Tiratricol

Tiratricol

• Tiratricol (triiodothyroacetic acid) is a naturally occurring thyroid hormone that is used to treat thyroid issues (ie., cancer) and is also used as a supplement to increase metabolic rate and decrease cellulite. In the United States, the FDA has now classified this to be an unapproved drug due to it being a powerful metabolite of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones.

Mechanism of Action:

• It works by targeting thyroid receptors on effector organs that respond to thy-roid hormone.

Dosage:

• 10-24 mg taken twice daily combined with levothyroxine has been shown to be safe when treating thyroid cancer. Dosing information for other uses isn't readily available.

Evidence:

• Tiratricol is primarily effective for treating patients who have pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone (Refetoff syndrome). In these patients, thyroid hormone levels are elevated, but the thyroid-stimulating hormone levels are not suppressed. Tiratricol in this case works to suppress thyroid-stimulating hormone.

• Tiratricol has shown some effectiveness for treating thyroid cancer when combined with levothyroxine. Tiratricol has also been used in trials. studying the treatment of Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, which is a rarer disorder of brain development that causes moderate to severe intellectual dis-ability along with movement issues.

• It has been shown to be likely ineffective as a weight loss supplement and more research needs to be conducted to see its impact on reducing cellulite. It is considered to be unsafe for both of those uses.

Precautions:

• It can cause diarrhea, fatigue, and weakness. Tiratricol should be avoided in pregnancy unless it is being used to treat thyroid problems in the developing infant. It should be avoided in any person with heart issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver disease, myxedema, and clotting issues.

Interactions:

• It should not be taken with other thyroid hormones unless specifically pre-scribed. It should not be taken with cholestyramine since that can impact how much tiratricol is absorbed. It should not be taken with antidiabetes drugs. anticoagulant, and antiplatelet drugs.