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Thyroid hormones for weight loss

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
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Thyroid hormones can be brought into balance, so that a person who has previously tried unsuccessfully to lose weight can still achieve weight loss. How to restore the optimal balance of thyroid hormones?

Best Thyroid Drugs

For women who suffer from obesity, it is especially important to take the correct doses of pharmaceutical hormones, which are produced in the human body by the thyroid gland. To do this, you need to decide what is more useful for the human body - the T4 hormone in synthetic form or the T3 and T4 hormones taken from animal sources.

Before buying hormones, it is important to look at the packaging. If it says "natural substances", they may be synthetic, but identical to natural ones.

Hormones available in pharmacies may have a composition of biological origin.

These hormones can also be called natural (label). But you need to know that these substances are not at all the same in composition as those produced by the human thyroid gland. Therefore, the body can react to biological hormones in a completely different way.

How are natural hormones made in industrial conditions?

Natural hormones are made in production conditions. How is this done? Scientists have studied the composition of natural hormones, for example, T3 and T4, and have found out their chemical formula. Then this formula is transferred to production conditions, and hormones are made in the laboratory that, in chemical composition, repeat the natural ones, those produced by the thyroid gland.

If a person takes "natural" T4 preparations, then this preparation is converted into the T3 hormone in the body. This is facilitated by the thyroid gland, which converts the T4 hormone into the T3 hormone. If the hormones are not processed, then the T3 hormone must be restored in the body from other substances that contain similar chains of molecules in structure.

Where to get natural hormones?

Hormone T3 can be taken from the thyroid gland of animals. But it cannot be used in its natural form. Excipients are necessarily added to such a composition. The composition of hormones T3 and T4 must be present in pharmaceutical preparations in the same ratio as in the body. This is difficult to achieve unless the correct doses are calculated.

Otherwise, the body will take more T3 and less T4 than normal, or vice versa. And this can cause disruptions in the functioning of internal organs and systems.

The difference between synthetic and animal hormones

Preparations that contain synthetic preparations instead of animal hormones are better absorbed because their doses and the body's reaction to them are much easier to calculate, since it is predictable. In addition, animal preparations can cause allergic reactions in the body, while this rarely happens with synthetic ones.

If you use only hormones of animal origin, the body's reaction to them can be very strong. The thyroid gland produces many antibodies, and this leads to abnormal metabolic processes. This is especially dangerous if hormones are taken for a long time.

If a woman has extra kilos, her thyroid gland should have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes and the pathways of substances. Therefore, the production of antibodies by the thyroid gland due to the incorrect selection of pharmacy hormones will interfere with metabolic processes, slow them down. The incorrect choice of doses of pharmacy hormones and their ratio also interferes with the work of the thyroid gland and its production of hormones.

T3 from a pharmacy drug

Obtaining T3 hormone from animal products is not the only way. T3 hormone, identical to that produced by the thyroid gland, can be obtained from cytomel, which has been tested for several decades. This hormone can saturate the body with T3 hormone in sufficient quantities without serious side effects. That is why doctors recommend it for use when it is necessary to improve the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Cytomel can be used, but it has its drawbacks. For example, the level of T3 hormone that we get from this drug does not last long in the body and it needs to be replenished again. Therefore, if you need more serious doses of T3 hormone for weight control, it is better to use a drug with a higher dosage.

Patients who used cytomel complained of fluctuations in their condition. This can be easily explained by the fact that T3 either rises sharply or falls sharply after taking the drug. To avoid such fluctuations, drugs with a more prolonged effect on the body are needed.

Safe doses of T3 and T4

If you start taking increased doses of thyroid hormones - no matter whether synthetic or natural - it causes interruptions in the work of the heart, the pulse becomes rapid, the head hurts, there may also be a throbbing in the temples, the person has unmotivated attacks of fear or aggression.

This picture can also be observed against the background of a lack of estradiol in the body. But it is better to take thyroid drugs not before taking estradiol, but to combine these drugs. Only in reasonable doses. You need to start with small doses of estradiol and bring the amount of drugs to the optimal level that is comfortable for you.

If a woman is overweight, has problems with the cardiovascular system, she needs thyroid hormones. Doses should be selected individually with a doctor, so as not to make a mistake with the ratios.

If there is little cortisol in the body

Low cortisol levels can lead to serious illnesses such as renal failure. This means that metabolic processes in the body are disrupted by hormonal and electrolyte imbalance. The disease will develop if treatment with hormonal therapy is not started in time. Otherwise, a fatal outcome is possible.

Associated diseases with low cortisol levels may include liver and cardiovascular diseases. Additional laboratory tests are needed to identify them.

To cope with low cortisol levels and related diseases, you need to consult at least two doctors: an endocrinologist and a therapist. Then the first doctor - an endocrinologist - will help to regulate the level of hormones in the body, and the therapist will help to understand the drugs that will help to regulate the kidneys. Hydrocortisone or another drug - cortisone acetate - may be suitable for this. The therapist will also warn about the side effects that may arise from taking these drugs and how to correctly calculate their doses.

Why buying drugs without a prescription is dangerous

Firstly, it is unknown what doses of hormones these drugs contain and their ratios. Secondly, they may contain too high a dose of cortisol. Its overdose is dangerous for the body because weight can constantly increase, and it is very difficult to stop this process. Therefore, it is better to avoid cortisol in drugs altogether.

If you are taking renal stimulants along with the cortisol in your medications, then routine tests to detect your body's reaction to them, such as saliva or feces tests, will not be enough. Additional tests will be needed.

Renal preparations with glands

If a person takes kidney drugs made from animal glands, the person may gain excess weight as a result of the body's uncontrolled reaction to them. It is impossible to predict the body's reaction, since drugs of natural origin react with the body's natural components, the consequences can be most unpredictable.

The thyroid gland can begin to produce more hormones than normal, as can the kidneys. And if a person takes renal stimulants, the production of hormones by the kidneys can slow down significantly or stop altogether. This can result in kidney inflammation, destruction of kidney tissue, and weight gain due to too much cortisol.

Elevated Cortisol Levels – What You Can Do

If a person has kidney disease, they may have elevated cortisol levels as a result of kidney failure and low production of natural hormones. However, the stress hormone cortisol may also increase for other reasons.

For example, if a person experiences constant stress, if there is a hormonal imbalance in the body, in particular, little estradiol is produced. The cause of an increase in estradiol levels can also be surgical intervention, pain that does not go away for a long time, depression, insufficient production of hormones by the thyroid gland, increased doses of progesterone in contraceptives.

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How to reduce cortisol levels?

You can ask your doctor to prescribe you the optimal doses of drugs that can reduce the level of cortisol. This will help neutralize stress, reduce the negative effect of its impact. If you take optimal doses of hormones for 7-8 days to reduce the level of cortisol, the nervous system quickly recovers. The level of cortisol is significantly reduced. This can also happen if estradiol is restored to normal, and not only this hormone, but also T3, T4, which are produced by the thyroid gland.

If the cortisol level still does not return to normal, additional examinations and other drugs are needed. This is especially necessary if a person has renal failure or pituitary gland dysfunction. Then a DST hormone test will be needed - in the morning and evening for a clearer picture of the disease. This could be Cushing's syndrome.

Cortisol norm

If a person has taken dexamethasone, and the next day from 08:00 the cortisol level increases to 5 dl or more, then a more detailed examination is needed, since the person may have Cushing's syndrome. A blood serum analysis will be needed, in particular, the ACTH hormone, as well as a urine analysis. The latter will show the cortisol level, as well as the GSC level.

If these tests are not enough, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) will need to be performed.

If the diagnosis of kidney failure or other diseases is confirmed, treatment will need to be prescribed to reduce cortisol levels and restore hormonal balance.

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Attention!

To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Thyroid hormones for weight loss" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.

Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.

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