Lois wrote:
> Here's a question for the big kids. He said that if someone is taking
> synthetic T3, they don't need T4. Really? T4 converts to T3, but most people
> here prefer both. ?? Wouldn't there be a problem of energy lows with no T4
> backup because T3 is fast-acting?
Is this a FAT joke? Huh? You wanna make something out of the fact that I
am BIGGER that the other kids here? HUH? HUH? HUH? >:)
Actually, all of the thyroid hormone action can be explained solely by
T3. So, you don't NEED T4 provided there is sufficient T3 around. BUT,
the advantage of T4 is that it is a store house to even the dips on the
rollercoaster of life (I know, an even worse patenTED analogy than John's,
tough luck). T4 has the ability to both go to T3 as needed, but also to
be shunted to non-productive ways when the body DOESN'T need more T3.
This allows you to be on ONE dose rather than figuring things out from
season to season or one activity period to the next (or, in my case,
being in kindergarten, RECESS period to NAP time). Some days you just
need MORE thyroid hormone than others, but to have to adjust yourself
on the fly, it gets messy. There are many pitfalls to trying to second
guess the causes of how you feel on any given day, and there are ample
opportunities to make mistakes. Why not mimic intact thyroid function
and shoot for a T4:T3 ratio of about 12:1? Or, go by the NEJM approach
to get the intact thyroid production of about 6ug of T3 per day plus the
rest of the way there with T4? The desiccated products, btw, are all
in the ballpark of T4:T3 of 4:1, way more T3 than intact thyroid function
secretions.....(a long story if anyone needs sleep inducements....).
--
Ted Huston dr...@umich.edu
"I saw a woman wearing a sweatshirt with 'Guess' on it. I said, 'Thyroid
problem?' " -- Emo Philips
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