Best time to take levothyroxine

[mc88]

Hello

When is the best time to take levothyroxine?

My sisters GP tells her at night before bed and my GP says in the morning.

Does it make a difference?

Thanks in advance

Megan

[shaws Administrator]

It is either/or a.m. or p.m. The most important is that stomach has to be empty and if you have a heavy meal in the evening you have to wait about 2.5 to 3 hours before taking levo with one full glass of water. If having a blood test next a.m. - the earliest - you have to miss night dose and take after test and night dose the same day as usual.

An a,m. blood test means you don't take thyroid hormones before test but afterwards and take it with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating.

[Ellie-Louise in reply to shaws]

I have always wondered why it is always advised to take it with a full glass of water?

I take mine with a few gulps of flavoured water because I can’t stand the taste of water.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Ellie-Louise]

This will be helpful. Tablets can swell and stick in the throat :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Ellie-Louise in reply to shaws]

I see, thank you.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

The best time is what suits you. Experiment. Some people find it's better for them to take it at night, some in the morning. Just remember to take it on an empty stomach, one hour before or 2 hours after food, with a glass of water only, no tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk, etc. If taking it at night then if your evening meal is your largest meal of the day, then leave 3 hours between that and Levo.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Research suggests it might be better at night

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

Some try it and prefer it

Others try it and don't

It may give slightly better absorption, in which case you may need to retest levels if change from morning to evening dosing

[helvella Administrator]

Remember, two economists, three opinions.

If two GPs flatly contradict each other, you cannot trust either.

Have a look at this poll - and especially the comments - conducted right here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

(I take mine at bed-time - always have.)

[marsaday]

Bed for me. t4 is know as the night hormone.

Try it for a week then go to morning for a week and see how that works then decide which worked better

[mc88]

Thank you everyone. I’ll try for a week at night and see how I feel!

[TimD250172]

Definitely bedtime for me too.

[silverfox7]

I found night time a little better but then it didn't fit in with when I was eating and liking a bit of supper done wvenings plus I tried it about a month before a holiday when I knew I would be eating later so you have to feel comfortable fitting it in as well and not risk falling asleep too early! But try it and and see both sides but you already know one so I should try the nighttime for s few weeks to compare.

[milkwoman]

The best time is what suits you.

From day 1, my endo advised me to take levo at 5:00pm every day, along with my Plaquenil (in addition to being hypoT, I also have lupus and Sjogrens).

I have tried taking levo before bed (though I can’t quite recall why - perhaps I had read on TUK to do so), but that didn’t suit me.

[Cleo1031]

My Doctor , an Internist, said take levo as usual,

No problem taking a test