Taking T3 & T4 with vitamin C to improve absorption

[Victoria2603]

I read that vitamin C can improve absorption of thyroid medicines. I wonder if anyone does this and have they noticed a difference? I take my meds in the early hours of the morning before waking up for the day - Levothyroxine and T3 together. Can I use orange juice to swallow them, or would a tablet or solution be better, how much is necessary to be effective and does it only apply to T4? Also as calcium blocks absorption is it safe to have coffee.. With milk 1-2 hours after taking meds? Thank you!

[Margareta3]

I was taking sodium ascorbate containing 1000mg Vit C with Levothyroxine for about 2 months. There was no difference in symptoms, nor any difference in blood test results comparing with taking Levothyroxine only.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Margareta3]

One problem is that sodium ascorbate might behave differently to ascorbic acid.

This paper says "vitamin C" but does not make it completely clear that they used ascorbic acid - though I suspect they did:

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

The other possibility is that you were already absorbing adequately - or that whatever was causing you not to absorb it well enough was not resolved by sodium ascorbate.

[Margareta3 in reply to helvella]

I was wondering afterwards if the Vit C was important in the experiment, or the fact that ascorbic acid they used had a pH value 2.9-3. If the latter, one can possibly use another substance with a low pH. PH of sodium ascorbate is about 6.

[Agapanthus1]

My endo recommended taking pure vit c with my Levo at night to assist absorption, I think he suggested 1g.

[helvella Administrator]

Orange juice - or any other source of ascorbic acid, might not be good for your teeth! The acidity and the sugars.

[clynnesloan]

I was actually on the site searching for a suggestion to help increase absorption of my thyroid medication. They have had to keep increasing dose and my labs are not improving, getting worse actually. Hoping that someone has some words of wisdom.

[helvella Administrator in reply to clynnesloan]

Did you notice my reply slightly earlier on this thread? The paper does say that vitamin C can help.

But why do you think it is your absorption rather than the dose, or the make of tablet, or whatever?