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If you’ve been on a journey of resolving your adrenal dysfunction and hypothyroidism (which cohabitate), it’s very possible that at some point, you’ve either read about or worked with a practitioner who’s suggested bovine (cow) or porcine (pig) glandular supplements.

Imagine a big fat airhorn right now.

I understand that Armour (or Nature-Throid, WP-Thyroid, Westhroid, or NP-Thyroid—all pretty much the same prescription drug with different fillers) is naturally desiccated porcine glandular. But there are risks here, too. Still, I’m going to explain why these are the preferred method of administration vs. using over-the-counter glandular supplements.

I want to set this up properly and tell you why this chaps my hide so much.

And I’m going to unapologetically call out one specific supplement line and one specific facet of healthcare providers.

For many years, I’ve started coaching programs with many clients who’d been on multiple glandular products. And they didn’t even know it. I have such a client right now.

I can feel my blood pressure rising as I type this.

They almost always have a mix of:

- Significantly heightened anxiety
- Feeling rattled, jangled, and impatient
- Racing thoughts
- Near-constant worry and restlessness
- Feelings of panic
- Being tired and wired
- Heart palpitations or increased heart rate
- Trembling/feeling like they want to crawl out of their skin
- Irritability
- Inability to focus
- Tightness in chest
- Unresolved hormone imbalances
- Elevated blood pressure
- The sweats (especially palms and armpits)
- Completely disrupted sleep cycle (being jacked at night/insomnia)

I’ll never forget this…as one client said last year, “The wolf was constantly at my door. And I didn’t know why.”

I’ve told these clients…go look at the labels on these products. Bovine this, porcine that, ad nauseum. Get off. Get off the glandulars.

They’d stop, and everything above would subside in just a few days. Some started sleeping soundly after a couple of nights. My current client is beyond thrilled to be sleeping soundly until 7:00am and her anxiety is nearly gone.

I understand that some take glandulars and don’t experience these obvious symptoms. These are usually the cases where they’re not overdosed (keep reading).

Indeed, you can feel a boost of energy when you start taking glandulars, but we have to ask…is this real energy? Or is this a situation where the thyroid and adrenals are getting antagonized and prodded, in what I would call an artificial manner, to make more cortisol and thyroid hormone? Not to mention, the addition of the adrenal and thyroid hormones you’re getting from these supplements because yes, they’re a form of hormone replacement. And some of these unscrupulous practitoners are suggesting them for children. #crime

Many don’t need more cortisol—they’re already producing too much from chronic stress. And if they’re a hyper-metabolizer of cortisol, which a DUTCH test can reveal, oh my gosh. 

Even if some “feel good” at the onset, it can backfire. People may experience a honeymoon period at first, but glandulars were never meant to be taken long-term and there are risks of further endocrine dysregulation, autoimmune flares, and drug interactions. See below.

So, let’s call out who needs to be called out right now.

1. Standard Process

2. Many in the chiropractic community (certainly not all)

Again, imagine an airhorn.

Let me also set this up by saying that in 1996, I started working with an herbalist and nutrition expert who changed my life and she had me on a few Standard Process supplements. She sang their praises because of their “whole food nutrition” philosophy. Most of their ingredients were (and still are) cultivated on their own certified organic farm and they honor regenerative farming practices…organics and regenerative farming are certainly things I can get behind and have been behind for 30 years.

But something happened along the way.

Standard Process has always used glandulars to some degree. But now, nearly every one of their 212-odd products contains glandulars and they’ve diversified the types of tissues used.

But no one seems to be talking about it, especially the practitioners pushing these supplements.

Standard Process isn’t the only brand using glandulars, of course, but what chaps my hide even further is that many of their products contain multiple glandulars and tissues…within a single supplement.

They clearly don’t adhere to the “less is more” philosophy.

Think:

- Bovine ovary, bovine adrenal, bovine pituitary, bovine thyroid in Symplex F.

- Bovine liver, bovine adrenal, porcine stomach in Drenamin.

- Bovine pancreas, porcine duodenum, bovine adrenal, bovine pituitary, bovine thyroid in Paraplex.

- Bovine orchic extract, bovine adrenal, bovine spleen, bovine spleen, bovine liver in Cataplex E.

And practitioners—again, mostly chiropractors—are handing out Standard Process supplements like candy. So many people are on several Standard Process products—I’ve seen 8-9 at a time, which is nothing short of devastating. #cringe

It usually shows up as more symptomology than people started with and some pretty serious dysregulation. And these chiros do what? Push more Standard Process products to try and fix what they broke. It’s a horrific cycle.

A brief history

Standard Process was founded in 1929 by Dr. Royal Lee, a dentist who had an interest in nutrition, including how glandular therapy can support the function of corresponding human organs and glands. This philosophy is rooted in the principle of “like supports like,” meaning that consuming animal organs can support the health of those same organs in the human body.

His work resonated primarily with the chiropractic community, which has been and remains Standard Process’ core practitioner audience. Some chiros have built their entire clinical model around Standard Process protocols—and yes, I’ve seen some of these practices. It’s wall to wall Standard Process products with little to no other brands.

Like doesn’t always support like

Indeed, these glands and tissues can be nutritionally dense. Many holistic practitioners still recommend glandulars for their perceived ability to “nourish” depleted organs.

But make no mistake, these products contain hormonal precursors and again, are a form of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Yet they’re not labeled as such. This feels illegal to me.

And if you’re already on hormone replacement therapy and add glandulars to the mix…again, I can feel my blood pressure rising.

See more below for the risks of unwanted endocrine effects.

I’m not saying this is a trainwreck in all circumstances—I believe there is a way to get the nutritional density of a minimal amount of glandulars without blowing out your adrenals or experiencing the other side effects I list above and below.

What about ferritin?

Case in point…I’ve suggested encapsulated beef liver for raising ferritin. But it’s just grass-fed liver, no additives or glandular blends. It’s a food-based approach vs. taking synthetic iron (which doesn’t usually raise ferritin anyway) but it’s not meant to be taken long-term and should never be consumed in excess. It’s rich in heme iron, which is absorbed more efficiently than non-heme iron and also contains cofactors that support ferritin synthesis: B₁₂, copper, and Vitamin A (as retinol (the “real Vitamin A”) vs. beta carotene).

Many have used encapsulated liver as their “multi-vitamin,” which I would never suggest.

(In lieu of encapsulated liver, iron bisglycinate can also help to raise ferritin without making people iron toxic.)

Serious considerations

While some anecdotal evidence is out there, there’s limited clinical data that supports the safety or effectiveness—especially long-term—of glandular use.

Endocrine dysregulation
Hormonal/endocrine issues are what glandulars are often “prescribed” for. Talk about a cosmic joke! 

Glandulars contain trace endocrine tissue and active hormones such as cortisol (from adrenal glands) or T3/T4 (from thyroid glands), again, even if they’re not labeled as such. #crime

Okay, so if you have HYPOthyroidism, taking porcine thyroid extracts can lead to HYPERthyroidism and the ensuing palpitations, jitters, anxiety, and insomnia.

If you’re using them to support your adrenals, sure, bovine adrenal extracts will supply cortisol (a lot of cortisol), but it could suppress your own cortisol production and disrupt your HPA (hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal) axis. When the HPA axis is disrupted, it can likewise disrupt your HPT (hypothalamic, pituitary, thyroid), and HPG axes (hypothalamic, pituitary, gonadal (ovaries or testes)).

And that extra cortisol isn’t likely to do you any favors, other than nervous energy and agitation—and being “tired and wired.”

While they may not contain caffeine, make no mistake, glandulars are stimulating. And people with thyroid and adrenal issues and also anxiety disorders are often more prone to this overstimulation, even with low doses of glandulars. You’re essentially adding “juice” to systems that regulate stress, energy, and alertness—and people can feel like they want to crawl out of their skin within minutes of taking them.

Again, like doesn’t always support like.

Taking glands doesn’t nourish glands, it “replaces what’s missing.” But this is a false premise and isn’t a holistic or sustainable approach to true thyroid and adrenal health. It doesn’t get to the “why.” It doesn’t get underneath the imbalances that caused the thyroid and adrenal issues in the first place, which leaves people…what? Dependent on glandulars to prop them up? Totally unsustainable, totally misguided, totally wrong.

Autoimmune flares: a spark on dry brush
Immune system sensitivity is simply part of having an autoimmune condition. And introducing animal-derived tissues can not only trigger autoimmune flares, but can also introduce new antigens that confuse the immune system and increase antibody production via cross-reactivity.

So, if someone has Hashimoto’s (autoimmune hypothyroidism), which over 90 percent of people with low thyroid function do, these glandulars are going to make things worse. Oy, oy, and…oy.

If your immune system is already misguided, feeding it morsels of foreign glands can instigate more chaos—your system may confuse bovine tissue proteins with your own and amplify an autoimmune response.

And for some, even trace amounts of glandulars can worsen what we so often see with people who have autoimmune conditions: fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and rashes, to name a few.

Unregulated dosing
Unlike prescription meds, over-the-counter glandulars aren’t standardized. And there’s often no medical supervision, just chiros pushing the “more is better” approach.

Additionally, doses vary from batch to batch, even from the same manufacturer. So…you don’t know how much hormone you’re ingesting and this unpredictability significantly increases the risk of overdose, especially when you’re taking multiple glandulars.

Prescription, pharmaceutical desiccated thyroid is regulated and dosed carefully. Or should be, anyway. (I’ve seen too many clients get overdosed on Armour.)

Still, prescriptions are…prescribed. Your medical provider should be monitoring your dosing, adjusting as necessary, and instructing you to not make any changes without their guidance.

Indeed, Armour (and its ilk), which is naturally desiccated porcine glandular, can also cause near-immediate anxiety, jitters, etc. Yes, it’s the glandular, but it’s also a sign that the adrenals need a fair bit of support.

If you’re going to be on thyroid HRT, I do feel that it’s the preferred method because along with T4, you’re also getting T3, the active form of thyroid hormone, “the big daddy.”

Most medical providers prescribe Synthroid (or its ilk), which is only synthetic T4 and many people can’t use it. I know that some of you reading this right now have been on Synthroid for years (maybe decades) and are still hypothyroid. Look, it doesn’t work in most cases. If it did, you wouldn’t still be hypothyroid and your doctor wouldn’t want to keep increasing your dose.

Why doesn’t it work? In part, because most people don’t convert synthetic T4 into T3. And again, over 90 percent of people with low thyroid function have Hashimoto’s. The “chase and replace” (I just made that up) method of administring thyroid HRT does nothing to modulate a misdirected immune system. And people can suffer for yeeeears.

So yes, I have a huge issue with the fact that millions are on Synthroid, with little to no improvement. I also have a huge issue with medical providers who say, “You can never get off—this is a lifelong prescription.” Not true.

I also have a huge issue with the fact that long-term Synthroid use can cause bone loss. And hair loss.

Interactions with meds
Glandulars are by no means neutral—they can dampen, intensify, or clash with some medications, especially those associated with metabolism, hormones, and mood.

These extracts often interfere with antidepressants, metabolic-altering drugs, steroids (including corticosteroids), and…thyroid meds, leading to anything from serotonin syndrome to cardiac arrhythmias.

If you’re taking thyroid or adrenal meds specifically, glandulars containing these same organ extracts can increase the effect, potentially leading to overmedication. I know, this is another way of saying everything I’ve said above.

Additionally, some compounds in glandulars, such as Vitamin A from liver, can compete with meds for liver detox pathways (CYP450). CYP450 drugs carry risks and my non-medical opinion is that you can safely and effectively support liver detox pathways naturally. But always consult with your provider, of course.

Chiros (and other practitioners), take heed. Stop this madness and I would say…ignorance and malpractice.

And Standard Process, are you listening? I’d be happy to hear from you on this.