This explanation is for those of you that must take thyroid medication prescribed by your doctor. You will note that there are often labels attached to your prescription bottle asking you to avoid taking your medication with calcium products or soy products. The main reason it is recommended to separate your medication ingestion with time is due to medication absorption. Clinical research has found that levothyroxine activity will be better absorbed if it is taken in the morning and calcium taken at least four hours later.
Soy products are better consumed more than three hours after taking thyroid medication. This includes products with soybean oil, energy bars with soy protein, power packed protein drinks that use soy as their protein source and any other soy based products. Reading food labels becomes so important to get the most out of taking this medication.
Caffeine products such as a cup of coffee or an energy drink with caffeine also have been shown to interfere with thyroid medication absorption. It is more difficult to take this medication to get the proper dose absorption than you might think. It takes planning and diligence to get the medication dosage taken in the morning before breakfast. One doctor actually suggested that if I woke up in the middle of the night or early in the morning, that I might want to keep the medication on my nightstand with water so I could take it then and avoid the absorption problems. I have chosen to be very careful with what I eat for breakfast, and wait until lunch for a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.
Let me know how you have solved this challenge when taking thyroid medication.
October 12, 2009 at 9:16 pm |
I tried taking it in the mornings but found that I had more mood swings, low energy and would sweat a lot, so I switched to taking it at 9:00 pm. All those side effects diminished after changing the dosage time from morning to evening.
December 12, 2009 at 7:30 am |
I have read studies that suggest evenings are better than mornings for better thyroid absorption. This has not become accepted in the medical arena yet though. Most doctors still recommend taking thyroid medication in the AM.
There has been some research done talking about taking thyroid medication once a week. This would be especially effective for patients that have difficulty complying with daily medication requirements. The medical community is still recommending daily use in the AM but maybe there will be changes to watch for in years to come.
December 11, 2009 at 11:17 pm |
Looks like you are a true specialist. Did ya study about the issue? lol
December 12, 2009 at 7:04 am |
I have started taking Cytomel, instead of Armor. I take that in the AM. It keeps me awake at night otherwise.
I take my synthroid in the PM. It seems easier to get consistancy and less interference with diet.
December 12, 2009 at 7:24 am |
I have studied the issue. I have been published on the issue. I have lived the issue for 33 years. You?
June 12, 2010 at 10:33 pm |
Does anyone else also take Boniva? If so, how do you deal with it? I take my Synthroid an hour before getting out of bed (I set my phone alarm, which is rather quiet, and have the Synthroid and water at bedside). I would like to be consistent, but on my Boniva days, I get up, take the Boniva with water, wait an hour, then take the Synthroid…OK for now, but I don’t think it will work once I am working. Any suggestions?
May 30, 2011 at 2:39 pm |
I have been taking thyroid replacement therapy for nearly 40 years and can say – right on!
Funny thing, for years my dose remained the same and all was steady. Just this past year or so, when my undiagnosed Celiac’s disease and colitis finally set me back so badly that I was living between the bathroom, bed and couch, my thyroid levels got messed up and I haven’t got them back, even after 6 months of trying to be careful. Of course, I realized that I was sabotaging my efforts by having a cup of coffee right afterwards and taking my multivitamin and calcium. I also need to get some plain, unsweetened yogurt down the hatch to start my day right and feed all those healthy bacteria that fight all the gas and indigestion-causing bacteria in the intestines. During the day, I take a cholesterol-lowering drug, multivitamins and an iron-folic acid- B12 combo, all of which conflict with the thyroid. I take an oral osteoporis medication at bedtime. (I live outside the US, so I take one that’s not yet available there, but approved in Europe and many other countries. You poor folks in the US will have to wait, sorry.) Anyhow, back to the drawing board with when and how to take my thyroid.
December 31, 2011 at 5:09 am |
ok. so let me get this straight- you can take your vitamin with your tyroid meds- I have graves disease) but you cant take milk based products w your meds because it decreases its effectiveness? I also have a question for you guys- I gained wieght with my thyroid being out of balance and i have to do a 1,200 cal diet and loose the 40lbs i put on
i have been working out and trying to eat healthy but its been alot harder to loose the wieght than i thought- im used to working out and taking suppliments like beverly muscle provider as a protien drink to increase my protien in my diet loose fat gain muscle replace fat type of diet and now im stumped because i cant seem to find a milk-based protien drink that i could take that wont hinder my meds for my thyroid im taking what do you guys do in my circumstances? have you had any wieght gain issues and difficulty loosing wieght? im very frustrated and i really want to loose the wieght and feel normal again-vicky