BIOIDENTICAL T4. WAS: Brain Swelling

[Guest guest]

Sam, I had a problem reading the article but was finally able to.

[or some browsers???] screw up many links; and then in the case of the

one you sent the site takes part of the link and makes its own decision

as to where to take you. In my case I wound up at the wrong location. I

was eventually able to cut and paste the correct address and reach the

site. I don't know if it will be changed yet again by my/your browser or

by ; if not you can see in your message below how the link was

hashed up.

I believe there is an easy way [besides TinyURL] to prevent that in the

future. All you have to do is to put this symbol [<] (without the

brackets) at the beginning of the URL and this one [>] at the end of the

URL; all with no spaces. If it works then you should get an unbroken URL

below:

..

<http://mediwire.skyscape.com/main/Default.aspx?p=Content & ArticleID=177010>

..

IOW you just add a " left arrow " to the beginning of the URL and a " right

arrow " to the end with no spaces. If it doesn't work then I'm all out of

suggestions; sorry I'm not really a computer geek.

As for the article itself, it totally fails to support your assertions

except for your marketing statement. A lack of bioidentical composition

for Synthroid is not addressed at all. Bioequivalence is discussed at

length; but I will assume you know the difference.

I recently referred to this page:

<http://www.drnavar.com/hormonefaq.html>. Here you will find this quote:

..

>

> COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

> ABOUT BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES

>

> Dr. Navar specializes in prescribing natural bioidentical hormone

> replacement for the treatment of women’s hormonal imbalances, such as

> those that occur in menopause and perimenopause. Dr. Navar has been

> preaching the superior benefits and safety of bioidentical hormones

> vs. synthetic hormones for many years. There are many health care

> providers that now claim to specialize in natural hormones but Dr.

> Navar’s expert training, knowledge, and experience as a

> *board-certified MD* who has been in practice for over 25 years can

> make the difference between feeling great and just so so.

>

> * What are bioidentical hormones?*

>

> The ovaries, testicles and the adrenal glands manufacture a series of

> hormones all derived from cholesterol. These are called the steroid

> hormones. Since the early 1960s, chemists have been able to synthesize

> all of these molecules starting either from cholesterol or from plant

> steroids found in wild yams and soy. Since the manufactured molecules

> are exact duplicates of the hormones made by the various glands in the

> body, they are called bioidentical.

>

> Which bioidentical hormones are the most commonly used?

>

> There are three estrogens made by the ovaries. They are Estradiol (the

> strongest of the three), Estrone (of intermediate strength), and

> Estriol (the weakest but safest). The ovary and the placenta make

> progesterone. On the male side is testosterone. The adrenal gland

> makes two weaker androgens, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), and

> androstenedione as well as cortisol. Actually, ovaries, testicles and

> adrenal glands can all make any of these hormones, although the

> quantities vary. The thyroid hormones, T4 and T3, are bioidentical.

> Synthroid and Levoxyl are T4 and Cytomel is T3. Humalog is a

> manufactured hormone identical to human insulin. All of these

> hormones, as well as some others, are available for purchase at a

> pharmacy through a doctor’s prescription.

>

..

..

The article plainly says: " ...The thyroid hormones, T4 and T3, are

bioidentical.... " . While this is clearly not a peer reviewed research it

supports what I've read elsewhere. I'm fairly sure Chuck confirmed on

this list that the T4 in Synthroid is in fact bioidentical. If so I'm

sure he can provide a link to an authoritative source if you want one.

BTW, I don't think Synthroid is patented; nor was it ever. So I'll stand

by my assertion that to the best of my knowledge the T4 in Synthroid is

bioidentical to that produced by a healthy human thyroid gland; and the

structure is chemically identical at the molecular level. And that means

your accusations of the T4 in Synthroid being in some manner fake are

invalid. A little bit of research on your part should show you that.

BTW, I should have made clear it's not Synthroid alone that has a 95%

[or higher] market share; what I should have said is that Synthroid and

it's equivalents have about 95% of the market and Armour has about 5%.

Regards,

..

..

> Posted by: " Sam " k9gang@...

> <mailto:k9gang@...?Subject=%20Re%3A%20Brain%20Swelling>

> stealthwind <stealthwind>

>

>

> Fri Dec 5, 2008 12:54 pm (PST)

>

> Ugh, it's said the thyroid gland produces " approximately " 3-5 grains

> of thyroid hormones per day, so this is why the manufacturers of

> Armour Thyroid " RECOMMEND " the 3-5 grains. And yes, 3-5 grains would

> be about the average amount that many people take, however there are

> MANY others who take more and many others who take less and are

> without symptoms.

>

> The REASON synthroid is the Rx'd to 95% of thyroid patients is NOT

> because it's the best med out there, , it's because #1

> Marketing, #2 patients do not know there are alternatives, #3 doctors

> are trained that the best type of thyroid med is a fakey T4 drug and

> won't prescribe anything else.

>

> And YES, it's FAKEY fake fake T4...it's NOT what a real thyroid gland

> would make, it had an altered molecule to make it patentable.

> Here is a fun 'little' article for you:

> http://mediwire.skyscape.com/main/Default.aspx?

> <http://mediwire.skyscape.com/main/Default.aspx?>

> P=Content & ArticleID

> =177010

>

> Sam

>

>

> >

> > Gracia, it is repeated statements like yours below that causes me

> to

> > wonder how much you value the scientific method. Your statement is

> > patently incorrect. The manufacturer recommends a dose only up to

> 180

> > mg. Thus it is highly likely that the majority of hypothyroid

> patients

> > who are under a doctor's care will receive prescriptions within

> that

> > guideline.

> >

> > Further, the total number of doses sold suggest your data are wrong

> > unless the total number of patients taking Armour are over

> estimated

> > [already at probably less than 5%].

> >

> > The patients on the iodine and hypothyroidism lists are so

> obviously

> > atypical that any extrapolation from such a skewed sample is

> totally

> > unreliable when applied to the " average " . The most trivial

> > understanding of the scientific method should demonstrate that fact.

> >

> > If you have _any_ data that suggest my position is incorrect please

> > provide it.

> >

> > She may very well need more Armour; she may even FAIK need more

> than the

> > manufacturer recommends. But to say the " average " dose is 180 to

> 300 mg

> > is IMHO indefensible; especially when it comes out sounding like a

> > prescription. Prescribing or advising someone from an obviously

> > severely limited data set is the opposite of a scientific

> approach.

> > That's why I felt you did not value same.

> >

> >