Thyroid medication should be taken
on an empty stomach
, around the same time each day. Afterwards, we recommend avoiding eating or drinking for 30-60 minutes. Most of our patients take thyroid hormone in the morning upon waking. Breakfast, including any coffee or milk, can be eaten 30-60 minutes later.
Is it better to take thyroid medicine in the morning or at night?
There is consensus that levothyroxine
should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach
. A pilot study showed that levothyroxine intake at bedtime significantly decreased thyrotropin levels and increased free thyroxine and total triiodothyronine levels.
What happens if you eat right after taking thyroid medicine?
You take your meds at the wrong time.
Taking it with or too soon before or after a meal or snack could
reduce absorption
to 64%, from a high of 80% when you’re fasting, according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA). Just changing your timing could bring your thyroid levels back into a normal range.
Can I drink water after taking thyroid medicine?
Always take thyroxine with fluids. If a pill dissolves in your mouth or throat, not enough of the medication will be absorbed into your blood. Most drinks are fine options,
except soy milk
. Soy can decrease the absorption of thyroxine in the blood.
How long should you wait to eat after taking thyroid medicine?
The key to maintaining healthy thyroid function is establishing a routine that maximizes absorption of your medication. Take your thyroid pill on an empty stomach and wait
at least one hour before eating
.
How do you know when your thyroid medicine needs adjusting?
In general, the most indicators that your doctor needs to adjust your levothyroxine dose is that you start having signs and symptoms of an overactive thyroid. These include:
Racing or irregular heartbeat or palpitations
.
Increased blood pressure
.
What a thyroid patient should not eat?
- Soy foods: tofu, tempeh, edamame, etc.
- Certain vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, spinach, etc.
- Fruits and starchy plants: sweet potatoes, cassava, peaches, strawberries, etc.
- Nuts and seeds: millet, pine nuts, peanuts, etc.
What should I avoid while taking levothyroxine?
There are some foods and drinks that do not mix well with levothyroxine:
drinks containing caffeine
, like coffee, tea and some fizzy drinks, can reduce the amount of levothyroxine your body takes in. Leave at least 30 minutes after taking levothyroxine before you drink them.
What are the symptoms of too much thyroid medication?
- Heart palpitations or a faster heart rate, even at rest.
- Trouble falling asleep.
- Feeling jittery.
- Sweating a lot.
- Anxiety.
- Shaky hands.
- Diarrhea.
- Weight loss.
What should you not take with levothyroxine?
Take on an empty stomach, at least 30 to 60 minutes before food. Several
foods, fiber, soy, coffee, and grapefruit juice
can interfere with absorption. Supplements that contain iron and calcium may affect the absorption of levothyroxine (separate administration by 4 hours).
Do and don’ts for thyroid patient?
- Skip the soy. Soy protein, found in tofu, edamame and many other foods, can prevent your body from absorbing the hormone you take to treat your underactive thyroid gland – especially if it’s eaten within one hour of taking your medicine. …
- Banish the broccoli. …
- Watch out for whole grains.
What vitamins should not be taken with thyroid medication?
4. Vitamins and supplements. “You should also avoid any drugs or supplements that contain
iron, calcium, or magnesium
for at least four hours after taking your thyroid medications,” says Dr. Jaiswal.
Can we take lemon water with thyroid medicine?
No interactions
were found between lemon and Synthroid. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.
Is it OK to take thyroid medicine at night?
Ideally,
levothyroxine should be the only medication taken at bedtime
. Just as with morning dosing, it is best to avoid co-administration with other medications such as statins, blood pressure drugs, and metformin.
Should thyroid test be done on empty stomach?
Generally,
you don’t need to fast before doing a thyroid function test
. However, not fasting is sometimes linked to a lower TSH level. This means your results might not pick up on mild (subclinical) hypothyroidism — where your TSH levels are only mildly elevated.
Can I drink coffee 30 minutes after taking levothyroxine?
In studies, coffee reduced the body’s absorption of thyroid medications by about 30%. That’s why experts recommend that you
wait at least 60 minutes after drinking coffee to take your thyroid replacement medication
. After taking your thyroid med, you should also wait at least an hour before drinking coffee.
