Thyroid hormone (T3/T4) is not suppressive; can restore hypothyroid thyroid hormone levels to euthyroid levels, AFTER medication is stopped

[alfredoolivas]

When Ray Peat discussed thyroid hormone therapy helping to restore "order" in thyroid gland function and potentially reversing hypothyroidism, even after stopping the therapy, I initially thought this was just anecdotal evidence.

However, a meta-analysis of 17 observational studies involving 1,082 patients suggests otherwise. The findings reveal that up to a third of hypothyroid patients became and remained euthyroid (having a normally functioning thyroid gland.) after discontinuing T4 therapy, with thyroid hormone fully excreted (median follow-up time: 3 months).

This suggests by some mechanism, thyroid hormone therapy, can reverse hypothyroidism / improve thyroid function.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8110016/

"We searched multiple bibliographic databases for studies.... in which thyroid hormone replacement was discontinued... when all studies were included, the pooled estimate for euthyroidism at follow-up was 37.2%"

Proportion of Hypothyroid Patients Achieving Euthyroid Status After Discontinuing T4 Therapy Over Time

Proportion of Hypothyroid Patient Categories Achieving Euthyroid Status After Discontinuing T4 Therapy

[Kvirion]

@alfredoolivas
Thanks, interesting.

The problem with this study is that it considers the level of TSH below 8–9 mIU/L "normal"...

[Maximalus]

@Kvirion

Would exogenous Thyroid also keep one hyperthyroid after stopping supplementing if they were euthyroid at start and got hyperthyroid?

[lobotomize]

@Maximalus no

[FitnessMikey]

It would make sense if the thyroid won't get much damaged at the time of hypothyroidism, but a better question i was never really answered is, what actually happens with thyroid when it stops functioning.