1. The Essential Guide to T3 (Cytomel)
Introduction
This guide outlines how to use T3 using the “2 days on, 2 days off” protocol.
Requirements
- T3 (Cytomel)
- In-Ear Thermometer (Braun ThermoScan 5 IRT4520 Ear Thermometer)
The steps that must be taken one week before using T3
Take your morning temperature using an in-ear thermometer as soon as you wake up
(before leaving the bed) for 7 consecutive mornings. This means if you start taking readings
on a Monday, Sunday should be the last day you take a reading before you start using T3 on
the following day which will subsequently be a Monday.
These readings will be used as your base readings and will be referred to as “base
readings”for the duration of this guide.
The steps that must be taken whilst using T3
Start to use T3 at 100mcg (2 days on, 2 days off). The table below depicts clearly how this
must be done.
Day How much T3 (Cytomel) to be used
Monday 100mcg per day
Tuesday 100mcg per day
Wednesday None
Thursday None
Friday 100mcg per day
Saturday 100mcg per day
Sunday None
Monday None
Tuesday 100mcg per day
Wednesday 100mcg per day
Keep measuring your temperature on a daily basis just as you did originally which was taking
a reading as soon as you wake up, before leaving the bed.
If after 7 days your temperature is not 0.3-0.6 Celsius higher than your base readings, take
another 25mcg of T3.
If after another 7 days your temperature is still not 0.3-0.6 Celsius higher than your base
readings, take another 25mcg of T3.
Most users should not require more than 150mcg of T3 in total.

2. What happens if your temperature drops?
If your temperature happens to drop 0.6 Celsius below your base readings three mornings in
a row, it would be best to stop using T3 as your body has begun to down regulate its own
thyroid production.
Keep in mind that it is a total temperature drop of 0.6 Celsius for three days or more in a
row you are looking out for. For example, if your base readingsaveraged at 36.8 Celsius but
during your cycle of T3, your temperature drops to 36.2 Celsius for three days or more, this
is when you should consider coming off T3 until your temperature reaches its base
readingsagain.
If your temperature does happen to drop 0.6 Celsius below your base readings, it would be
sensible to stop using T3.Keep measuring your temperature on a daily basis every morning
before getting out of bed and once your temperature has reached its averagebase
readingsagain, your thyroid has recovered full function.
This normally takes roughly 2-4 weeks depending on the individual and a rebound is highly
unlikely as your own thyroid production had only been marginally suppressed.
You can then begin the whole procedure again once your temperature has reached its base
readings.
How to take/dose T3
The most effective way to dose T3 is to take all the tablets in one sitting, first thing in the
morning and preferably 30 minutes before eating.
The reasoning for this is absorption. T3 prefers a less acidic environment and although the
stomach is an acidic environment, it secretes more acid with food.