Actalin

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Medix Select was founded by holistic physician David Brownstein and cardiologist Chauncey Crandall. Their line of nutritional supplements, manufactured in cGMP certified labs, target issues ranging from restless sleep to low male sexual function. They also have a supplement targeted for optimal thyroid functionality called Actalin. Actalin is relatively popular – almost entirely due to the amount of advertisements Medix Select has put out on the internet. It seems that whenever you search for something that contains the word thyroid in it, a link for Actalin pops up nearby. I’ve seen estimates that state Medix Select spends at least $10K every month on advertisements alone. Let’s see if Medix Select spent as much on research and development for their supplement Actalin, as they did on advertisements for this thyroid supplement.

WHAT IS Actalin?

Actalin is a all-natural, dietary supplement created by David Brownstein, a holistic physician, designed to support healthy thyroid functionality. It includes 17 ingredients within each capsule, which we will talk about more later, and there are 60 capsules in each bottle. It is recommended that you take two capsules a day – preferably with meals. Actalin costs $39.95 for one bottle without shipping and handling. Shipping and handling is an additional $6.95. There is a discount for bulk purchases – buying Actalin for three months at once will cost about $30.00 each, or $90.00 total. With or without the bulk discount, Actalin is the most expensive thyroid supplement we have viewed thus far by a significant margin.

Actalin EFFECTS AND BENEFITS

As seen in the supplement facts image to the left (or above if you are on mobile), Actalin is a very comprehensive thyroid supplement with a lot of vital vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. If you follow my other articles, you know that Iodine is the most important of these ingredients for an under active thyroid so it is great that this thyroid supplement includes it in in their supplement. I am also reassured in the effectiveness of Actalin since it includes selenium and l-tyrosine, two other minerals and amino acids I would consider to be essential to a thyroid supplement.

However, there are also some ingredients in Actalin that I wonder whether they really help the thyroid. For instance, I was not able to find any studies or scientific evidence that methylsulfonylmethane, commonly referred to as MSM, has any real benefit for the thyroid. The same thing can be said for Riboflavin and Niacin as well, which although can help a bit for short term energy, seems to do little for the thyroid in the long run.

It leaves me to wonder whether Medix Select, the company behind Actalin, decided to include the ingredients in this supplement with the thyroid in mind or whether they included a lot of filler ingredients to make Actalin look more comprehensive. Actalin looks more like a multivitamin at this point then a thyroid support supplement, or complex. There is certainly good minerals, vitamins, and amino acids within each capsule as we discussed earlier, but it is possible that these ingredients get overshadowed by the less essential, yet filler ones. I would have liked to see that Actalin included the essentials and then more. It seems that they decided to make another approach, though, and I am not really sure that it payed off. In the next section, we will determine the effectiveness of this thyroid supplement.

However, before we dive into that,  I want to mention that Actalin also contains Adrenal Glandular Bovine Powder. What this means is that each Actalin has a bit of crushed adrenal glands from cows within each capsule. The idea behind this is the capsules would thus contain some T3 and T4 hormones as well. However, most thyroid experts and physicians would consider this dangerous as the unregulated nature of dietary supplements leads to unknown amounts of each hormone in each capsule. It is possible that one capsule could contain a ton of hormones, and yet the next would contain almost nothing. The different amounts of hormones in each capsule has the potential to really mess up your thyroid. You can read more about why taking dietary supplements that include raw glands is a risky and dangerous idea here.

PROS:
  • Contains Iodine
  • Contains Helpful Amino Acids and Vitamins

CONS:
  • Expensive
  • Contains Adrenal Extract
  • May be ineffective
  • Shaky refund policy
  • “Trial” Offer

Actalin REVIEW AND EXPERIENCES

With a supplement this expensive and comprehensive, one would think that Actalin would be able to solve every and all issues with your thyroid, but this does not seem to be the case. Perhaps this is a result of trying to fit too much into a single capsule or maybe it is that each ingredient is extracted from low quality sources. Whatever the reason is, Actalin is not very effective, especially when compared to many of the best thyroid supplements we have reviewed. Actalin covers all of its bases, but seems to have spread itself far too thin to really help those with hypothyroidism or an under active thyroid.

Ordering Actalin from Medix Select’s website presents another problem – many former customers of Medix Select report that it is fairly difficult to stop their subscriptions. Medix Select offers a “smart ship” program where they give free shipping and a slight discount. They automatically include this subscription service in the low priced trial they offer to new customers. Basically if you pay around $10, you will receive a trial bottle of Actalin in return. However, you will also be automatically signed up for their a subscription service where every 3 months, they automatically charge you and send you 3 bottles of Actalin. Many former customers report difficulty in canceling this service, resulting in unwanted charges to credit cards and unwanted and unused Actalin bottles. Be sure not to get trapped in their automatic service if you chose to order Actalin. It could be a costly mistake.

Actalin

$46.90

Thyroid
7.6 Total Score
6 reviews
Decent.

7.6Editor's score
Supports Thyroid Functionality
8
Improves Metabolism
8.5
Increases Energy Levels
7.5
Side Effects
8
Worth
6
5User's score
Supports Thyroid Functionality
5.6
Improves Metabolism
4.6
Increases Energy Levels
5.1
Side Effects
5.8
Worth
4.3
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29 Comments
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  1. Reply
    Lisa Marie Stokes January 19, 2021 at 10:54 am

    i would like to try some like what it read in womans world magazine. my name is lisa marie stokes 106 providence street, shediac new brunswick e4p 4n1 thank you|!

  2. Reply
    Christy Nordhaus December 22, 2018 at 11:56 pm
    4.8
    Supports Thyroid Functionality
    100
    Improves Metabolism
    90
    Increases Energy Levels
    90
    Side Effects
    100
    Worth
    100

    I started taking Actalin about a year ago. I had been on Synthroid for over 8 yrs and my dosage just kept going up every year. (from 25mg to 125mg). I’m 44 yrs. old and didn’t want to keep increasing my dosage without trying something new/natural. I read lots of info and felt confident in giving Actalin a try. I notified my doctor and did blood tests every 3 months to see if it was working or not. My doctor was skeptical but, agreed to follow ups. When I started taking Actalin I slowly took myself off of Synthroid (month). After the first month then I was completely only taking Actalin by itself. After 3 months total I went for my blood work. I was at a 12. Normal range is between 0-4. I kept taking Actalin and tried to eat a little healthier (more greens and less carbs which I still try to incorporate in my family’s life). After 3 more months I went and did another blood test. This time I was down to 8. My doctor suggested I increase my dosage of Actalin to 2x’s a day instead of once a day. I did this 5 out of 7 days for 3 more months. Good news…..on my last blood tests I was in the normal range down to 3.8!! I am super excited to get my thyroid working on its own and doing it naturally. I highly recommend everyone to at least try it, with of course the watch of your doctor. Yes, I do pay more now for this supplement than I did for my script. But, hopefully someday in the future my thyroid will get the kick start it needed and I will be able to completely go off all supplements (if not, at least I’m taking something that’s natural). I want to thank Dr. Brownstein for doing the research and offering us an alternative to medication. Oh, I forgot to mention if I’ve had side effects or not. I never really experienced any bad side effects. My periods are a little more regular now, I lost 15 lbs, and I don’t have muscle cramps in my legs anymore especially at night, I sleep pretty good now too 🙂 Hope this review helps.

  3. Reply
    Becky July 7, 2018 at 4:47 pm

    Will taking Kanchanara Guggulu with Actalin o.k. or would it cause issues internally?

    Thank you,

    Becky

  4. Reply
    Linda March 18, 2018 at 8:30 pm
    3
    Supports Thyroid Functionality
    60
    Improves Metabolism
    60
    Increases Energy Levels
    60
    Side Effects
    60
    Worth
    60

    Can I take Nature Throid 97.5 along with Actalin? Do I stop my thyroid medicine?

    • Reply
      Thyroid Advisor March 18, 2018 at 10:02 pm

      Hi Linda,

      Normally you can take thyroid supplements if you space them out with your medication. Best to check with them though!

  5. Reply
    Norma Llorca January 27, 2018 at 6:05 pm

    My husband has been using Actalin for about a month. He is now often sweating profusely without any probable cause. He is diabetic. He gets insulin shots and metformin, however, his diabetic treatment has never given him perspiration as long as its been normal. Due you know if the perspiration could be a side effect of Actalin?

    • Reply
      Tracy April 28, 2018 at 4:11 pm

      It absolutely did that to me. I started having body odor an hour after I showered and this came along with extreme menopausal symptoms.

  6. Reply
    lincoln robinson December 16, 2017 at 10:02 pm

    the doctor who made this product called himself a holistic doctor. what he failed to say that if is product was organic,and if it was good for vegans,

  7. Reply
    Evelyn Beaulieu December 16, 2017 at 5:57 pm

    I chose to take Actalin instead of the prescribed thyroid medicine that my Dr. wanted me to start taking. Since I have been taking Actalin, I feel like I am going through menipause symtoms, yet once again at the age of 65. Is this normal or should I discountinue it and go on something else?

    • Reply
      Tracy April 28, 2018 at 4:10 pm

      This has happened to me too! I was already having menopause symptoms and started taking actalin. My symptoms got so bad over a couple of months that I no longer could sleep a solid hour without going to the bathroom or waking up with night sweats. I was going insane. I stopped taking it and within 3 days i was sleeping through the night again and my hot flashes and night sweats and brain fog just started disappearing. Anyone else have this experience?

  8. Reply
    diana November 13, 2017 at 12:59 am

    i’m taking Levothyroxine 75 and simvastatin. will actalin cross with my two medications?

  9. Reply
    Jacqueline November 11, 2017 at 7:11 pm

    According to an article on the Internet, one man who must have had thyroid issues,
    one day, decided to chew a Synthroid tablet and found, much to his surprise, that
    it tasted of simple table sugar! He did the same with a Levothyroxine tablet……
    same discovery! Because of this, he figured that these drug companies were
    deliberately putting out these “thyroid cures” that obviously would never make any
    difference, to simply keep the money coming in! I get it, this is hard to believe, but
    normally any medicine would not generally be palatable when chewed. Just saying…..

  10. Reply
    Stacy October 17, 2017 at 3:11 am

    I had no problems at all with customer service when cancelling order. Ire ordered at a later date because I was waiting for a new card but they didn’t know that. They cancelled my order immediately and I had no problems.

  11. Reply
    elaine July 31, 2017 at 2:23 am

    Thank you so much for your honest review of this product. I have experienced difficulty with guarantees, stopping future shipments, contacting customer service, etc. with these products promoted on the internet.
    I will not be ordering this product. You saved me lots of trouble down the road.

  12. Reply
    Kathy Nicholl Bayer June 30, 2017 at 6:43 am
    2.6
    Supports Thyroid Functionality
    80
    Improves Metabolism
    80
    Increases Energy Levels
    10
    Side Effects
    90
    Worth
    0

    Gives me gas . What is that about ?

    + PROS: Gives me energy
    - CONS: Gives me gas
    • Reply
      Kennedy September 7, 2017 at 11:02 pm

      Usal cause of gas is low stomach acids. One can take a digestive enzyme or simply eat pinapple which has a natural enzyme. Just eat a spoon full of cut up pinapple before your meals.

    • Reply
      Thyroid Advisor July 1, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      Obviously, it contains something that does not seem to bode well with you.

      It is not uncommon. Some people report feeling better with a specific supplement while others report unwanted side effects.

  13. Reply
    Alison June 21, 2017 at 12:19 am

    Can thyroid supplements like Actalin help you if you got your thyroid removed?

    • Reply
      Thyroid Advisor June 21, 2017 at 1:51 am

      Hi Alison,

      Very unlikely. The vitamins, minerals, and herbs in these supplements can be used by other organs and help in that regard, but no hormones can be produced through these supplements, without a thyroid.

  14. Reply
    lia May 27, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    i been taking levothoraxine for more of 15 years ..
    my question is. can i stop my dr presription
    and star taking actaling … for my self ..or i have to ask my doctor abouth it ?

    • Reply
      Lori June 5, 2017 at 11:57 am
      4.4
      Supports Thyroid Functionality
      100
      Improves Metabolism
      50
      Increases Energy Levels
      90
      Side Effects
      100
      Worth
      100

      Lia,

      I am a nurse. I had to stop taking my Levothoraxine after 14 years d/t losing my insurance. For a year now I have been taking Actalin. I recently obtained insurance and I went back to my doctor. He was not “happy” with me for going off of my Levothoraxine. He actually said “You know those supplements do not work right?” Well…he ordered a blood draw to test my thyroid..guess what?? My thyroid levels were within normal limits. It shocked me and him…His nurse said “The Dr said that it’s o.k for you to stay on Actalin, obviously it’s working and he did not prescribe me anymore Levothoraxine. As a nurse (if you decide to stop taking Levothoraxine I would like to advise you to decrease the use of Levothoraxine gradually and add Actalin slowly. Also, it is very very very important to follow up with lab work. Everyone is different, I was successful with Actalin, however that does not mean that everyone’s thyroid will respond as mine did to this supplement. It did increase my energy and focus, however I do still feel as if it did not do a lot for my metabolism, but I am older and I love food…so it is difficult to determine whether Actalin does not assist with metabolism or if it’s my eating habits. I do feel better on Actalin than I did taking Levothoraxine. Hope this helps, as with every supplement do your research, look at reviews and pay attention to your body and overall health… : )

      • Reply
        Paula Schmidt November 5, 2018 at 10:37 pm

        I love your review. Actalin has really saved my life. My Dr said the same thing that natural supplements do not work. After my lab results he said keep doing what you are doing. It is working. I have been taking it for 4+ years. My labs last week were normal after all this time. I highly recommend it!

      • Reply
        Lisa August 2, 2017 at 10:57 am

        Hi Lori, I’m very glad Actalin works for you. I was diagnosed Hyperthyroidism/Graves. Does Actalin works for Hyperthyroidism disease?

    • Reply
      Thyroid Advisor May 30, 2017 at 6:31 pm

      It would probably be best to ask your doctor about it first.

      • Reply
        Lori June 5, 2017 at 11:58 am

        See my post!!!!! : )

  15. Reply
    Dianne March 13, 2017 at 9:05 pm

    Can you use this if you don’t have your thyroid?

    • Reply
      Kristina Reed September 17, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Complete Thyroidectomy 2000 and NOTHING they have ever given me has worked well. My T3/4 have never been normal and I have chronic fatigue. I ordered this after seeing Dr B on Gaia & I am hoping it will give me some better energy. At least with the iodine you should feel some better. Not 1 single “specialist” has helped me in over 20 years….I’ll stick with trying holistic. At least it doesn’t have flouride in it like our Levo’s do

    • Reply
      Thyroid Advisor March 20, 2017 at 1:36 am

      If you have had your thyroid removed, in my opinion it is impossible for a dietary supplement to help you. You will likely need to take T4 drugs such as levothyroxine for the rest of your life.

      • Reply
        Karen Barnes April 7, 2019 at 4:51 pm

        I started using Actilin, 5 months ago quit taking the Levothrowracxin, maybe not spelled right,, I feel a 100 x’s better than when i was on all the medication i was on.btw, i don’t take anything now but Actilin.My Dr. pretty much confirmed that the Rx’s are not to cure just mask and suppress symptoms.My daughter also uses it, she’s not as through with hers as i am.

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