Expert Advice
Acella Pharmaceuticals is partnering with Lindy Ford, RD, LDN, to bring greater awareness to the importance of thyroid care and education. This post is sponsored by Acella Pharmaceuticals and should not be construed as medical advice.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or health care provider if you believe you need medical treatment and before beginning any exercise, fitness, diet or nutrition routine. Acella Pharmaceuticals does not endorse, promote or sponsor any products or brands mentioned in this article. The views expressed are those of the author.
I’m one of “those” people. I read labels and want to generally know about every ingredient in a product and whether it’s good or bad for my health, especially since I present with thyroid disease.
Some of the ingredients on food labels are like reading Greek to me. The term "natural flavors" is especially perplexing. Most people generally prefer “natural flavors” to “artificial flavors,” believing they are healthier.1
What are “natural flavors,” really?
"Natural flavors” are derived from a real plant or animal, and artificial flavors are synthesized from a chemical. However, natural flavors may sometimes contain chemical additives, such as preservatives, and in some instances are not much different than artificial flavors.2 This means that while the base of these flavors may come from nature, the final product may be far from “natural” in the way we may expect.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t require manufacturers to disclose the composition of these flavors.3 All that is necessary is that they are GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) and come from a natural source.
There is an exception to this: If an additive contains any allergen covered by the Federal Food, Drug, and and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) – a list that presently includes milk, eggs, milk, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, wheat and sesame – the allergen must be stated on the label.4
Are "natural flavors” detrimental to your health, especially thyroid health?
Well, yes and no, depending on the ingredients. The problem is that we have no idea. Here are some of the potential problems “natural flavors” present for people with autoimmune issues:
- Processing: This creates potential additives such as preservatives, stabilizers, and solvents. When we are striving for optimal thyroid health, these ingredients don't support it.
- Allergens: Although the FD&C Act allergens have to be disclosed, other potential allergens don’t.
- Other inflammatory ingredients: Certain food additives, such as flavor enhancers, are classified as excitotoxins—chemical compounds that can overstimulate or damage human neurons.5 The most widely recognized example is monosodium glutamate (MSG).
We now know the label “natural flavors” doesn’t mean much. These flavors may be just as processed and contain as many health-busting ingredients as synthetic flavors.
How do we choose foods that support our health?
One way to do so is to choose food and beverage brands that clearly disclose their ingredients instead of hiding behind meaningless terms like “natural flavors.”
The best advice? Choose real, whole, unprocessed foods. I know that’s easier said than done, but it can be done. These types of foods contain ingredients that support overall health, specifically thyroid health, rather than compromising it.
Plus, real food has the best flavor.
REFERENCES: 1. Skubisz, Christine. “Naturally good: Front-of-package claims as message cues.” Appetite. 2017 Jan 1:108:506-511. doi: 0.1016/j.appet.2016.10.030. 2. Goodman MJ. The “Natural” vs. “Natural Flavors” Conflict in Food Labeling: A Regulatory Viewpoint. Food & Drug Law Journal. 2017;72(1):79-106. https://www.fdli.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/5-natural-vs-natural-flavors.pdf. Accessed September 17, 2025. 3. Farris, April. “The "natural" aversion: the FDA's reluctance to define a leading food-industry marketing claim, and the pressing need for a workable rule.” Food Drug Law J. 2010;65(2):403-24, iv. 4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2025, January 6). Guidance for FDA staff and interested parties: Evaluating the public health importance of food allergens other than the major food allergens listed in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Final guidance). Guidance document; Docket No. FDA-2021-N-0553. Retrieved from U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.. 5. Armada-Morera, Adam et al. “Going the Extra (Synaptic) Mile: Excitotoxicity as the Road Toward Neurodegenerative Diseases.” Front Cell Neurosci 2020 Apr 24;14:90. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00090
3967-v1.1
Note that DTE products, including NP Thyroid®, have not been reviewed by the FDA for safety or efficacy.
IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION, INCLUDING BOXED WARNING & INDICATIONS
Important Risk Information
Drugs with thyroid hormone activity, alone or together with other therapeutic agents, have been used for the treatment of obesity. In euthyroid patients, doses within the range of daily hormonal requirements are ineffective for weight reduction. Larger doses may produce serious or even life-threatening manifestations of toxicity, particularly when given in association with sympathomimetic amines such as those used for their anorectic effects.
- NP Thyroid® is contraindicated in patients with uncorrected adrenal insufficiency, untreated thyrotoxicosis, and hypersensitivity to any component of the product.
- In the elderly and in patients with cardiovascular disease, NP Thyroid® should be used with greater caution than younger patients or those without cardiovascular disease.
- Use of NP Thyroid® in patients with diabetes mellitus or adrenal cortical insufficiency may worsen the intensity of their symptoms.
- The therapy of myxedema coma requires simultaneous administration of glucocorticoids.
- Concomitant use of NP Thyroid® with oral anticoagulants alters the sensitivity of oral anticoagulants. Prothrombin time should be closely monitored in thyroid-treated patients on oral anticoagulants.
- In infants, excessive doses of NP Thyroid® may produce craniosynostosis.
- Partial loss of hair may be experienced by children in the first few months of therapy but is usually transient.
- Adverse reactions associated with NP Thyroid® therapy are primarily those of hyperthyroidism due to therapeutic overdosage.
- Many drugs and some laboratory tests may alter the therapeutic response to NP Thyroid ®. In addition, thyroid hormones and thyroid status have varied effects on the pharmacokinetics and actions of other drugs. Administer at least 4 hours before or after drugs that are known to interfere with absorption. Evaluate the need for dose adjustments when regularly administering within one hour of certain foods that may affect absorption.
- NP Thyroid® should not be discontinued during pregnancy, and hypothyroidism diagnosed during pregnancy should be promptly treated.
Indications
NP Thyroid® (thyroid tablets, USP) is a prescription medicine that is used to treat a condition called hypothyroidism from any cause, except for cases of temporary hypothyroidism, which is usually associated with an inflammation of the thyroid (thyroiditis). It is meant to replace or supplement a hormone that is usually made by your thyroid gland.
NP Thyroid® is also used in the treatment and prevention of normal functioning thyroid goiters, such as thyroid nodules, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multinodular goiter, and in the management of thyroid cancer.
Revised
10/2023
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^Based on prescriptions filled, NP Thyroid® is the #1 Prescribed DTE in the United States. Source: IQVIA National Prescription Audit (NPA) data on file. Acella Pharmaceuticals, LLC.