Natural thyroid medication shortage

Unprecedented shortages of dessicated or natural thyroid hormones like Armour thyroid and Nature-Throid are causing serious problems for patients with hypothyroidism.

Shortages of Armour thyroid have become fairly common in recent years, but the recent shortage of Nature-Throid indicates the pressure to take patients off the natural hormones that have been available for 100 years and force them onto synthetic thyroid hormones.

Minimum 90-day back order

Both Armour and RLC Labs, manufacturer of Nature-Throid and a similar formula called Westbrook, have announced that the most commonly used strengths of their products are on back order for at least 90 days and quite possibly considerably longer.

Is FDA forcing naturals off the market?

Thyroid patient advocate Mary Shoman has written on About.com that the FDA is attempting to force the manufacturers to go through a new drug application, a process that typically takes years and is patently absurd for a medication that has been in safe use for more than a century.

Dr. Hyla Cass, who works with many patients with hypothyoidism, suggests that patients shop around. She also suggests they consider taking a natural compounded T3/T4 formula.

Steve Metcalf, R.Ph., owner of my little compounding pharmacy in Brevard, NC, says he is unable to get dessicated thyroid in any form . He is currently using up the last of his supplies of tiny 1/4 grain tablets.

“We don’t know where this is going, but if you can find it anywhere, I suggest you buy a year’s supply or more,” he said.

Shomon writes, “Bottom line: at some point in the next several months, some patients will likely face a complete unavailability of all desiccated thyroid drugs, manufactured and compounded.”

Dessicated thyroid hormones are made from pork thyroids. Shomon reports that the raw materials supply has been interrupted and suggests that manufacturers may be abandoning their efforts to produce the hormones.

If you’re among the millions of Americans diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you know how difficult it is to get diagnosed and to find a hormone that works for you. To have the rug yanked out form under us is simply unacceptable.

Take action

You can make your feelings known to the FDA through its website, or by phone at: 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332):

Vitamin Supplements and Longevity

Two really important studies crossed my desk recently, both showing profound advantages of vitamin supplementation in reducing markers of heart disease and in prolonging life in those at risk of heart disease.

I’ve long been an advocate of supplements since we know that it is nearly impossible to get all the nutrients we need from our food grown in nutrient depleted soil.

These studies underscore the importance of multivitamins and vitamins C and E for a long, healthy life.

Vitamin C deficiency

Canadian researchers found that nonsmoking young people (ages 20 to 29) deficient in Vitamin C had elevated risks of serious chronic disease. The study showed that 47% of the 979 subjects had suboptimal or deficient blood levels of ascorbic acid, the major ingredient in vitamin C.

Those with low ascorbic acid levels had higher levels of C-reactive protein, higher blood pressure, larger waist circumference and higher body mass index.

Voluminous research shows that this combination of health issues vastly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

The researchers from the University of Toronto attributed the vitamin C deficiency in their study subjects to poor diet and warned that not only do these risks factor present a very clear and present health danger, the long-term dangers become extremely serous when we take into account the compounding of these factors over the coming 20, 30 or 40 years.

Multivitamin and vitamin E supplementation

The second shows that multivitamins and vitamin E supplementation can be protective against death from heart disease,

The recent large study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle involved 77,719 people ages 50 to 76 over a 10-year period, showed that and those whole took multivitamins nearly every day had a 16% lower risk of dying of heart disease. Those who took more than 215 mg. of vitamin E daily for ten years or more were even more protected with a 28% lower risk of dying of heart disease.

Interestingly, the Fred Hutchinson study did not find any reduced risk for those who took vitamin C daily, although other studies have shown the importance of vitamin C for heart health, particularly in keeping blood vessels open.

The take home message here is that vitamin C certainly has an important role in your nutritional arsenal against a host of chronic and potentially fatal disease. The place of a good quality multivitamin is unquestioned and these studies add to the evidence in favor of vitamin E.

Resources:

Cahill, L, Corey PN et al, Vitamin C deficiency in a population of young Canadian adults. American Journal of Epidemiology 2009 Aug. 15;170(4):464-71.

Pocobelli, G, Peters, U et al. Use of supplements of mulitvitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E in relation to mortality. American Journal of Epidemiology 2009 Aug.15;170(4):472-83.

Frikke-Schmidt, H, Lykkesfeldt R, Rise of marginal vitamin C deficiency in atherogenesis: in vivo models and clinical studies. Basic Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology 2009 Jun;104(6):419-33.

Chocolate Prevents Heart Disease Deaths

If you’ve had a heart attack, seriously consider eating chocolate at least twice a week to dramatically cut their risk of dying of heart disease.

Researchers found that heart attack survivors who ate chocolate at least three times a week reduced their risk of dying from heart disease threefold compared to those who never eat chocolate.

This new study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine is the first to conclude that consuming chocolate can prevent death if you’ve already had a heart attack.

Swedish researchers who conducted the research theorize the antioxidants in chocolate, particularly catechins and phenols, are responsive for the protective effect.

I know, it sounds too good to be true, but we’ve known for some time that various components of chocolate are heart protective.

Earlier research has established a strong relationship between cocoa-based foods and lower blood pressure and improvement in blood flow. Other studies show chocolate helps improve mood and reduce the symptoms of PMS.

Almost all studies show that your chocolate should be dark chocolate. Milk chocolate and even dark chocolate eaten with a cold glass of milk don’t have the same effect.

The Swedish study doesn’t mention specific amounts of chocolate, but for caloric reasons, it’s probably a good idea to limit your intake to an ounce of two at a time.

What’s not to love about this study?

Reference:

Janszky I, Mukamal KJ et al. Chocolate consumption and mortality following a first acute myocardial infarction: the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program, Journal of Internal Medicine 2009 Sept;226(3):248-57