Levothyroxine and suitable foods: I am new to... - Thyroid UK

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Levothyroxine and suitable foods

HayleyLouise8 profile image
8 Replies

I am new to taking this medication and have heard that it needs to be taken an hour before breakfast. I aware that certain foods can’t be eaten! Are boiled eggs ok? Also what is the best bread to have as toast? I know that you can’t have a high fibre bread, which one is the best to choose then? Any advice would be great as I don’t want to take these tablets and wipe out the benefits from eating the wrong foods!

I look forward to some advice, thank you 😊

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HayleyLouise8 profile image
HayleyLouise8
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shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

It is advisable/convenient to take thyroid hormones on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and most find that when they get up is best. You take it and wait an hour before eating.

This is a link which may be helpful and members will respond when they read your post.

kresserinstitute.com/goitro...

HayleyLouise8 profile image
HayleyLouise8

Thank you for the reply ❤️ I am really researching into this as I want it to work properly. I’ve taken my medication 1.5 hrs ago so hopefully the coffee, eggs and toast will be fine! Any advice is greatly appreciated 😊

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toHayleyLouise8

When replying to someone on this site, you need to click on the blue 'reply' button, so that they are notified that you've replied. Otherwise, they might miss your reply. :)

Eggs, toast and coffee is fine after one hour. And I'm sure you won't eat enough high fibre bread to make much difference, so the bread of your choosing. The thing you really must avoid, when hypo, is any form of soy. So, make sure your bread is not made with soy flour. It's also best to avoid artificial sweeteners. Apart from that, eat what you like.

You will probably get people telling you that they don't wait an hour, they take their levo then eat, etc. etc. etc. And, their arguments could possibly hold water. But, it's too complicated. The easiest way is to leave an hour before eating - and especially before coffee - to maximise your chances of absorbing the hormone. :)

HayleyLouise8 profile image
HayleyLouise8 in reply togreygoose

Thank you so much for all this info! I’ve checked the bread and it contains soya? Should I opt for a ‘free from’ bread that contains no soya/dairy free/gluten free etc instead? I’ve checked both breads online and when compared to a low fibre white bread containing the above but just 2.5gm of fibre per 100gm the ‘free from’ are now the opposite in fibre 🙈 fibre at 8grams per 100gm if the product? What’s the best to go for?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toHayleyLouise8

The best to go for is any bread that doesn't contain soya.

Hibs1 profile image
Hibs1 in reply toHayleyLouise8

I have Coeliac disease and have to have free from bread and have it rarely due to lack of fibre and it is also pretty awful

Treepie profile image
Treepie

I take mine ,as many others do, just before I go to bed so well away from food .If I take some other medicine or supplement before bed ,except vit C which helps absorption, I take in middle of night when I get up for a pee.

MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray

I don't, nor ever have, limited what type of food I eat, other than meat which I exclude for moral rather than health reasons. Unless you have an allergy or intolerance, in which case you need, or are better off excluding those things respectively, then it comes down to your individual needs and requirements. Some people who have Hashimoto's, but definitely not all, might benefit from being gluten and/or dairy free; b ut unless you find that either of those food groups are creating a problem for you, then carry on eating them. If you find you have specific gut issues affecting food and/or med absorption, then of course it makes sense to address that; but if you find you feel better having the fibre in high fibre bread, than not having it, it makes sense to eat, enjoy, and feel good. Some people feel their gut motility is slowed due to being hypo, and if yours works well with what you eat, there's your answer. There was a debate about eggs a day or so ago, in a thread about cholesterol, and one member reported eating 6 egg omelettes, and others saying that 3 eggs a day is fine, there is no need to exclude eggs if you enjoy them. There is some old bad science still out there, about the likes of alleged goitrogens etc, which continues to be shared and mislead people; but when you have a health condition it is perhaps even more important to eat a varied, nutritious and healthy diet that doesn't upset you (rather than whether it upsets someone else); and as time goes on and your meds and health is optimised, you'll discover whether any particular adjustments are needed or not.

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