Drinking lemon juice in warm water when taking Levo? Good or bad idea?

[SarahReed11]

[helvella Administrator]

My view? Bad idea.

Simply put, all work done by medics, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, etc. is based on the ordinary ways of taking tablets. So if there is an impact from lemon juice it will not be factored in. We know how much we question things but at least we know that is the basis.

Warm water? At a guess, little impact. If you take the tablets with any water, that will soon enough be close to blood heat. So suggest that in most cases it would only be likely to speed up dispersion/dissolution a bit.

On the other hand, grapefruit has a small but measurable effect - slowing and possibly slightly reducing absorption:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/161...

I could, of course, be entirely wrong! And it might be the best possible thing to do. But I'd take a bit of convincing. Do you know what benefits are supposed to come about from doing this?

Rod

[kizzy12]

as long as you leave it a few hours after taking your meds it should be ok as the amount you use is small and diluted....just not too many a day and not near to taking meds x

[OrangeGirl]

For me in 2008 it was the worst thing I ever did. I had heard some nutritionist say if you only kept one good health related new years resolution it should be to drink a glass of warm water with lemon every morning. I did and ended up so sick - for me it rendered by morning levo almost useless and it was almost eight months before I was well again as the doctor upped my levo from 150 to 225. I think it works like grapefruit which is contraindicated when you are taking certain medications.

[Flowers57 in reply to OrangeGirl]

I have had terrible body rash itchy for 10 weeks that could be linked with taking lemon in hot water in mornings I am not sure. Everytime I eat any sugar now I itch. I m a sugar fiend always have been. Like you I thought the lemon thing was good healthy thing to adopt seeing as I smoke and have tummy issues. I've seen 6 docs had loads meds..its been mites..fleas..allergies..eczema and nil worked. Have cut all sugar but still arms start itching morning onwards after lemon. I've been taking pills before lemon.

You may be into summative here. I m on 125 levothyroxine a day. I've tried Everything else and now big itchy spots coming on my eyes. I m scared. Gonna cut damn lemon out and see.

Thank you man.

[puncturedbicycle]

It made me feel sick to my stomach. I now take apple cider vinegar (in juice and water with my daily Spatone) for indigestion and that is soothing. So if the issue is that you want to take a mild acid for digestion or whatever I would recommend the acv instead. As for warm water, I find I can drink much more water when it is warm than when it is cold, and I enjoy it more.

Whenever drinking/eating anything acidic remember to refrain from brushing your teeth immediately afterward as it can erode your tooth enamel. End of public service message.