cause you to feel low in energy. Plus, your body will hold on to calories and store them as fat instead of turning them into energy, which can lead to weight gain. Moreover, insufficient levels of thyroid hormone in your body can make you feel more tired than usual, so you'll likely feel unmotivated to engage in physical activity. Lack of exercise can, of course, contribute to weight gain.
If your weight gain is caused by the lack of thyroid hormones in your body, treating your hypothyroidism is the most important step to managing it.
Armour Thyroid works by replacing the missing thyroid hormones so your body can function at its best again. This will boost your metabolism, so your body will be able to break down fat and turn calories into energy. So not only will you feel more energetic, but you might stop gaining weight and even lose some.
It's important that you take the medication as directed by your doctor if you want to get the optimal benefit.
Armour Thyroid is a medication that can help some people lose weight, but it's important to remember that there is no easy or quick fix when it comes to shedding pounds. Weight loss with Armour Thyroid is not something that can happen overnight. It's a process that takes time and requires close monitoring by a healthcare professional.
Since treatment with Armour Thyroid usually starts with a low dose, you won't be likely to see any changes in weight until you take your optimal dose. And even after you take the right dose, you won't lose weight right away. In general, people start to notice weight loss around 3 to 6 months after they take their optimal dose of Armour Thyroid.
It's difficult to predict exactly how much weight you may lose while taking Armour Thyroid since it can vary greatly from person to person. However, you shouldn't expect extreme weight loss to happen.
Assuming that you only take Armour Thyroid and no other supplement or lifestyle changes to aid in weight loss, you might expect to lose about 5 to 10 pounds (2.3 - 4.5 kilograms) or less than 10% of your body weight. Typically, people will go back to their old weight before they're diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Weight loss usually occurs because your body eliminates excess salt and water buildup (water weight).
There are numerous factors that can influence your weight loss with Armour Thyroid. These include your starting weight, the severity of your hypothyroidism, and the dosage of the medication you're taking.
There is no specific Armour Thyroid dosing for weight loss. Your optimal dosage is the dose you need to take to get relief from all hypothyroidism symptoms. The usual starting dose is 30 mg of Armour Thyroid, and you can increase 15 mg every 2 to 3 weeks. Most people need around 60 to 120 mg of this medication each day for their symptoms to be gone and to start to lose weight.
Your doctor will likely order thyroid lab tests, such as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) tests, as part of your medication regimen with Armour Thyroid. TSH test is used to measure your body's response and how it tolerates Armour Thyroid, as well as check if your dose needs adjusting. The results of this test can help you find an optimal level for your dose and make sure you don't take too much or too little.
When it comes to losing weight, especially for those struggling with hypothyroidism, there's a lot of misinformation out there. One of the most popular is that taking higher doses of Armour Thyroid will magically make the pounds fall off. Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth! Taking too much Armour Thyroid can actually cause more harm than good - not to mention prevent you from achieving your weight loss goals.
When you take too much Armour Thyroid than what your body needs and can tolerate, you'll experience hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid. This is a condition where your thyroid produces and releases too much thyroid hormone into the blood. Like hypothyroidism, it can have unwanted side effects on your physical and mental health. Some of the symptoms of Armour Thyroid overmedication may include:
Nervousness
Irritability
Anxiety
Thinning skin
Brittle hair
Perspiration
A racing heart
Muscle weakness.
No, Armour Thyroid aims to address low thyroid hormones. Therefore, you shouldn't take it if you have normal thyroid function. It's true that in the past, some doctors prescribed thyroid medication for weight loss in people who don't have thyroid disease. However, this can potentially be dangerous.
Keep in mind that Armour Thyroid works by supplying your body with thyroid hormone. If you already have enough thyroid hormones in your body, taking Armour Thyroid will only cause you to have too much. That's why taking thyroid medication like Armour Thyroid when you don't have hypothyroidism may only lead to hyperthyroidism.
Studies have found that natural desiccated thyroid can help hypothyroid patients lose more weight compared to levothyroxine.
One study of 70 hypothyroid patients found that those who took natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) lost an average of 4 lbs. Plus, their symptoms are significantly better while taking natural desiccated thyroid compared to levothyroxine.
So you've started taking Armour Thyroid but noticed that your weight loss stalled? Here are some reasons why it might happen:
Sometimes, the answer to why you're not losing weight on Armour Thyroid could be as simple as adjusting your dose. As explained above, your doctor will prescribe a low dose when you're just getting started. If you don't seem to lose weight after 2 to 3 weeks after your first dose, talk to your doctor. They'll likely do a thyroid lab test and adjust your dose. You'll only lose weight once you hit your optimal dose.
If a low thyroid is the culprit of your weight gain, treating it may help you start feeling like your old self again. However, treating your low thyroid won't necessarily help you lose the pounds you've already gained. That's why leading a healthy lifestyle is essential for shedding those extra pounds.
Making small changes in your daily routine can make a big impact on your overall health - and on that number on the scale! Prioritizing regular physical activity, eating nutritious foods in moderate amounts, getting plenty of rest, and managing stress can all go a long way toward helping you reach your weight loss goals. Additionally, avoiding processed foods and sugary beverages that are high in calories can also have a positive effect.
Getting Armour Thyroid can be a challenge sometimes since many doctors refuse to prescribe this medication. In this case, it might be worth looking at other thyroid medications that can be a good alternative to Armour Thyroid. One such option is VitaliThy, a natural desiccated thyroid you can buy online. Like Armour Thyroid, VitaliThy contains Thyroid (USP). This means that it has all the thyroid hormones that are naturally produced by the human thyroid gland, such as T4, T3, T2, T1, and Calcitonin. But that's not all. VitaliThy is also free from common allergens like gluten, lactose, fish, and shellfish. It doesn't use artificial coloring and flavor as well.
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