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Thyroid USP
Thyroid USP is a medication primarily used for the treatment of an underactive thyroid. The drug, which can also be used for treating other thyroid problems, is a "natural" product that is made from the thyroid glands of pigs. It comes in tablet form and is available by prescription. While most people tolerate thyroid USP well, potential side effects include hypertension, hair loss, and insomnia.
Thyroid USP is a prescription medication used most often to treat an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), although it can be used to treat various other thyroid problems as well. Because thyroid USP is made from the thyroid glands of pigs, it is considered a "natural" thyroid product.
The "USP" part of the name stands for United States Pharmacopeia and signifies that the manufacturers of these products have prepared the medication according to the formulation or "recipe" of the United States Pharmacopeia (a nongovernmental organization).
(Click What Is Thyroid USP Used For? for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
Brand-name thyroid USP products are sold under a few different names, such as:
- Armour® Thyroid
- Nature-Throid™
- Westhroid™.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD