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     Many Americans suffer from symptoms such as cold hands and feet, low body temperature, sensitivity to cold, a feeling of always being chilled, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, joint aches, constipation, mental dullness, fatigue, frequent infections, hoarse voice, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido, and weight gain, which is sometimes uncontrollable. Approximately 65 percent of the U. S. population is overweight; 30 percent is clinically obese. Research is pointing to the fact that an under active thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women, in the US today.

     Thyroid hormone is essential to proper metabolism and for the functioning of almost every organ and system in the body. However, a new study by Dr. E. Chester Ridgway, the University of Colorado's chief endocrinologist, says that an estimated 13 million Americans may have undiagnosed thyroid problems. In his April 10, 2000 news release, Dr. Ridgway said that people don't realize what a widespread problem this is. Dr. Ridgway estimates that hypothyroidism now exists in as much as 70% of the American population. See a list of possible indicators below for low thyroid function

     Let us hear you pronounce it: triiodothyronine. There, now you know why the name is usually shortened to T3. T4 (thyroxine) and T3 are the main thyroid hormones. T3 is five to eight times as strong as T4 (taking into consideration that it's absorbed at a higher rate than T4), and it is biologically more active. T4 is like the food in your refrigerator, while T3 is like the food on your plate.

     T4 is slow acting, with a half-life of about one week — after a week, you have about half the level of the T4 still in your body, a week or so later you have half of that half remaining, and so on. Its full effects aren't reached until about six weeks after starting or changing a dose, which is why lab tests are optimally done every six weeks or so until a patient with hypothyroidism has reached satisfactory and stable thyroid hormone levels. T3, on the other hand, has a half-life of about a day. People on T3 sometimes feel its effects within minutes after taking it.

     T3 is available over the counter or a synthetic prescription in the US and Canada. The prescription is usually prescribed along with a synthetic T4 medication. Natural, desiccated thyroid is from pigs’ thyroids as a precrercription or over the counter is sold in the US, and in Canada,

    A thyroid gland that functions normally produces T4 and T3. Twenty percent of the T3 circulating in the body comes directly from the thyroid gland, and the remaining 80 percent comes from conversion of T4.

      Because of this conversion process, the metabolism is directly affected from T-3 the addition of T3 often helps with many symptoms of hypothyroidism . It has improved people's libido, memories, and vision. It has eliminated or greatly reduced brain fog, feeling cold, constipation, depression, chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia, muscle and joint pain, and chronic sinus infections. For some people, but not all, it has helped them finally lose weight. Some still do better on the combination T-4/T-3. A small percentage of people who try it feel no better on it.